US News, Summarized

• NPR reports on the US using artificial intelligence in the ongoing war in Iran, with insights from Lauren Kahn of Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology. • The discussion, aired March 15, 2026 at 7:09 AM CDT, explores AI's role in modern warfare tactics and decision-making. • This development raises questions about ethical implications and escalation risks in US-Iran conflicts.

• Microsoft Xbox is set to introduce its Gaming Copilot AI assistant to current-generation consoles in 2026, per a GamesRadar report highlighted in tech news roundup. • The AI tool aims to enhance gaming experiences with intelligent assistance features. • This launch positions Xbox competitively in AI-driven gaming innovations amid industry race for smart tech integration.

• US mayors are pushing back against the rapid boom in data centers driven by surging AI demands, citing concerns over energy consumption and local impacts. • The backlash highlights tensions in communities facing infrastructure strain from AI infrastructure growth, as reported by Agence France-Presse on March 15, 2026. • This resistance underscores broader debates on balancing technological advancement with environmental and economic sustainability in the US.

Uber announced a partnership with autonomous vehicle startup Motional to deploy commercial robotaxis in Las Vegas starting this year, marking a major expansion in US self-driving technology. The service will initially operate with safety drivers before progressing to fully driverless rides, integrating with Uber's ride-hailing app for seamless user access. This launch positions Las Vegas as a key testing ground for robotaxi scalability amid competition from Waymo and Cruise. Industry observers anticipate broader US rollouts by 2027 as regulatory hurdles ease under the Trump administration.

America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining announced two project calls totaling over $35 million on March 5, 2026, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense to advance manufacturing technologies. The 2026 DOD OIB Modernization Challenge covers nine topics including AI Robotic Process Planning, Real-Time Manufacturing Sensors for Robotics, and In-Situ Quality Checks, aiming to reduce technical risks and enable transition pathways for defense applications. Proposals are due by April 2, 2026, for the OIB Challenge and April 29 for JAQS-SQ Groups 2 & 3, with kickoff webinars held on March 10 and 12. This funding supports U.S. industrial base resilience amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Meta Platforms is evaluating layoffs impacting at least 20% of its nearly 79,000 employees as of December 31, 2025, to counter escalating AI infrastructure expenses, according to a Reuters report on March 14, 2026. Top executives discussed the plans with senior leaders, marking potentially the largest restructuring since 21,000 job cuts in 2022-2023 if implemented. The move aligns with industry trends, as Amazon recently eliminated 30,000 roles citing AI-driven efficiencies. A Meta spokesperson dismissed the report as speculative on theoretical approaches, amid broader tech sector adjustments to AI economics.

Ministers go to Brussels for talks amid tuition fees standoff, 10 years after Britons voted to leave EUThis week is “Brexit reset” week for the British government, as ministers engage in a flurry of activity intended to highlight their determination to forge closer ties with Brussels 10 years after the country first voted to leave the EU.On Monday, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Cabinet Office minister in charge of negotiating the government’s reset with the EU, will arrive in Brussels for a meeting of the joint EU-UK parliamentary partnership assembly. He travels mob-handed, to be joined by the Europe minister, Stephen Doughty, and the trade minister, Chris Bryant. Continue reading...

Democrat says Congress ‘doing nothing’ may embolden president to attack countries such as Cuba and North KoreaDemocratic US senator Cory Booker has criticized both his own political party as well as its Republican counterpart for being “feckless” in ceding congressional war powers to Donald Trump, saying that their decision could embolden the president to unilaterally attack Cuba, North Korea and other countries.“I’m going to be one of those Democrats [who] say I think both parties have been feckless in allowing the growth of the power of the presidency,” Booker said on Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. Continue reading...

Afghan government reports zero casualties and accuses neighbouring country of wanting to ‘fuel the fire of war’Pakistan has targeted militant hideouts in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province overnight, as the fighting that erupted between the two neighbours late last month showed no signs of abating.The cross-border attacks, which have included Pakistani airstrikes in the Afghan capital, Kabul, is the deadliest yet between the countries. Islamabad has referred to the conflict as an “open war”, adding to concerns about regional stability as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran engulfs the Middle East and beyond. Continue reading...

National Secular Society to launch court action after failure to investigate alleged breaches of academic freedom lawsA university regulator in England has failed to investigate potential breaches of laws protecting academic freedom at a dozen theological colleges and is now facing legal action, the Guardian has learned.The National Secular Society says it is preparing to pursue the Office for Students (OfS) through the courts to act on complaints first made five years ago, arguing that the colleges are ineligible for public funding or government-backed student loans because of their commitment to theological doctrine. Continue reading...

Israeli military also says on social media brother of Ayman Mohamad Ghazali was ‘eliminated in airstrike last week’Israel’s military claimed on Sunday that the brother of the recent Michigan synagogue attacker was a Hezbollah commander responsible for managing weapons in a unit that has launched “hundreds of rockets toward Israeli civilians”.In a statement posted on X, the IDF claimed that Ibrahim Mohamad Ghazali – brother of Ayman Mohamad Ghazali – was a Hezbollah commander within a specialized branch of the Badr unit. Continue reading...