popular Wiki of the Day

pWotD Episode 3258: Good Friday Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 319,118 views on Friday, 3 April 2026 our article of the day is Good Friday.Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum.Members of many Christian denominations, including the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox, United Protestant, and some Reformed traditions (including certain Continental Reformed, Presbyterian, and Congregationalist churches), observe Good Friday with fasting and church services. In many Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and Methodist churches, the Service of the Great Three Hours' Agony is held from noon until 3 p.m.— the hours the Bible records darkness covering the land until Jesus' death on the cross. In the Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican traditions, the Stations of the Cross are prayed in the evening of Good Friday, as with other Fridays of Lent. Members of the Moravian Church have a Good Friday tradition of cleaning gravestones in Moravian cemeteries.The date of Good Friday varies from one year to the next in both the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Eastern and Western Christianity disagree over the computation of the date of Easter and therefore of Good Friday. Good Friday is a widely instituted legal holiday around the world. Some predominantly Christian countries, such as Germany, have laws prohibiting certain acts—public dancing, horse racing—in remembrance of the somber nature of Good Friday.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:06 UTC on Saturday, 4 April 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Good Friday on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Matthew.

pWotD Episode 3257: Todd Blanche Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 224,732 views on Thursday, 2 April 2026 our article of the day is Todd Blanche.Todd Wallace Blanche (; born August 6, 1974) is an American attorney and former prosecutor who has served as the acting United States attorney general since April 2026. Blanche has also served as the United States deputy attorney general since January 2025 and as the acting librarian of Congress since May 2025; the legality of the latter appointment has been disputed.Blanche graduated from American University in 1994 and from Brooklyn Law School in 2003. He worked in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York's violent-crimes division for eight years. In 2017, Blanche became a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. In his personal capacity, he represented several figures associated with president Donald Trump and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, including Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort; the businessman Igor Fruman; and the attorney Boris Epshteyn.In April 2023, prior to his arraignment, Trump hired Blanche to defend him in the District Attorney's Office of New York County's prosecution of the former president over concealed hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels. Blanche later defended him in the federal classified documents and election obstruction cases. He led Trump's defense in his criminal trial.In November 2024, following his victory in the 2024 presidential election, Trump named Blanche as his nominee for deputy attorney general. He was confirmed by the Senate in March 2025. In May, Trump dismissed the librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, and named Blanche to succeed her. The staff of the Library of Congress and Hayden disputed Trump's authority to appoint Blanche without the consent of the Senate, arguing that Robert Newlen, the principal deputy librarian, was Hayden's lawful successor. After Trump fired Pam Bondi as attorney general in April 2026, Blanche became her acting successor.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:04 UTC on Friday, 3 April 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Todd Blanche on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Ruth.

pWotD Episode 3256: Artemis II Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 915,989 views on Wednesday, 1 April 2026 our article of the day is Artemis II.Artemis II is a lunar flyby mission under the Artemis program. Launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026, the ten-day mission plans to carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a free-return trajectory around the Moon and back to Earth. It is the second flight of the Space Launch System (SLS), the first crewed mission of the Orion spacecraft, and the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.The mission is expected to set several human spaceflight records. Glover became the first person of color, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-U. S. citizen to travel beyond low Earth orbit, and plan to become the first person of color, woman, and non-U. S. citizen to travel to the vicinity of the Moon. At a distance of approximately 4,700 miles (7,600 km; 4,100 nmi) beyond the Moon and an atmospheric reentry speed of about 25,000 miles per hour (40,000 km/h), the mission would narrowly exceed previous crewed flight distance and speed.Artemis II is a flight test supporting subsequent Artemis missions, which are planned to return humans to the lunar surface in 2028 for the first time since Apollo 17. The mission was originally designated Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2) and was initially intended to support the now-canceled Asteroid Redirect Mission, proposed in 2013. Its objectives were revised following the establishment of the Artemis program in 2017. The mission objectives are similar to those of Apollo 8 in 1968, the first crewed lunar flight during the Apollo program. However, its planned free-return trajectory more closely resembles that flown by Apollo 13.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:35 UTC on Thursday, 2 April 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Artemis II on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Kendra.

pWotD Episode 3255: 2026 FIFA World Cup Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 222,885 views on Tuesday, 31 March 2026 our article of the day is 2026 FIFA World Cup.The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men's soccer championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be jointly hosted by sixteen cities—eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The tournament will be the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three nations, and the first to include 48 teams, an expansion from 32.The United 2026 bid beat a rival bid by Morocco during a final vote at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow. It will be the first men's World Cup since 2002 to be co-hosted by multiple nations. With its past hosting of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, Mexico will become the first country to host or co-host the men's World Cup three times. The United States previously hosted the men's World Cup in 1994. By contrast, it will be Canada's first time hosting or co-hosting the men's tournament. The event will return to its traditional Northern Hemisphere summer schedule after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was held in November and December.As the host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States all automatically qualified. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will all make their World Cup debuts. Argentina is the defending champion, having won its third World Cup title in 2022.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:38 UTC on Wednesday, 1 April 2026.For the full current version of the article, see 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Olivia.

pWotD Episode 3254: Scott Mills Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 187,885 views on Monday, 30 March 2026 our article of the day is Scott Mills.Scott Robert Mills (born 28 March 1973) is an English radio DJ, television presenter and occasional actor. He is best known for presenting the Scott Mills show on BBC Radio 1 from 2004 to 2022 and then, on BBC Radio 2, hosting the station's flagship breakfast show from January 2025 until his dismissal from the BBC in March 2026. He has also been a UK commentator for the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:17 UTC on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Scott Mills on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Olivia.

pWotD Episode 3253: Avi Lewis Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 142,187 views on Sunday, 29 March 2026 our article of the day is Avi Lewis.Avram David "Avi" Lewis (born May 1967) is a Canadian politician and former journalist who has served as leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) since 2026. Raised in a political family, Lewis began his career in broadcasting, hosting several programs for Citytv, CBC News and Al Jazeera English including The NewMusic, CounterSpin, On the Map with Avi Lewis, The Big Picture with Avi Lewis, and Fault Lines. With his wife Naomi Klein, Lewis directed the documentaries The Take and This Changes Everything. Along with Klein and several other activists, Lewis launched the Leap Manifesto in 2015. Lewis was also an associate professor at the University of British Columbia and a lecturer at Rutgers University. Lewis first became involved in politics with the Leap Manifesto in the 2010s. He later ran as an NDP candidate in the 2021 and 2025 federal elections, placing third each time. He was elected the party's leader in March 2026 on the first ballot, with 56 per cent of the vote.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:31 UTC on Monday, 30 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Avi Lewis on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Ayanda.

pWotD Episode 3252: Tiger Woods Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 217,158 views on Saturday, 28 March 2026 our article of the day is Tiger Woods.Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds numerous golf records. Woods is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time and is one of the most famous athletes in modern history. He is an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame.Following an outstanding junior, college, and amateur golf career, Woods turned professional in 1996 at the age of 20. By the end of April 1997, he had won three PGA Tour events in addition to his first major, the 1997 Masters, which he won by 12 strokes in a record-breaking performance. He reached number one in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in June 1997, less than a year after turning pro. Throughout the first decade of the 21st century, Woods was the dominant force in golf. He was the top-ranked golfer in the world from August 1999 to September 2004 (264 consecutive weeks) and again from June 2005 to October 2010 (281 consecutive weeks). The next decade of Woods's career was marked by comebacks from personal problems and injuries. He took a self-imposed hiatus from professional golf from December 2009 to early April 2010 in an attempt to resolve marital issues. He fell to number 58 in the world rankings in November 2011 before ascending again to the number-one ranking between March 2013 and May 2014. However, injuries led him to undergo four back surgeries between 2014 and 2017. Woods competed in only one tournament between August 2015 and January 2018, and he dropped off the list of the world's top 1,000 golfers. On his return to regular competition he won his first tournament in five years at the Tour Championship in September 2018 and his first major in 11 years at the 2019 Masters.Woods holds numerous golf records. He has been the number one player in the world for the most consecutive weeks and for the total number of weeks of any golfer in history. He has been awarded PGA Player of the Year a record 11 times Woods has the record of leading the money list in ten different seasons. He has won 15 professional major golf championships (trailing only Jack Nicklaus, who leads with 18) and 82 PGA Tour events (tied for first all time with Sam Snead)..Woods is one of six men (Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Rory McIlroy) players to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the youngest to do so. He is also the second golfer out of two (after Nicklaus) to achieve a career Grand Slam three times. He was also part of the American winning team for the 1999 Ryder Cup. In May 2019, Woods was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump, the fourth golfer to receive the honor.On February 23, 2021, Woods was hospitalized after a single-car collision and underwent emergency surgery to repair compound fractures sustained in his right leg in addition to a shattered ankle. In an interview with Golf Digest in November 2021, Woods indicated that his full-time career as a professional golfer was over, although he would continue to play "a few events per year". For the first time since the first car crash, he returned to the PGA Tour at the 2022 Masters. Then in 2026, Woods was involved in another car crash, this time charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and with causing damage to property. As of June 2025, his net worth is estimated at US$1.3 billion, according to Forbes.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:58 UTC on Sunday, 29 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Tiger Woods on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Aditi.

pWotD Episode 3251: Noelia Castillo euthanasia case Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 207,162 views on Friday, 27 March 2026 our article of the day is Noelia Castillo euthanasia case.Noelia Castillo Ramos (14 November 2000 – 26 March 2026) was a Spanish woman who died after receiving euthanasia. Her request for euthanasia became a landmark case in Spain on the application of the Organic Law Regulating Euthanasia (LORE) in the country. At age 25, she was one of the youngest people to receive assisted dying after demonstrating chronic and irreversible pain. Her case garnered significant public attention due to a two-year legal battle, in which the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) had to intervene to validate her right against appeals filed by her father and the Christian Lawyers Association, who questioned her legal capacity.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:21 UTC on Saturday, 28 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Noelia Castillo euthanasia case on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Jasmine.

pWotD Episode 3250: Send Help Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 148,604 views on Thursday, 26 March 2026 our article of the day is Send Help.Send Help is a 2026 American survival horror thriller film co-produced and directed by Sam Raimi and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. The film stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as an employee and her boss, respectively, who become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash and attempt to survive while tension rises between them. Dennis Haysbert also appears.Send Help premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California on January 21, 2026, and was released in the United States by 20th Century Studios on January 30. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $94 million against a $40 million production budget.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:44 UTC on Friday, 27 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Send Help on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Joanna.

pWotD Episode 3249: Huw Edwards Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 109,420 views on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 our article of the day is Huw Edwards.Huw Edwards ( hiw, hew, Welsh pronunciation: [hɨu]; born 18 August 1961) is a Welsh news presenter and sex offender. He was the lead presenter of BBC News at Ten, the late evening news programme of BBC Television, from 2003 to 2023. He resigned from the BBC in 2024, during a police investigation into indecent images of children offences to which he pleaded guilty.At the BBC, Edwards anchored coverage of state and international events, and occasionally presented on BBC News at Six, BBC News at One, BBC Weekend News, Daily Politics and the international news channel BBC World News. He presented coverage of major royal events, including the announcement and coverage of the death and state funeral of Elizabeth II and the coronation of Charles III and Camilla. He also presented BBC News at Five, which was broadcast on BBC News from 2006 until 2020. He was the lead presenter for the 2019 general election coverage.In July 2023, Edwards was suspended by the BBC following allegations of sexual misconduct made in The Sun. The South Wales Police and the Metropolitan Police found no evidence of criminal conduct. Edwards was hospitalised with depression shortly afterwards, and resigned in April 2024. In July, he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children by receiving them during online chats. On 16 September, he was given a six-month suspended jail sentence and was added to the sex offenders' register.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:13 UTC on Thursday, 26 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Huw Edwards on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Justin.

pWotD Episode 3248: Leonid Radvinsky Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 245,241 views on Tuesday, 24 March 2026 our article of the day is Leonid Radvinsky.Leonid Radvinsky (1982 or 1983 – March 20, 2026) was an American businessman and computer programmer based in Florida.Born in the Ukrainian SSR, Radvinsky was the founder of the cam site MyFreeCams (through his holding company, MFCXY, Inc.), and the majority owner of OnlyFans, a content subscription service website.He had an estimated net worth of $4.7 billion at the time of his death, according to Forbes.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:00 UTC on Wednesday, 25 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Leonid Radvinsky on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Russell.

pWotD Episode 3247: Project Hail Mary (film) Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 243,455 views on Monday, 23 March 2026 our article of the day is Project Hail Mary (film).Project Hail Mary is a 2026 American science fiction adventure film produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and written by Drew Goddard, based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir. It stars Ryan Gosling (who also produced the film), Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce. The film follows the story of Ryland Grace, a man who awakens on an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he came to be there.Project Hail Mary premiered in London on March 9, 2026, and was released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on March 20, 2026. The film received positive reviews and has grossed $141 million, becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of 2026.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:55 UTC on Tuesday, 24 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Project Hail Mary (film) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kajal.

pWotD Episode 3246: Robert Mueller Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 510,191 views on Sunday, 22 March 2026 our article of the day is Robert Mueller.Robert Swan Mueller III (; August 7, 1944 – March 20, 2026) was an American lawyer who served as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013.A graduate of Princeton University and New York University, Mueller served as a Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War, receiving a Bronze Star for heroism and a Purple Heart. He later attended the University of Virginia School of Law. Mueller was a registered Republican in Washington, D. C., and was appointed or reappointed to Senate-confirmed positions by presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.Mueller worked in both government and private practice. He served as an Assistant U. S. attorney, a U. S. attorney, the U. S. assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division, a homicide prosecutor in the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia, acting U. S. deputy attorney general, a partner at the Washington D. C. law firm WilmerHale, and director of the FBI. He was the only FBI director permitted by Congress to serve more than the statutory 10‑year term limit since the death of J. Edgar Hoover in 1972, receiving a special two‑year extension.In 2017, Mueller was appointed special counsel to oversee the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U. S. presidential election and related matters. He submitted his report in 2019, after which the Office of the Special Counsel was closed and Mueller resigned.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:37 UTC on Monday, 23 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Robert Mueller on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Amy.

pWotD Episode 3245: Nicholas Brendon Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 975,310 views on Saturday, 21 March 2026 our article of the day is Nicholas Brendon.Nicholas Brendon (born Nicholas Brendon Schultz; April 12, 1971 – March 20, 2026) was an American actor, artist, and writer. He was best known for playing Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) and Kevin Lynch in Criminal Minds (2007–2014).Brendon portrayed Xander for seven seasons and appeared in all but one of the show's 144 episodes. For his performance, he received Saturn Award nominations in 1998 and 1999 for Best Genre TV Actor and in 2000 for Best Supporting Actor. He remained active within the Buffy fan community, regularly attending comic and science fiction conventions, and contributed to the development of Xander's character in the franchise's follow-up comic books, receiving writing credits on several issues.Brendon continued to work steadily as an actor, with recurring roles on television and starring parts in independent films such as Coherence and Big Gay Love (both 2013). He also pursued visual art, exhibiting and selling his paintings and photography. Brendon struggled for many years with depression and alcoholism, which contributed to a series of legal issues, including multiple arrests and convictions for vandalism, theft, and domestic violence. He died in 2026 of natural causes at age 54.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:00 UTC on Sunday, 22 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Nicholas Brendon on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kajal.

pWotD Episode 3244: Chuck Norris Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 3,620,396 views on Friday, 20 March 2026 our article of the day is Chuck Norris.Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (March 10, 1940 – March 19, 2026) was an American martial artist, actor, screenwriter, and author. He held black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, he won numerous martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do. Norris began working in Hollywood as a martial arts instructor for celebrities before making his screen debut with a minor role in The Wrecking Crew (1968). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested he take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), which turned a profit. His second lead, Good Guys Wear Black (1978), became a hit, and he soon became a popular action film star.Norris went on to headline a series of commercially successful independent action and martial arts films, including A Force of One (1979), The Octagon (1980), and An Eye for an Eye (1981), which elevated him to international fame. He later starred in studio productions such as Silent Rage (1982), Forced Vengeance (1982), and Lone Wolf McQuade (1983). His success led Cannon Films to sign him to a multi‑picture deal beginning with Missing in Action (1984), which launched a trilogy and cemented his status as the company's leading star throughout the 1980s. His work during this period included Invasion U. S. A (1985), The Delta Force (1986), and Firewalker (1986). Outside of Cannon, he also starred in Code of Silence (1985), which was regarded as one of his strongest films. In the 1990s, Norris played the title role in the long‑running CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger (1993–2001). He continued to appear in action films until 2006, and his final major film role was in The Expendables 2 (2012).Beyond acting, Norris became a bestselling author of books on martial arts, exercise, philosophy, conservative politics, Christian western fiction, self‑help, and biography, and wrote a regular column for WorldNetDaily. He appeared in numerous commercials, including as a longtime spokesperson for the Total Gym. In 2005, Norris became the subject of the "Chuck Norris facts" internet meme, which humorously exaggerated his toughness and abilities. He endorsed various products that incorporated it, and the phenomenon inspired multiple books, two video games, and several talk‑show appearances.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:04 UTC on Saturday, 21 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Chuck Norris on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Russell.

pWotD Episode 3243: Dhurandhar: The Revenge Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 729,158 views on Thursday, 19 March 2026 our article of the day is Dhurandhar: The Revenge.Dhurandhar: The Revenge is a 2026 Indian action thriller spy film written and directed by Aditya Dhar. Produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Aditya Dhar, and Lokesh Dhar under Jio Studios and B62 Studios, it is the sequel to Dhurandhar and the final installment of the duology. The ensemble cast of the film consists of Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Danish Pandor and Gaurav Gera, alongside several actors reprising their roles from the previous film. It follows an undercover Indian intelligence agent who continues to infiltrate Karachi's criminal syndicates and Pakistani politics while avenging the 26/11 attacks and confronting bigger threats.The film's storyline loosely draws inspiration from multiple real-life geopolitical events and conflicts in South Asia, such as Operation Lyari, 2014 Indian general election, 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation and various other events. Shot back-to-back alongside the first part, principal photography began in July 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, and wrapped in October 2025. Filming took place across Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh in India, and Thailand; with some areas doubling for Pakistan-set sequences. The film features music composed by Shashwat Sachdev, cinematography by Vikash Nowlakha and editing by Shivkumar V. Panicker. With a runtime of 229 minutes, it is the eighth longest Indian film ever produced.Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released in theatres worldwide on 19 March 2026, coinciding with Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid al-Fitr. Like the previous part, the film received mixed reviews from critics and was banned across countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 05:04 UTC on Friday, 20 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Dhurandhar: The Revenge on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Danielle.

pWotD Episode 3242: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 280,739 views on Wednesday, 18 March 2026 our article of the day is Spider-Man: Brand New Day.Spider-Man: Brand New Day is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Pascal Pictures, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is intended to be the 38th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the fourth film in the MCU Spider-Man film series following Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). The film is being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, and stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man alongside Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando, and Mark Ruffalo. In the film, Parker anonymously protects New York City as the hero Spider-Man and uncovers a larger mystery while investigating a series of crimes.Sony was developing a fourth MCU Spider-Man film by August 2019 alongside No Way Home. Producer Amy Pascal revealed in November 2021 that it was intended to be the first in a new trilogy of Holland-led Spider-Man films, with work on the story beginning that December. McKenna and Sommers returned as writers from the previous films by February 2023, Cretton was hired to direct by October 2024, and the title was announced in March 2025. Filming began in August 2025 with location filming in Glasgow, Scotland, while soundstage work occurred at Pinewood Studios in England. Additional location work occurred throughout England, and filming wrapped in December.Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 31, 2026, as part of Phase Six of the MCU.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:31 UTC on Thursday, 19 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Spider-Man: Brand New Day on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Salli.

pWotD Episode 3241: Joe Kent Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 549,978 views on Tuesday, 17 March 2026 our article of the day is Joe Kent.Joseph Clay Kent (born April 11, 1980) is an American politician, former United States Army warrant officer, and former Central Intelligence Agency paramilitary officer who served as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center from 2025 to 2026. A member of the Republican Party, Kent was its nominee in the United States House of Representatives election for Washington's third congressional district in 2022 and 2024.Kent enlisted in the 75th Ranger Regiment and applied for the Special Forces before the September 11 attacks. He served eleven combat tours, primarily in Iraq, and retired in 2018, becoming a paramilitary officer with the CIA. In January 2019, Kent's wife, Shannon, was killed in a suicide bombing in Manbij, Syria. He became involved in political advocacy after Shannon's death.In 2022, Kent was the Republican nominee for Washington's third congressional district. Running as a supporter of Donald Trump, he defeated the incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler in the Republican primary but lost to Democratic nominee Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in the general election. Kent ran again in 2024 and lost to Gluesenkamp Perez in a rematch.In February 2025, Trump nominated Kent for director of the National Counterterrorism Center. That month, he began serving as the chief of staff to Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence. Kent was confirmed by the Senate in July. In March 2026, Kent resigned as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, citing disagreement over U. S. involvement in the Iran war and the influence of Israel and the Israeli lobby in domestic politics.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:44 UTC on Wednesday, 18 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Joe Kent on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Matthew.

pWotD Episode 3240: 98th Academy Awards Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 1,465,719 views on Monday, 16 March 2026 our article of the day is 98th Academy Awards.The 98th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States. During the gala, the AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as the Oscars) in 24 categories, honoring films released in 2025. The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC and streamed on Hulu. Comedian Conan O'Brien returned to host the show for the second consecutive time, after receiving acclaim for hosting the previous year, with Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan returning as executive producers for the third consecutive year, and Hamish Hamilton returning as director.In related events, the Academy held its 16th Governors Awards ceremony at the Ray Dolby Ballroom of the Ovation Hollywood complex in Hollywood on November 16, 2025. The Academy Scientific and Technical Awards will be presented on April 28, 2026, in a ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.One Battle After Another won a leading six awards, including Best Picture and Best Casting, becoming the inaugural recipient for the latter category. Other winners included Sinners with four awards; Frankenstein with three; KPop Demon Hunters with two; and All the Empty Rooms, Avatar: Fire and Ash, F1, The Girl Who Cried Pearls, Hamnet, Mr Nobody Against Putin, Sentimental Value, The Singers, Two People Exchanging Saliva, and Weapons with one each.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:59 UTC on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see 98th Academy Awards on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Joey.

pWotD Episode 3239: Benjamin Netanyahu Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 358,216 views on Sunday, 15 March 2026 our article of the day is Benjamin Netanyahu.Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician and diplomat who has served as Prime Minister of Israel since 2022. Having previously held office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving prime minister.Born in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu was raised in West Jerusalem and the United States. He returned to Israel in 1967 to join the Israel Defense Forces and served in the Sayeret Matkal special forces. In 1972, he returned to the US, and after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Netanyahu worked for the Boston Consulting Group. He moved back to Israel in 1978 and founded the Yonatan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute. Between 1984 and 1988 Netanyahu was Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. Netanyahu rose to prominence after his election as chair of Likud in 1993, becoming leader of the opposition. In the 1996 general election, Netanyahu became the first Israeli prime minister elected directly by popular vote. Netanyahu was defeated in the 1999 election and entered the private sector. He served as minister of foreign affairs and finance, initiating economic reforms, before resigning over the Gaza disengagement plan.Netanyahu returned to lead Likud in 2005, leading the opposition between 2006 and 2009. After the 2009 legislative election, Netanyahu formed a coalition and became prime minister again. Netanyahu made his closeness to Donald Trump central to his appeal from 2016. During Trump's first presidency, the US recognized Jerusalem as capital of Israel, Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and brokered the Abraham Accords between Israel and the Arab world. Netanyahu received criticism over expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, deemed illegal under international law. In 2019, Netanyahu was indicted on charges of breach of trust, bribery and fraud, and relinquished all ministerial posts except prime minister. The 2018–2022 Israeli political crisis resulted in a rotation agreement between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz. This collapsed in 2020, leading to a 2021 election. In June 2021, Netanyahu was removed from the premiership, before returning after the 2022 election.Netanyahu's premierships have been criticized for perceived democratic backsliding and an alleged shift towards authoritarianism. Netanyahu's coalition pursued judicial reform, which was met with large-scale protests in early 2023. The October 7 attacks by Hamas-led Palestinian groups in the same year triggered the Gaza war, with Netanyahu facing nationwide protests for the security lapse and failure to secure the return of Israeli hostages. In October 2024, he survived an assassination attempt and ordered an invasion of Lebanon with the stated goal of destroying the military capabilities of Hezbollah, a key ally of Hamas. After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Netanyahu directed an invasion of Syria. He also presided over the 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran, which escalated into the Twelve-Day War. In February 2026, he launched a major attack on Iran alongside the US with the stated goal of regime change.Netanyahu's government has been orchestrating the genocide in Gaza, culminating in the South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice in December 2023. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in November 2024 for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity as part of the ICC investigation in Palestine.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:48 UTC on Monday, 16 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Benjamin Netanyahu on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Matthew.

pWotD Episode 3238: Kharg Island Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 330,465 views on Saturday, 14 March 2026 our article of the day is Kharg Island.Kharg Island (Persian: جزیره خارگ), also spelt Khark Island and often referred to as the "Forbidden Island", is a continental island of Iran in the Persian Gulf. The island is 25 km (16 mi) off the coast of Iran and 483 km (300 mi) northwest of the Strait of Hormuz. Administered by the adjacent coastal Bushehr province, Kharg Island provides a sea port for the export of up to 90% of Iran's oil products, as well as supplying storage for up to 30 million barrels of oil, and is therefore strategically important. The island lies close to several offshore oil fields, including the Faridun, Darius, Cyrus, and Ardašir fields. The city of Kharg and the Jazireh-ye Khark Lighthouse are located on the island, which has its own freshwater supply.Before its development as a large oil terminal from the 1960s, Iranian writer Jalal Al-e-Ahmad famously called the island "the orphan pearl of the Persian Gulf".The island contains several important archaeological sites, including ruins of a Christian monastery dating from possibly as far back as the 7th century. There are also tombs, temples, and the Achaemenid inscription of cuneiform writing dating from the period between 550 and 330 BCE. It has been an important trading post for centuries, controlled by the Portuguese Empire in the 16th to 17th centuries, and was part of the Dutch colonial empire in the 18th century. It was first developed into an oil terminal in the 1960s under the Shah, in partnership with American oil company Amoco. Military installations on the island were bombed by the United States under Donald Trump during the Iran war in March 2026.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:47 UTC on Sunday, 15 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Kharg Island on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm long-form Danielle.

pWotD Episode 3237: Pathfinder Badge (United States) Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 150,014 views on Friday, 13 March 2026 our article of the day is Pathfinder Badge (United States).The Pathfinder Badge is a military badge of the United States Army awarded to soldiers who complete the U. S. Army Sabalauski Air Assault School's Pathfinder Course or the Army National Guard, Warrior Training Center, Mobile Training Team's Pathfinder Course at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.To be awarded the Pathfinder Badge, the soldier must complete Pathfinder instruction in advanced land navigation, advanced scouting, tactical air traffic control in the field, and the control of parachute operations; the badge is awarded on completing several examinations under field training exercise (FTX) conditions. Examinations include proficiency in sling load rigging and execution, planning and execution of helicopter landing zones (HLZ), air traffic control operations, aerial delivery of troops and supplies, and several others.The first Pathfinder Badge was designed by Lt. Prescott, a navigator in the 9th Troop Carrier Pathfinder Group (Provisional), in May 1944. Besides the paratroopers who earned it, the Pathfinder Badge was worn by IX Troop Carrier Command air crews who guided paratrooper transports and towed gliders. It was worn four inches above the left sleeve cuff on the service coat.The current Pathfinder Badge, originally made of felt, was approved on 22 May 1964. The badge began being made of enameled metal on 11 October 1968. The badge's wings symbolize flight and airborne capabilities, while the torch represents leadership and guidance. The torch traces back to the Olympians who carried the torch each year of the event to its location. US Army Pathfinders traditionally were the first to arrive ahead of larger elements to scout and designate areas in which aviation assets could perform their operations during combat.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:24 UTC on Saturday, 14 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Pathfinder Badge (United States) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Joanna.

pWotD Episode 3236: Strait of Hormuz Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 123,135 views on Thursday, 12 March 2026 our article of the day is Strait of Hormuz.The Strait of Hormuz ( Persian: تنگهٔ هرمز, romanized: Tange-ye Hormoz , Arabic: مَضيق هُرمُز, romanized: Maḍīq Hurmuz) is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world's most strategically important choke points. It has been so for centuries, with vast hinterlands rich in luxury trade goods, but no easy access to lucrative trading ports. In his memoirs, Babur, the first padishah of the Mughal Empire, recounted how almonds had to be carried from the distant Ferghana region in Central Asia to Hormuz to reach markets.On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula, shared by the United Arab Emirates and the Musandam Governorate, an exclave of Oman. The strait is about 104 miles (90 nmi; 167 km) long, with a width varying from about 60 mi (52 nmi; 97 km) to 24 mi (21 nmi; 39 km).During 2023–2025, 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 25% of seaborne oil trade passed through the strait annually. The strait had never been closed for extended time during Middle East conflicts (unlike the Straits of Tiran/Bab-el-Mandeb) though Iran occasionally had threatened to close the strait, and preparations to mine it have been undertaken.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:46 UTC on Friday, 13 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Strait of Hormuz on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Emma.

pWotD Episode 3235: Bam Adebayo Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 370,599 views on Wednesday, 11 March 2026 our article of the day is Bam Adebayo.Edrice Femi "Bam" Adebayo ( AH-də-BY-oh; born July 18, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before being selected by the Heat with the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He is a three-time NBA All-Star, a five-time NBA All-Defensive Team honoree, and he helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. He also won a gold medal with the 2020 and 2024 U. S. Olympic teams. He is the holder of the second-highest scoring game in NBA history with 83 points, achieved on March 10, 2026, against the Washington Wizards.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:31 UTC on Thursday, 12 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Bam Adebayo on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Arthur.

pWotD Episode 3234: Enhypen Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 135,661 views on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 our article of the day is Enhypen.Enhypen (Korean: 엔하이픈; RR: Enhaipeun; stylized in all caps or as En-) is a South Korean boy band formed by Belift Lab. Formerly a joint venture between CJ ENM and Hybe Corporation, the group was formed through the 2020 survival competition show I-Land. The group consists of six members: Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Ni-Ki. Originally a seven-piece ensemble, Heeseung departed from the group in March 2026. They debuted on November 30, 2020, with the extended play (EP) Border: Day One.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:37 UTC on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Enhypen on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Matthew.

pWotD Episode 3233: Mojtaba Khamenei Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 518,042 views on Monday, 9 March 2026 our article of the day is Mojtaba Khamenei.Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei (born 8 September 1969) is an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who has been the third supreme leader of Iran since 8 March 2026. He is a member of the Khamenei family and the second son of the second supreme leader Ali Khamenei.Born in Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran, into the Azeri–Persian Khamenei family, he was nine when his father emerged as a leading figure in the Iranian Revolution. He received early education in Sardasht and Mahabad, and graduated high school from Tehran, after which he studied Islamic theology under the guidance of his father and Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi. He joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in 1987 and served in the Iran–Iraq War. In 1999, he continued his studies in Qom to become a cleric, and joined the Qom Seminary as a theological teacher afterwards. He took control of the Basij paramilitary volunteer militia in 2009.Following the assassination of his father in the 2026 Iran war, Mojtaba was elected as his successor by Iran's Assembly of Experts. He has previously been sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury in 2019 as part of their policy of sanctioning individuals linked to Ali Khamenei.In political ideology and jurisprudence, he is considered to be among the most hardline of the Iranian principlists, and has close ties to some of the "most ideologically extremist clerics" per a report from Atlantic Council. Analysts have generally seen him as more favorable to developing an Iranian nuclear weapons program than his father, supporting a reinterpretation of Ali Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:23 UTC on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Mojtaba Khamenei on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Kendra.

pWotD Episode 3232: Men's T20 World Cup Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 408,441 views on Sunday, 8 March 2026 our article of the day is Men's T20 World Cup.The ICC Men's T20 World Cup, formerly the ICC World Twenty20, is a biennial world cup for cricket in Twenty20 International (T20I) format, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was held in every odd year from 2007 to 2009, and since 2010 has been held in every even year with the exception of 2018 and 2020. In 2018, the tournament was rebranded from the World Twenty20 to the Men's T20 World Cup.The 2011 edition of the tournament was brought forward to 2010 to replace the ICC Champions Trophy. In May 2016, the ICC put forward the idea of having a tournament in 2018, with South Africa being the possible host country, but later dropped the idea due to multiple bilateral series taking place that year. The 2020 edition of the tournament was scheduled to take place in Australia but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was postponed until 2021, with the intended host changed to India. The 2021 Men's T20 World Cup was later relocated to the United Arab Emirates and Oman due to problems relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in India, taking place five years after the previous (2016) iteration.As of 2026, ten editions have been played, a total of 24 teams have competed and six national teams have won the T20 World Cup so far. India hold the most victories, (2007, 2024, 2026) as they have won the competition three times. West Indies (2012, 2016) and England (2010, 2022) have won it twice, and Pakistan (2009), Sri Lanka (2014), and Australia (2021) have one title each. A total of 15 countries have hosted the tournament (including 6 island nations of the West Indies).This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:19 UTC on Monday, 9 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Men's T20 World Cup on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Emma.

pWotD Episode 3231: Soham murders Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 701,993 views on Saturday, 7 March 2026 our article of the day is Soham murders.The Soham murders were a double child murder committed in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England, on 4 August 2002. The victims were two 10-year-old girls, Holly Marie Wells and Jessica Amiee Chapman, who were lured into the home of a local resident and school caretaker, Ian Huntley, who murdered them – likely via asphyxiation – and disposed of their bodies in an irrigation ditch close to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. The bodies were discovered on 17 August 2002.Huntley was convicted of the murder of both girls on 17 December 2003 and sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment, with the High Court later imposing a minimum term of 40 years. His girlfriend, Maxine Ann Carr – the girls' teaching assistant – had knowingly provided Huntley with a false alibi. She received a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for conspiring with Huntley to pervert the course of justice. Huntley died in March 2026, after sustaining severe head injuries inflicted in an attack by another inmate at HMP Frankland.The search for Holly and Jessica in the thirteen days of their disappearance has been described as one of the most intense and extensive in British criminal history.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:00 UTC on Sunday, 8 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Soham murders on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Russell.

pWotD Episode 3230: Kristi Noem Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 702,642 views on Friday, 6 March 2026 our article of the day is Kristi Noem.Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem ( NOHM; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who has served as the 8th United States secretary of homeland security since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 33rd governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025 and represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U. S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019.Born in Watertown, South Dakota, Noem began her political career in the South Dakota House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011. Noem was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota in 2018 with the endorsement of President Donald Trump. She gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for opposing statewide mask mandates in favor of voluntary measures. Noem has conservative positions on most domestic issues, particularly gun rights, abortion, and immigration. During her tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security, her immigration policies generated significant controversy.Noem is a farmer, rancher, and member of the Civil Air Patrol. She has published two autobiographies, Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland (2022) and No Going Back (2024), the latter of which sparked controversy for its account of her killing a young family dog and false claims about meeting with foreign leaders. Donald Trump nominated her as his secretary of homeland security. She was confirmed by a Senate vote of 59–34, and was officially sworn in on January 25, 2025.Following the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in January 2026, Noem faced questions of judgment from some lawmakers, including calls for her resignation and possible impeachment. After reports of her relationship with the political operative Corey Lewandowski and her use of government funding on television advertisements and private luxury jets emerged, criticism mounted from Congress and Trump. In March, Noem appeared before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Noem's testimony before the committee intensified Trump's dissatisfaction with her. That month, Trump fired Noem and announced that Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin would succeed her, nominating him to the position. Noem is set to leave her position on March 31.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:18 UTC on Saturday, 7 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Kristi Noem on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Russell.

pWotD Episode 3229: Markwayne Mullin Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 1,089,123 views on Thursday, 5 March 2026 our article of the day is Markwayne Mullin.Markwayne Mullin (born July 26, 1977) is an American politician and businessman who has served as the junior United States senator from Oklahoma since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected in a special election in 2022 to serve the remainder of Jim Inhofe's term.A member of the Cherokee Nation, Mullin is the first Native American U. S. senator since Ben Nighthorse Campbell retired in 2005. He is also the second Cherokee citizen elected to the Senate since 1925. From 2013 to 2023, Mullin served as the U. S. representative for Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district. In March 2026, President Donald Trump nominated Mullin as the secretary of homeland security, to replace Kristi Noem.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:28 UTC on Friday, 6 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Markwayne Mullin on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Brian.

pWotD Episode 3228: James Talarico Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 415,813 views on Wednesday, 4 March 2026 our article of the day is James Talarico.James Dell Talarico ( TAL-uh-REE-koh; né Causey, born May 17, 1989) is an American politician, Presbyterian seminarian, and former educator who has served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2018. Talarico is the Democratic nominee for U. S. Senate in 2026 and has been called a "rising star" among Texas Democrats.Born in Round Rock, Texas, Talarico graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in government. He later joined Teach For America, where he taught sixth-grade English language arts in San Antonio. Afterward, he served as the Central Texas executive director for Reasoning Mind, a nonprofit focused on bringing technology to low-income classrooms. He later graduated from Harvard University with a Master of Education degree in education policy.Talarico serves as vice chair of two bodies in the Texas House: the Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development Committee, and the Subcommittee on Academic and Career-Oriented Education under the Public Education Committee. He also serves on the Public Education Committee and the House Administration Committee.In September 2025, Talarico announced his candidacy for the 2026 U. S. Senate race. He defeated U. S. Representative Jasmine Crockett in the primary and will face John Cornyn or Ken Paxton in the general election.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 19:02 UTC on Thursday, 5 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see James Talarico on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Matthew.

pWotD Episode 3227: March 2026 lunar eclipse Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 202,721 views on Tuesday, 3 March 2026 our article of the day is March 2026 lunar eclipse.A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1507. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. The Moon's apparent diameter was near the average, as it occured 6.7 days after perigee (on February 24, 2026, at 18:15 UTC) and 6.9 days before apogee (on March 10, 2026, at 09:45 UTC).This lunar eclipse was the third of an almost tetrad, with the others being on March 14, 2025 (total); September 8, 2025 (total); and August 28, 2026 (partial).During the eclipse, the Moon occulted NGC 3423 over North America. Deep-sky objects are rarely occulted during a total eclipse from any given spot on Earth. This eclipse fell on the Lantern Festival, the first since February 11, 2017.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 18:08 UTC on Thursday, 5 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see March 2026 lunar eclipse on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @[email protected] check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm long-form Patrick.

pWotD Episode 3226: Iran Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 410,897 views on Monday, 2 March 2026 our article of the day is Iran.Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the northeast, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. With a population of over 92 million, Iran ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population and is the sixth-largest country in Asia. It is divided into five regions with 31 provinces. Tehran is the nation's capital, largest city, and financial center.Home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, most of Iran was first united as a nation by the Medes under Cyaxares in the 7th century BC and reached its territorial height in the 6th century BC, when Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire. Alexander the Great conquered the empire in the 4th century BC. An Iranian rebellion in the 3rd century BC established the Parthian Empire, which later liberated the country. In the 3rd century AD, the Parthians were succeeded by the Sasanian Empire, which oversaw a golden age in the history of Iranian civilization. During this period, ancient Iran saw some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanization, religion, and administration. Once a center for Zoroastrianism, Iran underwent Islamization following the 7th century AD Muslim conquest. Innovations in literature, philosophy, mathematics, medicine, astronomy and art were renewed during the Islamic Golden Age and Iranian Intermezzo, a period during which Iranian Muslim dynasties ended Arab rule and revived the Persian language. This era was followed by Seljuk and Khwarazmian rule, Mongol conquests and the Timurid Renaissance from the 11th to 14th centuries.In the 16th century, the native Safavid dynasty re-established a unified Iranian state with Twelver Shia Islam as the official religion, laying the framework for the modern state of Iran. During the Afsharid Empire in the 18th century, Iran was a leading world power, but it lost this status after the Qajars took power in the 1790s. The early 20th century saw the Persian Constitutional Revolution and the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty by Reza Shah, who ousted the last Qajar Shah in 1925. Following the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran in 1941, his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi rose to power. Attempts by Mohammad Mosaddegh to nationalize the oil industry led to the Anglo-American coup in 1953. The Iranian Revolution in 1979 overthrew the monarchy, and the Islamic Republic of Iran was established by Ruhollah Khomeini, the country's first supreme leader. In 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, sparking the eight-year-long Iran–Iraq War, which ended in a stalemate. Iran has since been involved in proxy wars with Israel and Saudi Arabia; in June 2025, Israeli strikes on Iran escalated tensions into the Twelve-Day War. Following the war and amid a growing economic crisis, potentially the largest protests since 1979 erupted in late December 2025. The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran with the stated goal of regime change in late February 2026.Iran's government is an Islamic theocracy governed by elected and unelected institutions, with ultimate authority vested in the supreme leader. While it holds elections, key offices, including the head of state and military, are not subject to public vote. The Iranian government is an authoritarian regime which has been widely criticized internationally due to its poor human rights record, including restrictions on freedom of assembly, expression, and the press, as well as its treatment of women, ethnic minorities, and political dissidents. International observers have raised concerns over the fairness of its electoral processes, especially the vetting of candidates by unelected bodies such as the Guardian Council. Iran maintains a centrally planned economy with significant state ownership in key sectors, though private enterprise exists alongside this. It is a middle power, due to its large reserves of fossil fuels (including the world's second largest natural gas supply and third largest proven oil reserves), its geopolitically significant location, and its role as the world's focal point of Shia Islam. Iran is a threshold state with one of the most scrutinized nuclear programs, which it claims is solely for civilian purposes; however, the IAEA, a United Nations (UN) agency tasked with monitoring the production of nuclear weapons, has on two occasions found Iran to be non-compliant with its safeguards obligations. It is a founding member of the UN and a member state of numerous international organisations. Iran has 29 UNESCO World Heritage