Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

Crispin Odey, a 67-year-old hedge fund tycoon, appeared in a London courtroom on the first day of a three-week trial to challenge the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) decision to ban him from the UK's financial services industry. The ban was imposed due to allegations of sexual harassment made by several women. Odey testified that he did not recall cornering a female employee after a boozy lunch and saying to her 'I could attack you now'. However, the employee's diary entry, dated January 24, 2020, confirmed the incident, stating: 'Comes back from boozy lunch and corners me in the corridor. Him: I could attack you now. Me: Please don’t. Him: You could sue me for that.' Odey admitted to having groped a colleague's breasts without her consent in 2005, which he attributed to being under sedatives after root canal treatment. He claimed the woman accepted his apology and continued to work for the firm for another eight years. The FCA alleges that Odey showed a 'lack of integrity' by attempting to frustrate an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. Odey denied these allegations, stating that he had attempted to have the FCA rule on whether he was fit and proper first. Odey is also facing a £79m libel lawsuit against the Financial Times and civil personal injury claims by five women, including one who accused him of rape. The hearing continues.

England cricketer Ben Duckett has made a significant decision to pull out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) to focus on his career with the England Test team. Duckett was signed by Delhi Capitals at the IPL auction in December for a substantial £200,000, but he has now withdrawn from the tournament. The decision comes after a combination of a poor Ashes series, where he played all five Tests with a highest score of 42, and heavy travel following his reserve duties at the recent T20 World Cup. Duckett believes that playing for Nottinghamshire will help him regain his form and secure his place in the England team. “It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming,” Duckett told the Telegraph. “I’ve spent a lot of time away from home in different places, and it felt like the best thing for me to do to be ready to play for England is to be here right now, at home, refreshing my mind and body.” Under IPL rules, players who withdraw from the tournament for reasons other than injury face a three-year ban. Duckett follows in the footsteps of Harry Brook, who also signed for Delhi in 2025 before pulling out to prioritise his England career. Duckett’s recent performances have been under scrutiny, particularly after a video of him drunk on a night out during the team’s mid-tour break in Noosa was published on social media. He has since apologised for the incident, acknowledging that it was unprofessional. The England team is currently under pressure to refresh its lineup after the Ashes defeat. While Duckett’s opening partner, Zak Crawley, may be the likelier to make way for a newcomer, Duckett has shown promise since his return to the Test team in 2022, averaging 42 with six centuries.

An Iranian missile has struck central Tel Aviv, causing widespread damage to buildings and vehicles, and injuring at least six people. The attack has led to a significant escalation of tensions in the region, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to continue striking Tehran and Lebanon.“There’s more to come,” Netanyahu said in remarks that appeared to corroborate those of three Israeli officials who told Reuters they thought it was improbable that Iran would accept US demands in any new round of negotiations. This development has dimmed hopes of de-escalation after US President Donald Trump played up the chances of a deal to end the conflict.In a statement released on Tuesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it would launch heavy missile and drone attacks at Israeli troops in northern Israel and the area near Gaza “without restraint” unless Israel ceased attacks in Lebanon and Palestine. The threat has raised concerns about the potential for further escalation in the region.Police said an Iranian munition carrying a substantial explosive payload struck the central city, causing widespread damage to buildings and vehicles. At least six people were lightly injured. Several buildings were damaged across Tel Aviv, with emergency services reporting casualties at one of the impact sites. One building and the adjacent road were heavily affected, with cars set ablaze.Israel’s health ministry reports 4,829 injured people have been brought to hospitals since the onset of the war. Of those people, 111 remain in hospital and 12 are in a serious condition. The strikes were the latest in a cycle of retaliation after Israeli operations announced on Monday.About 40 minutes after Trump said he would delay action against Iran’s power infrastructure, Israel said on X that it had “just begun another wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran”. The Israel Defense Forces said energy facilities would be spared, suggesting that Israel may be aligning with Washington in suspending attacks on Iranian power plants and related sites.The US-based Human Rights Activists’ News Agency said in the previous 24 hours it had recorded at least 206 attacks across 15 provinces in Iran, resulting in at least four casualties (killed and injured, both civilian and military). At least six people were killed in strikes on homes in the city of Tabriz, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.Since US-Israeli bombs started falling on Iran, estimates of total deaths (military and civilian) in the country have exceeded 1,500, with some rights groups reporting figures as high as 3,230 as of 21 March. The escalation has also spilled beyond Israel, with Iranian strikes extending into Gulf states.

Hong Kong police have been granted new powers to demand that individuals suspected of breaching the city's national security law provide mobile phone or computer passwords. This move is part of a further crackdown on dissent in the city.The amendments to the law, published by the city government, also empower customs officers to seize items deemed to have a 'seditious intention', regardless of whether any person has been arrested for an offence endangering national security.Refusing to comply with the demand for passwords could lead to up to one year's jail and a fine of up to HK$100,000 ($12,773), while providing false or misleading information could bring up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to HK$500,000.The sweeping national security law, imposed by Beijing in 2020, punishes acts including subversion and collusion with foreign forces with up to life imprisonment. The law has sparked criticism from western governments and rights groups, but Beijing and Hong Kong officials say it was needed to restore stability after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.Urania Chiu, a law lecturer in the UK researching Hong Kong, said the new provisions interfere with fundamental liberties, including the privacy of communication and the right to a fair trial. Chiu stated that 'the sweeping powers given to law enforcement officers without any need for judicial authorisation are grossly disproportionate to any legitimate aim the bylaw purports to achieve.'A Hong Kong government spokesperson said the amended rules conform to the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, and its human rights provisions, and 'will not affect the lives of the general public or the normal operation of institutions and organisations'. According to the Security Bureau, a total of 386 people have been arrested for national security crimes so far, with 176 people and four companies convicted.

The documentary 'Transforming the Beautiful Game: The Clyde Best Story' tells the uplifting story of Clyde Best, a trailblazing black footballer who played for West Ham in the early 1970s. Best's journey from Bermuda to London at 17, and his experiences with racism in the sport, are highlighted in the film.The documentary features a stellar lineup of talking heads, including Geoff Hurst, Harry Redknapp, Viv Anderson, John Barnes, Les Ferdinand, Shaka Hislop, and Garth Crooks, who discuss Best's significance and impact on the game. The film also explores Best's pioneering role as one of English elite football's first black players and his influence on succeeding generations of black footballers.Best's story is one of resilience in the face of racism, including virulent abuse from fans and players. However, he also experienced acceptance and support from teammates, such as at West Ham, where he played alongside Clive Charles and Ade Coker. The film notes that in 1972, West Ham became the first top-flight team to field three black players in the same match.After leaving West Ham in 1976, Best played for Tampa in the North American Soccer League (NASL), where he encountered a different cultural environment, free from the racism he faced in England. The documentary also touches on the NASL's attempt to establish itself as a mainstream sport in the US, although it ultimately failed.The film concludes with Best emerging with considerable dignity, reflecting on his legacy and the importance of blazing a trail for future generations. As Best himself says, 'My father taught me: 'Clyde, when you go out there and play, you're not playing for yourself, you're playing for the people coming after you.''

Isis Sio, a 19-year-old junior flyweight boxer, has made a significant recovery after being placed in a medically induced coma following a knockout loss in her fourth professional fight. According to her promoter and family, Sio is now awake and breathing on her own.Although still in intensive care, Sio has been weaned off the ventilator, as announced by ProBox TV on Monday. Her camp expressed hope for her continued progression and mentioned that she is under the care of three specialized medical divisions closely monitoring her condition.The knockout loss occurred just 78 seconds into her bout against Jocelyn Camarillo at San Bernardino’s National Orange Show Event Center last Saturday. Camarillo, a three-time amateur national champion with a previous record of 5-0, secured the win.Sio, born in North Dakota and the state’s only active female boxer, has faced challenges in her professional career, having lost three of her four bouts since her debut last September. Her previous fight also ended in a knockout loss due to a series of heavy body blows.Camarillo expressed her respect for Sio, stating, “Nothing but respect. Keeping her in my prayers and wishing her healing and a full recovery,” on Instagram after the fight.

Sri Lanka's government has rejected a request from the United States to land two combat aircraft at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in southern Sri Lanka from March 4 to 8. The request was made on February 26, just before the US and Israel launched their military offensive against Iran.President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Sri Lanka's parliament that the US wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight antiship missiles from a base in Djibouti. The government turned down the request to maintain Sri Lanka's neutrality in the conflict.The decision comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, with Iranian missile and drone attacks sending energy prices soaring and fuelling fears of a widening conflict. The US-Israeli war on Iran has sparked widespread concern globally, with many countries refusing to get directly involved while calling for urgent de-escalation.Sri Lanka's president also cited his country's neutrality in denying the US request, saying that had they accepted the US request, they would have had to do the same for Iran, which had also made a request for three naval vessels to make a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka on the same day.In recent weeks, Sri Lanka's navy rescued 32 Iranian crew off IRIS Dena after it was torpedoed by a US submarine off the country's coast, killing at least 84 people. Days later, Sri Lanka evacuated more than 200 crew members from a second Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, after the ship requested assistance from Colombo.

The US Department of Justice has charged three people, including a co-founder of Super Micro Computer, with helping to smuggle at least $2.5 billion worth of US AI technology to China. The indictment alleges a complex scheme to send US-made servers through Taiwan to other countries in Southeast Asia, where they were swapped into unmarked boxes and sent on to China.The defendants, Yih-Shyan Liaw, Ruei-Tsang Chang, and Ting-Wei Sun, are accused of using fabricated documents and staged bogus equipment to pass audit inventories, and a pass-through company to conceal their misconduct and true clientele list.The US has had export restrictions on China for advanced AI chips since 2022. Nvidia, which dominates the market for AI chips, has stated that strict compliance with export laws is a top priority.Liaw, 71, was arrested in California and released on bail, while Sun, 44, a company contractor, was held for a bail hearing. Chang remains a fugitive. Super Micro's shares fell 8 percent in after-hours trading following the news.

Israeli military operations have escalated significantly with the destruction of the Qasmiyeh Bridge, a critical infrastructure link connecting southern Lebanon to the rest of the nation. President Joseph Aoun characterized the strike as a “prelude to ground invasion,” suggesting a strategic shift in the ongoing conflict.The assault follows a directive from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to dismantle all crossings over the Litani River and demolish homes in border villages. Analysts note that this strategy mirrors tactics employed in Gaza, aiming to create buffer zones by clearing territory near the border.Aoun argued that the attacks are designed to sever the geographical connection between the southern Litani region and the central government, a move he described as part of a scheme to establish a permanent buffer zone and facilitate Israeli expansion within Lebanese territory.Israeli military leadership has signaled that the operation against Hezbollah is far from over. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir stated that the campaign would be “prolonged” and that preparations for targeted ground operations are underway.Diplomatic tensions remain high as French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed reservations to his Israeli counterpart regarding a potential ground operation of significant scale and duration.Humanitarian organizations are sounding alarms over the widening conflict. Ramzi Kaiss of Human Rights Watch warned that wholesale destruction of homes and bridges constitutes wanton destruction, a potential war crime. He emphasized that isolating the southern region would create a humanitarian catastrophe, cutting off access to essential supplies like food and medicine.The conflict has already claimed significant lives, with Lebanon's Health Ministry reporting 1,029 deaths and over one million displaced civilians in just three weeks. On the Israeli side, the first civilian death linked to fire from Lebanon was recorded, alongside the deaths of two Israeli soldiers.