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CMA also looks into Pasta Evangelists, funeral operator Dignity and review company Feefo in latest crackdownThe UK competition watchdog has launched investigations into five companies including Autotrader and Just Eat over concerns they have not done enough to tackle fake and misleading online reviews.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has previously investigated the tech companies Amazon and Google, said its latest crackdown includes the funeral services operator Dignity, the review company Feefo and the restaurant chain Pasta Evangelists. Continue reading...

• The US Pentagon is developing plans for a 'final blow' in the Iran war, involving ground troops and massive bombing, as reported by Axios citing two US officials and knowledgeable sources on March 27, 2026. • US Central Command confirmed an Israeli airstrike killed Iran's IRGC Navy commander, amid escalating naval tensions near the Strait of Hormuz. • The Wall Street Journal revealed considerations for deploying 10,000 additional US troops with armored vehicles to the Middle East, coordinating with existing Marines and the 82nd Airborne Division.

• U.S. hospitals face escalating financial pressures as expenses rise over twice as fast as prices, with specialty margins varying widely amid ongoing challenges. • Ophthalmology leads with 17.5% margins, followed by genetics at 12.8%, hematology at 12.2%, cancer at 10.6%, and pulmonology at 2.4%. • Dipping overall margins signal need for cost controls as systems grapple with climbing operational expenses.

• President Donald Trump named prominent tech figures like Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su, and investor Marc Andreessen to his President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) on March 25, 2026. • The council, co-chaired by AI/crypto advisor David Sacks and science/technology assistant Michael Kratsios, typically has 24 members but currently lists 13, including two women: Safra Catz and Lisa Su. • PCAST, established since 1990 and originating under FDR, provides advisory reports on topics like quantum computing, pandemics, and energy without regulatory power; the current iteration ends in ten months unless extended.

• Morningstar identifies three core stocks as overvalued on March 24, 2026, recommending investors scale back holdings. • Estee Lauder shares declined after reports of Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group exploring a takeover, while Puig shares rallied in Madrid. • The analysis urges taking profits amid high valuations, with Estee Lauder in turnaround mode showing minimal reaction to news.

• Jim Parsons turns 53 on March 24, known for four Emmy wins as Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory and currently starring in Titanique musical. • Jessica Chastain and Peyton Manning also celebrate birthdays today, with Manning famous for his 2007 SNL United Way spoof sketch. • Alyson Hannigan, star of Buffy and How I Met Your Mother, shares the date after competing on Season 32 of Dancing with the Stars.

• NASA released initiatives on March 24, 2026, to advance America's National Space Policy, including an RFI for payloads supporting 2027-2028 lunar flights and the Rosalind Franklin Rover launch to Mars in 2028 with a mass spectrometer for organic matter analysis. • A new Earth science mission launching next year will measure convective storm dynamics to predict extreme weather up to six hours in advance; near-term lunar payloads include VIPER rover and LuSEE-Night, with up to 30 robotic landings from 2027. • These efforts ensure U.S. presence in low Earth orbit, expedite lunar science via commercial partnerships, and release new Saturn images from James Webb and Hubble telescopes, underpinning future Moon and Mars exploration.

Triple J will air without presenters while ABC News Breakfast is not expected to air as staff walk off the job to protest pay and conditionsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesSign up for Guardian Australia’s free weekly media newsletter hereThe ABC’s flagship news programs including 7.30 and AM will be replaced by the BBC World Service when ABC journalists walk off the job for 24 hours for the first time in 20 years on Wednesday.Staff are protesting what they say is a low pay offer from ABC managing director Hugh Marks, as well as work conditions and the broadcaster’s refusal to rule out replacing journalists with AI bots. Continue reading...

• Washington legislators adjourned sine die on March 12 after passing five significant AI-related bills, including SB 1786 requiring provenance data in AI-generated video, image, and audio content, and HB 2311 establishing safety standards for chatbots targeting children. • SB 1786 was approved by the full Senate on March 3 and is nearing third reading in the House, while HB 2311 passed its second Senate reading on March 9 with a "Do pass" recommendation from the Senate ATT Committee on March 17. • The bills represent growing legislative momentum on AI regulation across states, with additional measures addressing false advertising claims for health products and algorithmic transparency still in committee hearings.

• Eight leading technology companies, including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, have pledged to share threat intelligence on fraudster misuse of their platforms, with the agreement announced ahead of the UN Global Fraud Summit in Austria on March 16. • The initiative focuses on collaborating against fraud and improving user security features, though the voluntary accord carries no penalties for companies that fail to meet commitments. • Rising fraud losses driven by AI-enabled realistic personas and messages have forced tech platforms to enhance security strategies and advocate for stricter regulations against global fraud syndicates.

• Eight leading tech companies, including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, signed a voluntary accord on March 16, 2026, to share threat intelligence against fraudsters misusing their services. • The initiative precedes the UN Global Fraud Summit in Austria, focusing on AI-accelerated scams and cross-platform fraud syndicates. • Participants commit to enhancing user security features and supporting law enforcement, amid soaring U.S. fraud losses.

• Eight leading tech companies, including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, have signed a voluntary accord to share threat intelligence on fraudsters misusing their services ahead of the UN Global Fraud Summit in Austria on March 16. • The initiative aims to counter AI-accelerated fraud tactics, where criminals use online forums and AI to create convincing personas and spread activities across multiple platforms. • Fraud losses have surged recently due to advanced technology enabling realistic deceptions, prompting calls for enhanced user security features and stricter law enforcement against global syndicates.

• Iran warned the United Arab Emirates to begin evacuating its population from major port zones including Abu Dhabi and Dubai on March 15, 2026, escalating threats in the Persian Gulf region. • The warning follows intensive military exchanges between Israel and Iran overnight, with missile and drone interceptions reported across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar. • The threat to UAE ports signals Iran's willingness to target critical regional infrastructure and commerce, raising concerns about disruption to global shipping and energy supplies vital to international economies.