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  • 2025-26 Women’s Final Four Odds: Spreads, Lines, What to Know About National Semis

    2025-26 Women’s Final Four Odds: Spreads, Lines, What to Know About National Semis



    All four 1-seeds making up the Final Four? That translates to the best taking on the best, with a trip to the national championship on the line.

    Let’s check out the odds for the women’s Final Four at DraftKings Sportsbook as of March 31, as well as what to know about each game. 

    This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

    FRIDAY, APRIL 3

    No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 UConn

    Spread: UConn -6.5
    Moneyline: UConn -278, South Carolina +225
    O/U: 136.5

    What to know: This is a rematch of last year’s national title game, a game that saw the Huskies smash the Gamecocks 82-59. The Huskies were actually a 2-seed last season, and beat three 1-seeds on their way to the championship, including a 14-point win over USC, a 34-point win over UCLA and that 23-point win over South Carolina. Now, UConn is on a 54-game winning streak, having won 16 straight at the end of last season and 38 straight this season. All of this doesn’t seem to bode well for the Gamecocks, right? Well, they’ve only lost three games this season, and two of those were at the hands of another Final Four team (Texas). In addition, this is the Gamecocks’ sixth straight Final Four appearance. UConn has made it to three straight. In short, these are the two premier programs in women’s college hoops. Only one can make it to the title game.

    No. 1 Texas vs. No. 1 UCLA

    Spread: Texas -1.5
    Moneyline: Texas -135, UCLA +114
    O/U: 134.5

    What to know: We saw this one in the regular season, and it was a meaningful game, considering it was the only game the Bruins lost all year. It went down on Nov. 27, and it wasn’t particularly close, with the Longhorns leading by 20 at half before winning by 11 (76-65). That game might have come down to turnovers alone, with the Bruins committing 20 to the Longhorns’ 10. Each of the six UCLA players that saw action had at least two giveaways. Needless to say, UCLA will have revenge on its mind, and that’s not unfamiliar territory for the ladies from Westwood. Last season, after suffering their only two regular-season losses at the hands of USC, the Bruins avenged those losses via a win in the Big Ten Tournament title game. 

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  • Eurovision Song Contest launches first-ever Asia edition

    Eurovision Song Contest launches first-ever Asia edition


    “As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, it feels especially meaningful to open this next chapter with Asia, a region rich in culture, creativity and talent,” Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest at the EBU, said in a statement.

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  • Corruption issues drag Manila to near-bottom of ‘smart cities’ list

    Corruption issues drag Manila to near-bottom of ‘smart cities’ list



    Corruption issues drag Manila to near-bottom of ‘smart cities’ list

    By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter

    MANILA dropped seven spots in the 2026 Smart City Index by Switzerland-based Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Center (WCC), as residents continued to fret about corruption and traffic congestion.

    The Philippine capital ranked 132nd out of 148 countries, down seven spots from the 125th spot a year prior.

    The study evaluates cities based on how they use technology and infrastructure to improve the lives of its residents.

    Manila also ranked last among major Southeast Asian cities Singapore (9th); Kuala Lumpur (65th); Bangkok (90th); Hanoi (97th); Ho Chi Minh City (105th); and Jakarta (106th).

    According to the WCC, a smart city “strikes a good balance between its economic prowess (e.g., jobs and business activity), applied technology, environmental concerns, and inclusiveness to facilitate a high quality of life for its citizens.”

    It surveyed 120 residents per city based on key indicators like health and safety, mobility, activities, opportunities, and governance.

    According to the survey results, 71% of Manila residents perceived corruption/transparency as the most urgent concern in the city; followed by health services (51.6%); road congestion (49.2%); security (44.4%); and unemployment (41.1%).

    In a briefing late Monday, WCC Director Arturo Bris said Manila’s low ranking is tied to residents’ concerns on corruption.

    “Corruption hinders any other potential improvement of the city. In the Manila survey, we see that people are not willing to provide data to authorities,” he said.
    Mr. Bris said that corruption is more of a country-level problem than a city-level issue.

    “As long as the country resolves those corruption and government problems, then cities will do exactly the same,” he said.

    Manila’s residents also raised concerns over air pollution (39.5%): affordable housing (37.9%); basic amenities like water and waste (37.1%); public transport (36.3%) and fulfilling employment (29%).

    Other issues revolved around school education (19.4%); green spaces (15.3%); recycling (13.7%); citizen engagement (3.2%); and social mobility/inclusiveness (3.2%).

    On the city’s availability of technologies for health and safety, Manila scored the highest (67 out of 100) on arranging medical appointments online, and on the availability of CCTV cameras (65.8). It scored the lowest on the presence of a website or application to monitor air pollution (42.5).

    In terms of mobility, Manila received a score of 61.9 for online scheduling and ticket sales for public transport, and scored 46.3 on the availability of apps that can direct residents to available parking space.

    On the availability of structures for mobility, Manila received its lowest score of 11.7 on traffic congestion. It also scored low on corruption of city officials (14.9) and air pollution (15.3).

    Manila received a score of 78.9 on the activities indicator, particularly on the availability of online platforms to easily buy tickets for shows and museums.

    Under opportunities for work and school, Manila received the highest score (76.6) on the availability of job listings online; but scored the lowest (55.8) on internet speed and reliability.

    On governance, Manila received a score of 68.5 on the online processing of identification documents, which residents said has helped reduce waiting times. The city also had low scores on online voting (53.6), and the provision of an online platform (50.8) where they can propose ideas to improve city life.

    Manila scored 40.5 on online public access to city finances, which respondents thought should reduce corruption.

    However, the city scored the highest for job generation by businesses (69.2) and the availability of cultural activities (66.9).

    According to the survey, 78.2% are comfortable with using face recognition technologies to lower crime; and 71% are willing to provide personal data to improve traffic.

    “The most advanced urban centers, where citizens feel happiest, are not necessarily those distinguished by their utopian skylines, visible sensor networks, or pure technological sophistication,” Mr. Bris said.

    “Instead, they stand out for how effectively they align governance structures, sustainability priorities, public investment decisions, and perhaps most importantly, the cultivation of citizen trust.”

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  • Azerbaijan to grant presidential pensions to family members of mine action victims

    Azerbaijan to grant presidential pensions to family members of mine action victims



    Azerbaijan to grant presidential pensions to family members of mine action victims

    BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 31. The families of
    deminers who were killed or died from injuries sustained during
    demining operations will be granted a pension by the President of
    the Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

    President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the
    relevant decree.

    According to the decree, a pension from the President of
    Azerbaijan has been established for the family members of deminers
    who died or lost their lives due to injuries sustained during mine
    clearance activities caused by the detonation of explosives, and
    the monthly amount of this pension has been set at 700 manat
    ($411).

    The pension will be paid to the following family members of the
    deminer who died or lost their life in an accident caused by the
    detonation of explosives during mine clearance activities (the
    pension amount will be divided equally according to the number of
    beneficiaries):

    – the widow (to her late husband), parents;

    – children under the age of 18 (or until the completion of
    vocational, secondary, or higher education, but no later than the
    age of 23), or children over the age of 18 with disabilities, or
    siblings raised in orphanages;

    – The grandparents (if there are no other close relatives);

    – The pension is paid by the Ministry of Labor and Social
    Protection of the Population from the state budget, as allocated
    for the ministry.

    The pension will also apply to the family members of deminers
    who died or lost their lives due to the detonation of explosives
    during mine clearance activities before the decree came into
    effect, and will be paid from the date this decree becomes
    effective.

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  • A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

    A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday



    Increasing numbers of people in Switzerland are buying firearms; government warns about the new ‘supermarket scam’ ; and more news in our roundup on Tuesday.

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  • Prairiland ISD calls for bond election

    Prairiland ISD calls for bond election




    Prairiland ISD has called for a $6.230 Million bond election for facility construction and renovation projects as well as additional student transportation.

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  • 2025-26 Women’s National Title Odds: UConn Favored to Repeat

    2025-26 Women’s National Title Odds: UConn Favored to Repeat



    The bracket has been whittled down to four.

    The UConn Huskies and the South Carolina Gamecocks are the last two NCAA women’s basketball champions — and according to the odds, both teams are right back in the thick of it this season.

    Here are the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of March 31.

    This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

    NCAA Women’s Championship odds

    UConn: -160 (bet $10 to win $16.25 total)
    Texas: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
    South Carolina: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
    UCLA: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)

    The odds say this thing is UConn’s to lose — and losing is not something it is used to. 

    Dating back to last season, the Huskies have won 54 straight games. They sit at 38-0 this season, and they’ve won every Tournament game so far by at least 18 points.

    Oh, and in those 38 wins this season? Thirty of them have come by 30 points or more. 

    UConn will face South Carolina in the Final Four, the team it defeated in the national championship last season by 23 points. This time, the Huskies are a 6.5-point favorite.

    Tied for second on the board are the Gamecocks and the Longhorns, and Texas has arguably the best win of any team this season — an 11-point win over UCLA back on Nov. 27. It was the Bruins’ only loss of the year. 

    Now, those two teams will face off once again, this time in the Final Four, and the Longhorns opened as 1.5-point favorites. 

    One point to consider: UConn did not face any of the other Final Four teams during the regular season. UCLA and Texas played once, and South Carolina and Texas played three times. 

    In terms of rankings at the time of matchup, UConn’s best win this season was a 72-69 victory over then-No. 3 Michigan on Nov. 21. 

    Texas beat Michigan by 36 in the Elite Eight. 

    During the regular season, the Huskies went 5-0 in ranked matchups. Texas went 14-3 against ranked opponents, South Carolina went 11-3 and UCLA went 12-1.

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  • Sexual violence part of 'everyday life' in parts of Sudan, charity says

    Sexual violence part of 'everyday life' in parts of Sudan, charity says



    Victims describe how they have been targeted while carrying out everyday activities.

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  • Poland’s Inflation Rebounds as Iran War Boosts Fuel Prices


    In Poland, rate-setters including Ludwik Kotecki, Henryk Wnorowski and Wieslaw Janczyk have ruled out further monetary easing steps as long as the Iran war continues. Another policymaker, Gabriela Maslowska, said this month that Poland may consider rate hikes only if price pressures rise for a sustained period.

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  • Airstrike on funeral underscores rising civilian toll in Sudan

    Airstrike on funeral underscores rising civilian toll in Sudan


    Seven people were killed and dozens injured when an airstrike hit a funeral gathering in the Nuba Mountains in West Kordofan last Friday, according to local sources, said UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

    The war, which began in April 2023 between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and the Sudanese Armed Forces, continues to have alarming consequence for civilians. 

    The funeral strike follows a drone attack on the Teaching Hospital in East Darfur’s capital, Al Deain, that killed 70 on 20 March. 

    The heightened insecurity continues to displace families in West Kordofan, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 

    In neighbouring South Kordofan, drone strikes and attacks in the town of Dilling reportedly caused three deaths on Saturday, with reports from local NGOs that the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating. 

    Humanitarian access sputters

    The continued fighting and repeated drone strikes are also disrupting critical supply routes across the Kordofan region.

    Key roads linking the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan to the towns of Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan are increasingly unsafe, which has the direct impact of hampering the movement of humanitarian supplies and commercial supplies. 

    “Red tape is further compounding these challenges”, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric said, “with essential medical activities in El Obeid suspended for nearly one month now.”

    Meanwhile in Darfur, increasing insecurity and restriction on humanitarian movements are choking humanitarian access. 

    Aid workers face armed robberies and attacks along key routes, while some organizations have been forced to suspend operations altogether, leaving vulnerable populations with even fewer services.

    A UNICEF aid convoy reaches Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan, Sudan, delivering lifesaving supplies to over 130,000 people affected by conflict.

    Skirmishes near Ethiopian border

    Similarly, escalating hostilities near the border with Ethiopia in Blue Nile State have severely constrained humanitarian operations. Movement beyond the state capital of Ed Damazine is largely suspended, cutting off access to reach people in need.

    Because of growing insecurity, in recent days more than 1,600 people have been displaced in the Blue Nile State locality of Geisan, the migration agency reports. 

    Despite these challenges, the UN and its partners continue to respond to needs across Sudan. The UN’s humanitarian relief coordinator, OCHA reiterates that civilians must be protected at all times, as required by international humanitarian law.

    “Attacks on civilians and essential infrastructure must stop,” Mr. Dujarric told journalists at the noon briefing on Monday. 

    “We reiterate that all parties must ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and unimpeded humanitarian access, including all key routes and anywhere aid is needed.”

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