Cities

• Second round games occur on March 21 at sites including Oklahoma City, Portland, and St. Louis, following first round action. • Kentucky secured an overtime win with Otega Oweh scoring 35 points and hitting an epic buzzer-beater, advancing in the tournament. • The schedule progresses to Sweet 16 on March 26-27, with regionals in Houston, San Jose, and Chicago hosting later stages.

Sabri Essid also found guilty of crimes against humanity after harrowing evidence from women enslaved by jihadistA French member of Islamic State has been convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed against Yazidis in a historic judgment that highlighted the atrocities committed by jihadists.The Paris criminal court found Sabri Essid, who was tried in his absence, directly participated in an organised system of killing, raping and enslaving members of the Iraqi ethnic and religious minority who are descended from some of the region’s most ancient roots. Continue reading...

Nellie Pou’s bill follows ICE chief, Todd Lyons, refusing to rule out enforcement near stadiums and fan festivalsA New Jersey congresswoman introduced legislation on Thursday to block immigration enforcement from conducting raids within a mile of a Fifa World Cup soccer match or fan festival in the US this summer.The Save the World Cup act, introduced by Nellie Pou, a Democrat, is meant to assure visitors that they will not be detained and to remove the chilling effect of ICE enforcement on the events, she said in a release. The World Cup’s first US match begins on 12 June. Continue reading...

• Uber Technologies announced plans to launch robotaxi services in 28 cities starting next year, driving shares up 4.2% on March 18, 2026. • The expansion marks a major step in autonomous vehicle deployment, building on partnerships with self-driving tech firms amid rising AI integration in mobility. • This development intensifies competition in the US ride-hailing market and could reshape urban transportation, with implications for jobs and infrastructure.

• 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.