Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

Dayton Webber, a quadruple amputee cornhole champion, has been arrested on suspicion of murder after allegedly shooting and killing his friend, Bradrick Wells, in a suburban Washington DC area. Webber's ex-girlfriend, Tori Mattingly, claims he had a 'dark side' and was prone to anger and control during their four-year relationship.Mattingly shared a video with TMZ that allegedly shows Webber shouting at her and demanding she leave his property. She also made allegations of abuse and claimed she was not surprised by the murder charge against him.According to the sheriff's office in Charles county, Maryland, Webber was driving three passengers in his car on the night of March 22 when he began arguing with his front-seat passenger, Wells, and shot him twice in the head. Webber allegedly asked his other passengers to help him remove Wells's body from the car, but they refused and fled the vehicle.Police later found Wells's body in a local yard and tracked Webber down about 150 miles away in Virginia, where he had allegedly sought treatment at a hospital for an unspecified medical issue. Webber faces charges of murder, assault, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.Despite his disabilities, Webber became a budding wrestler and football player, then became a champion in the sport of cornhole, recording numerous tournament wins in the American Cornhole League (ACL). His former doubles partner, Mike Hoffman, expressed shock and sadness at Webber's arrest, saying 'If the allegations are true, he's made some terrible decisions'.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for conducting missile and drone attacks on aluminium facilities in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to a statement carried by Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC targeted sites on Saturday that were allegedly linked to US military bases in the Gulf states.The attacks resulted in injuries to two employees at Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) and significant damage to one of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) sites in Abu Dhabi, with six people injured. The IRGC stated that the strikes were in retaliation for a US-Israeli attack on Iranian industrial infrastructure launched from military bases hosting US forces in the Gulf states.The attacks have raised concerns about the global aluminium supply, with estimates suggesting that between 4 to 9 percent of the global supply comes from this region. The escalation of attacks in the Middle East has led to increased tensions, with Saudi Arabia intercepting and destroying 10 drones and the Kuwaiti National Guard shooting down four drones.Analysts warn that if Iran continues to match attack for attack, the situation could become very concerning, potentially leading to further escalation in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The attacks have also prompted Oman's Foreign Ministry to condemn the attacks on its territory, with authorities investigating the sources and motives behind the assaults.

Ukraine has announced a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, described by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a mutually beneficial arrangement. The deal, which lays the groundwork for future contracts and technological cooperation, was made ahead of a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.Zelenskyy stated that the agreement will facilitate technological cooperation and investment between the two nations. Saudi Arabia has not officially confirmed the pact.The partnership comes at a time when Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, are under attack by Iran. Since the US and Israel began their military campaign against Tehran on February 28, Riyadh has intercepted hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. On Friday, the Saudi defence ministry reported that at least six missiles were intercepted.Ukraine, which has long battled Russian drones, is well-positioned to assist Gulf countries in countering Iranian attacks. Kyiv has become a major producer of cheap but efficient interceptor drones to counter Moscow's waves of drone attacks. In one of Russia's largest wartime aerial attacks on Ukraine, it launched 948 drones within 24 hours, killing two people.“This winter alone, Russia launched over 19,000 drones into Ukraine, just to give some perspective on how much experience they do have in shooting down drones,” said Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine, reporting from Kyiv. Ukraine has deployed 201 anti-drone experts to the Middle East to assist in the defence against Iranian attacks.

Australia's recent introduction of 'hate speech' laws has sparked controversy, with human rights groups warning that the legislation could be used to suppress legitimate criticism of Israel's actions in Palestine. The laws, which were rushed through the New South Wales federal parliament in January, specifically target speech considered anti-Semitic and carry a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment for those found guilty. Arif Hussein, senior lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, has expressed concerns that the legislation could be used to unfairly impact peaceful protest and speech regarding Israel's actions in Palestine. “There are serious concerns that the new laws could have a chilling effect on legitimate activism and protest and unfairly impact peaceful protest and speech regarding Israel’s actions in Palestine,” Hussein said. The laws have been introduced in response to a mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December, which killed 15 people. However, critics argue that the legislation prioritizes the protection of the Jewish community over other vulnerable groups. Greens party spokesperson Senator David Shoebridge has criticized the laws, saying they were 'deliberately designed to not protect' vulnerable communities such as Muslims, women, and LGBTQ+ Australians. “Unfortunately, the Albanese Labor government and the Liberals made the decision to protect just one religion,” he said. The laws have also been criticized for their broad and poorly defined criminal powers, which could be used against legitimate human rights groups, including those focused on Palestine. Police powers across Australia have also been strengthened to crack down on pro-Palestine protests, with reports of excessive force used against demonstrators. The controversy surrounding the laws highlights the challenges of balancing free speech with the need to combat hate speech and protect vulnerable communities.

Five Guys' chief executive officer, Jerry Murrell, revealed that he gave a $1.5m bonus to employees of his US-based burger restaurant chain to make up for the chaos caused by a recent promotion. The buy-one-get-one-free offer, which was intended to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary, proved to be much more popular than expected, causing the chain's app to crash and many locations to become overwhelmed.Murrell stated that he gave the bonus because "I didn't want anybody shooting me in the back or anything … because we really screwed it up." The comment was made in an interview with Fortune, where he also joked that he preferred the employees receiving the bonus over his wife getting "a new fur coat."The promotion, which was launched in February, was initially met with intense criticism on social media, prompting Five Guys to apologize and restart the offer for four days. Murrell attributed the chaos to the company's underestimation of the promotion's popularity, stating that "we had no idea that we were going to get that kind of response."Five Guys currently operates 1,900 locations and employs 30,000 people in 28 countries worldwide. The company's CEO since its founding in 1986, Murrell has taken steps to address the backlash and improve customer satisfaction.

Sarah Strong, the 6ft 2in UConn forward, is chasing her second championship in as many years with an undefeated squad that hasn’t lost in 52 games dating back to last year. As a freshman, Strong thrived defensively in the 2025 NCAA tournament, while scoring the most points by a freshman in tournament history with 114.In her second season, Strong has been even more dominant. Her impact on both sides of the ball is so deep that she was named the Big East Player of the Year and the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. She’s the favorite to win the National Player of the Year award next month.This season Strong averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 3.3 steals all while shooting 60.0% from the field. UConn coach Geno Auriemma praised her unique ability to play like a guard and play like a big guy.Unlike other collegiate women’s players with similar talent, such as Caitlin Clark, there is nothing flashy about Strong. She plays with certainty and lets her game do the talking. Her media commitments are increasing, but she remains uncomfortable with the spotlight.Strong’s poise, calm, and off-the-charts IQ have produced results impossible to ignore. Her parents, including former WNBA player Allison Feaster, instilled in her a respect for the game and family values.UConn assistant Jamelle Elliott quietly scouted Strong in ninth grade before the hype arrived and she became the country’s top recruit. Auriemma agreed with Elliott’s assessment, noting that Strong already had the skills that great players learn over time.With her star growing rapidly, Strong has inked NIL deals with Jordan Brand, Unrivaled, and Madison Reed. She had 18 points in each game as UConn rolled to first- and second-round wins last week, setting up Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup with North Carolina.

Italy's national football team secured a crucial win over Northern Ireland, 2-0, to advance to the World Cup playoff final. The match, held at the Stadio di Bergamo, saw Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean score the decisive goals.The Italian team, under coach Gennaro Gattuso, dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances in the first half. However, the team's performance improved significantly after halftime, with Tonali's terrific low drive from 18 yards giving them the lead.Northern Ireland's hopes were dashed when Moise Kean scored Italy's second goal, cutting inside Ruairi McConville and shooting into the net via a post. This sealed the win for Italy and sent them through to the playoff final.The victory marked a significant step for Italy, who are seeking to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014. Coach Gattuso emphasized the importance of the win, stating, 'We have to win, we have no other choice.'Northern Ireland's manager, Michael O'Neill, expressed pride in his young team's performance, noting, 'The average age of that team was 22, which is incredibly positive.' Despite the loss, O'Neill remains optimistic about the team's future, particularly with Euro 2028 in sight.

The forthcoming film 'The Drama', starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, has sparked controversy over its portrayal of a character who once planned a school shooting. Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel was killed in the 1999 Columbine school shootings, expressed his disapproval of the film's approach, calling it 'awful' and accusing it of 'humanising' perpetrators of such violence. The film, a dark romantic comedy directed by Kristoffer Borgli, features Zendaya's character revealing a past plan to carry out a school shooting during a parlour game. Despite her character backing out of the attack, Mauser argues that the film 'normalises' such actions. He also criticized Zendaya's response to questions about the film's twist on the Jimmy Kimmel show. A24, the studio behind 'The Drama', has limited screenings of the film to avoid spoilers. Early reactions to a small screening in the US were broadly positive, but reviews are embargoed until March 31. The film's UK distributors have been approached for comment. The controversy surrounding 'The Drama' highlights ongoing concerns about the portrayal of violence in media and the impact on audiences. This is not the first time a film has tackled the sensitive topic of school shootings; Gus Van Sant's 'Elephant' (2003) and Michael Moore's documentary (2002) are notable examples.

Iran has reportedly claimed to have downed a US F-35 fighter jet during a combat mission, a development that could challenge the aircraft's reputation as 'unkillable'. According to sources familiar with the matter, the incident occurred last week when the F-35 made an emergency landing at an airbase in the Middle East. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement saying it had targeted a US aircraft, and Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency released military footage purporting to show Tehran's air defence systems hitting a US F-35 stealth fighter. The F-35, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is considered the cornerstone of Washington's aerial firepower, boasting advanced stealth technology, sensors, and high-speed computing. Its ability to gather and share data from a 360-degree camera suite and other sensors makes it a formidable asset in modern warfare. If confirmed, this would be the first time an F-35 has been struck by Iran during the ongoing conflict. Defence experts emphasize that even if the claims are true, it does not necessarily mean stealth technology is becoming obsolete, but rather that even advanced aircraft like the F-35 are not invulnerable in a dense, adaptive air-defence environment. The incident is under investigation, with the US military's Central Command stating that the pilot was in stable condition after the emergency landing. The US has not yet confirmed that the F-35 was hit by Iranian fire, with President Donald Trump stating, “We’re flying wherever we want. Nobody is even shooting at us.” This development comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, with at least 13 US service members killed and roughly 200 wounded during combat operations against Iran. In Iran, at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured since the start of the conflict.