KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A combined missile and drone attack on the Kyiv regionhit four districtsand damaged homes, schools, businesses and critical infrastructure.
Advertisement
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Caitlin Clark and the USA women's basketball team hope to find some rhythm when they get back on the court against Italy on Saturday (5 p.m. ET, truTV) at the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. is 2-0 at the tournament but the offense lacked flow when facing a zone defense against host country Puerto Rico.
"It was mostly self-inflicted," said Clark, who is playing competitive basketball for the first time since July with the Indiana Fever. "I think we missed some defensive coverages. With how much we fouled, too, it definitely limited us in transition. We want to play fast, and it's hard to push, especially off a made free throw."
Paige Bueckers, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Monique Billings and Kiki Iriafen started on Thursday. Gray was the only player who started both nights as coach Kara Lawson experiments with different lineups. There likely will be a new starting five on Saturday.
Advertisement
The Team USA women's basketball game is at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 14, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT)
TV: truTV
Stream: Sling TV, HBO Max
All times Eastern
USA vs. Italy
truTV, DIRECTV, HBO Max
New Zealand vs. USA
truTV, DIRECTV, HBO Max
Spain vs. USA
TNT, DIRECTV, HBO Max
Below are the players selected to represent the USA at the upcoming FIBA Women's World Cup qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
(4) Paige Bueckers
(5) Kelsey Plum
(6) Dearica Hamby
(7) Kahleah Copper
(8) Chelsea Gray
(9) Angel Reese
(10) Rhyne Howard
(11) Rae Burrell
(12) Caitlin Clark
(13) Jackie Young
(14) Monique Billings
(15) Kiki Iriafen
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How to watch Caitlin Clark, Team USA vs Italy, time, TV, stream
Stephon Castle had been playing for a professional sports team for only a few months last year when the then-20-year-old began considering owning a piece of another.
A 6-foot-6 guard, Castle was finishing his first season with the NBA's San Antonio Spurs last spring when his agent, Joe Smith, and father, Stacey, ran an investment opportunity past him. Such approaches are common for newly minted millionaires, such as NBA rookies. But this one felt different.
Andre Swanston, one of only a handful of Black majority team owners in all of North American professional sports, wanted Castle to join the ownership group for a new soccer franchise in Connecticut. Castle was raised in Georgia but had committed to play at the University of Connecticut before his junior year of high school, and in 2024 won an NCAA championship in his lone collegiate season. The state has become a "second home," he said.
"Everything kind of happened fast from there," Castle said.
By December, Castle's Spurs teammates, many of them serious soccer fans, learned that their point guard was not only last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, but also one of several minority owners of CT United of Major League Soccer's developmental second division, called Next Pro. CT United began its first season this month.
"We got a lot of soccer fans on our team," Castle said, "so it started some trash talk, kind of instantly."
He had become the latest basketball star to become an owner in another sport — and specifically soccer. LeBron James bought a minority stake in Liverpool of the Premier League in 2011. As MLS grew to 30 teams, James Harden joined the ownership of the Houston Dynamo in 2019, and Kevin Durant bought a piece of the Philadelphia Union in 2020. Five years later, Durant bought into Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain too.
Athletes are increasingly interested in owning equity in teams or brands, said Smith, Castle's agent, yet he described Castle as an outlier. At the time James, Harden and Durant purchased their stakes, each was already an NBA veteran on a lucrative contract. Castle was only 21 and a rising star still on his rookie contract when his minority ownership in CT United — he declined to say the percentage of his ownership stake — became official in December.
The decision was not out of character for Castle, Smith said. The two met when Castle was still in high school, and Smith said he was struck by how much the teenager was already considering his "legacy," Smith said. Castle never switched high schools or flipped his college commitment, both rarities among top prospects.
"I feel like that's just the way me and all my siblings were raised, just to think smart, think ahead and try and not to skip steps," Castle said.
As he founded CT United from scratch, the 44-year-old Swanston also wasn't looking to skip steps, understanding the soccer club would need to prove to MLS leaders that it was worthy of inclusion in the sport's top domestic league.
"To show that we can be the first team to actually grow from within the Major League Soccer ecosystem from an academy team to a minor league team to major league team is, I think, earning it in a way that no one else can say they've ever done," he said.
United's placement in Connecticut is no accident.
Raised in the Bronx, Swanston attended boarding school in Connecticut and later went to the University of Connecticut, where he was a triple jumper on the school's track team. While there, he learned that UConn's wildly successful men's and women's basketball programs weren't the only uber-popular teams on campus. The women's soccer team played for a national championship in 2003, while the men won the title in 2000 and regularly topped NCAAattendance rankings.
"On a Friday night, thousands of people, everybody, went to soccer matches," Swanston said.
As recently as last fall, the men still drew the fifth-highest attendance average in the NCAA. Such a built-in fan base was part of Swanston's calculus for wanting a team in the state, an idea he said first took hold in 2018 and became more possible in 2020, when the data company he founded sold for nine figures, he said.
Advertisement
Not long after, he heard that MLS was starting a second division as part of a plan to develop younger players, staffers, executives and even test on-field rules in markets where there weren't already MLS teams, like Chattanooga, Tennessee, and High Point, North Carolina.
"Connecticut is the most densely populated, affluent market in America with none of the top five major sporting leagues, right?" Swanston said. "A billion dollars a year pretty much goes to subsidize New York and Boston out of Connecticut."
In 2021, Swanston met with Ali Curtis, the president of MLS Next Pro. Curtis had started as the general manager of Toronto, making him the first Black general manager in league history, before rising through the ranks. Swanston can talk at length about soccer prospects and playing styles, and believes that knowledge helped MLS officials take him seriously.
Curtis was impressed by Swanston's ambition and confidence. And, "as a person of color," Curtis added, "you don't always meet a prospect that is also a person of color that is going to be a potential owner within the league."
MLS does not keep demographic data on its teams' ownership groups, a spokeswoman said. The league describes Swanston as "one of only a few Black majority team owners in the history of U.S. pro sports." There are currently no Black majority owners of MLB, NBA, NHL or NFL teams.
MLS has league rules for vetting potential team owners, who are the league's de facto business partners, Curtis said, calling it "probably the first and the last point that you focus on. What's the ownership group going to be? Who are they? What are their values? What are their principles?"
As valuations of U.S. pro teams have spiked over the last decade, there is also the question of how many individuals have enough money to buy teams. Leagues carefully review the wealth of a controlling owner, but Swanston believes minority representation could grow if more value were placed on an ownership group's combined wealth.
"If you talk about four groups or four families worth $2 billion instead of one [family], you've dramatically increased the potential for minority ownership and female ownership," Swanston said. "I think in the meantime, where we're gonna see diversity and ownership is in minority positions, with people owning 1% to 10% of clubs, and I think we have seen a huge jump in that over the last decade."
Swanston and his wife, Michelle, the team's co-owner, have intentionally kept CT United's identity local. They started a free youth academy. Eight wolf's tails in the team logo represent one for each of Connecticut's counties. The sponsor on the front of the jersey is headquartered in Stamford; the jersey wasdesigned bya Bridgeport-based company. As the team waits to build a stadium in Bridgeport, its home games this season will be held around the state in a barnstorming tour.
And to fill out his ownership group, he began talking with Smith and Castle's father about including Stephon, in part because of his role on the 2024 Connecticut team that won an NCAA basketball championship. It was Castle's shared affinity for Connecticut that mattered to Swanston, not his soccer knowledge — "I know he likes winning," Swanston said.
Castle knew about the lack of Black ownership when he agreed to join.
"I wouldn't say that was a sole reason why I think I made that decision, but it definitely played a factor for sure," he said.
Castle was drawn more to keeping his connection to Connecticut and being part of a team from its inception. He also appreciates soccer, even if he doesn't compete himself. He has long played soccer video games — typically as established powers Liverpool and Manchester City — and he attended a game at Barcelona's famed Camp Nou stadium in 2023 on a trip with the UConn basketball team.
Castle envisions being involved and wants to build relationships with United players, many of whom are similar in age. But that will have to wait; the Spurs this season have become overnight NBA title contenders and could play deep into June. He might try to strike up a conversation with the Spurs' owners to get advice, he said.
For now, he keeps CT United jerseys and a scarf at his Texas home. He's been part of the club for less than six months yet already believes this won't be his last investment in pro sports.
"Just being able to connect with people on that [ownership] level is obviously a big thing for me. So just that in itself I feel like is a success," he said. "So later down the line, even after my career, I'm probably definitely going to look into doing this again."
We are one day from the2026 NCAA Tournamentbeing revealed, and there is still uncertainty when it comes to the bubble.
Conference tournament week is the final chance for teams to prove they belong in March Madness, and for the most part, squads weren't taking advantage of the opportunities. But everything got flipped upside down whenMiami (Ohio) suffered its first loss of the seasonso it won't get an automatic bid. Now the bubble picture has a new member, making it a much more complicated race for the final spots in the brackets.
Most teams are done and will have to wait until the bracket announcement, but there are a few still playing looking to strengthen their case − and possibly secure automatic spots to make it an even crazier race. Here is a look at the March Madness bubble in the latestUSA TODAY Sports Bracketology.
March Madness automatic bids:Who is in NCAA Tournament bracket?
Record: 18-14 (9-9)
NET Ranking: 42
Quad 1 record: 6-9
Projected seed: No. 11
Quality wins: at Alabama, vs. Vanderbilt
Bad losses: vs. Arizona State (neutral), Mississippi State, vs. Mississippi (neutral)
You never want to go into Selection Sunday on a losing streak, and Texas is learning how uncomfortable it can make the situation. Losing the last two games of the regular season wasn't the worst thing in the world, but falling to conference cellar dweller Mississippi in your first conference tournament game is. Texas has the best chance to make the field out of the rest of the bubble, but that doesn't mean it will avoid playing in the First Four.
Record: 26-8 (15-3)
NET Ranking: 40
Quad 1 record: 2-6
Projected seed: No. 11 (first four)
Quality wins: vs. Saint Mary's (twice)
Bad losses: vs. Loyola Chicago (neutral), vs. Arizona State (neutral)
The West Coast Conference is looking like a three-bid league thanks to Santa Clara doing as much as it could without winning the tournament title. The Broncos needed to make the championship game to feel confident about moving up and they did that with a second win over Saint Mary's. Santa Clara had a chance to beat Gonzaga but it was an impressive showing that put it in a comfortable spot as the most of the conference tournaments began.
Record: 25-7 (15-3)
NET Ranking: 44
Quad 1 record: 2-5
Projected seed: No. 11 (first four)
Quality wins: vs. South Florida (neutral)
Bad losses: at George Mason
A team that has a chance to flip the bubble around, VCU is still in the hunt for an automatic bid by advancing to the Atlantic 10 semifinal. Given the resume doesn't have any real strong wins, the Rams are far from done and will want to at least make the conference title game to position themselves in a not-so dangerous position. There will be lots of squads tuning in to this team.
Record: 20-13 (8-10)
NET Ranking: 37
Quad 1 record: 4-10
Projected seed: No. 11 (first four)
Quality wins: vs. North Carolina, vs. Louisville
Bad losses: vs. LSU (neutral), at California, at Syracuse, at Florida State
No team may have played its way out of the tournament like SMU. After looking like they were safe all season, the Mustangs ended the regular season on a rather ugly four-game losing streak. SMU needed a few wins in the ACC tournament to wash out that bad taste, but it only beat Syracuse before a dismal ending resulted in a loss to Louisville. It not only has 13 losses but there are some tough defeats sprinkled in, making for a much more stressful Selection Sunday than what was thought a few weeks ago.
Advertisement
Record: 31-1 (18-0)
NET Ranking: 64
Quad 1 record: 0-0
Projected seed: No. 11 (first four)
Quality wins: vs. Akron
Bad losses: vs. Massachusetts (neutral)
Everything changed when Miami (Ohio) lost its first game. Not only was it a defeat, it came in the first game of the MAC tournament against eighth-place Massachusetts, barely qualifying as a Quad 3 loss. The record speaks for itself but the resume leaves plenty to be desired, especially with the NET ranking dropping 10 spots after the loss. There are plenty of arguments for why this team should or shouldn't be in and they're all valid. The entire bubble hinges on whether the RedHawks make it in or not.
Record: 23-10 (13-7)
NET Ranking: 45
Quad 1 record: 2-7
Projected seed: First four out
Quality wins: at Virginia Commonwealth, vs. Santa Clara
Bad losses: at New Mexico State, vs. Colorado State
If you're going to get a second chance at life, better not waste it. New Mexico was gifted another shot thanks to some other teams faltering, but it needed to make some real noise at the Mountain West tournament to really take advantage of it. Unfortunately, the Lobos couldn't capitalize, losing to San Diego State on a heart-breaking last second shot in the semifinals. It makes the path to a bid tough, and New Mexico will root for Utah State in the title game so the Aztecs don't steal a bid.
Record: 19-15 (7-11)
NET Ranking: 47
Quad 1 record: 4-9
Projected seed: First four out
Quality wins: at Vanderbilt, at Texas
Bad losses: vs. Arizona State (neutral), at Mississippi State, at South Carolina
When bubble teams struggled, Oklahoma took advantage by winning the last four of the regular season. It kept the momentum going in the SEC tournament with two major wins to advance to the quarterfinals, where it fell to Arkansas. While it was a valiant effort, a win was really needed to move up the bubble, so it's looking like it will be a tough Sunday for the Sooners.
Think you can beat our expert?Join USA TODAY's Bracket Challenge today!
Ready to win March Madness?Join USA TODAY's Survivor Pool today!
Record: 17-16 (7-11)
NET Ranking: 39
Quad 1 record: 4-13
Projected seed: First four out
Quality wins: vs. St John's (neutral), vs. Arkansas, at Florida
Bad losses: vs. Mississippi, at Mississippi State
The most perplexing record in the conversation. Auburn only beat Mississippi State in the SEC tournament, unable to get another signature win to help its case. The Tigers have great wins, but 16 losses would be the most for an at-large team and it's hard to justify, no matter the schedule. This will be the team everyone will be wondering about when the bracket comes out.
Record: 18-14 (9-11)
NET Ranking: 41
Quad 1 record: 3-10
Projected seed: First four out
Quality wins: vs. Purdue, at UCLA, vs. Wisconsin
Bad losses: at Minnesota, at USC, vs. Northwestern (twice)
After ending the season with 1-5 mark in the last six games, the Hoosiers needed a strong showing in the Big Ten tournament to make a case. Instead, they were one-and-done, suffering another excruciating defeat to Northwestern. That will extend the tournament drought to three years.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:March Madness bubble watch one day before tournament bracket is set
Katy Perrybelieves in being kind and doesn't "drag her haters" because she thinks anyone who is unkind "must already be in a lot of pain." She wishes everyone, including the people who criticize her, the best, hoping they find peace in their lives.
It's not the first time a celebrity has faced criticism online. While many respond with sharp comebacks, the "Roar" singer decided to take a different approach. She took the path of kindness rather than conflict, proving once again why she is admired by many.
Katy Perry hasfaced criticismnumerous times in her life. This is a common part of celebrities' lives. No matter what they do, they are dragged down by someone or the other, even when it is not their fault.
Some stars clap back at the trolls, while others choose to stay silent. However, Perry didn't do either. Recently, she posted on X (formerly Twitter) about positivity and joy. She wrote, "I love you. be kind. always take the high road if you can my kc's. it's much lighter here. so excited to share my joy and light with you this summer. i already miss you."
Advertisement
A fan responded to her post, saying she should "drag her haters for once." According to them, "love light doesn't always work."
The "Firework" hitmaker came back with a reply that showed herconfidentand forgiving side. She responded to the fan account, saying she doesn't need to drag anyone, as "they must already be in a lot of pain to be so unkind." Perry added that she sends them love and hopes they can find peace in their lives.
Her response shows that hitting back at trolls doesn't always work. This is because sometimes, we have to choose a different route, one that is filled with positivity and light, to be at peace.
The postKaty Perry Reveals Why She Doesn't 'Drag Her Haters'appeared first onReality Tea.
An elderly woman wears fabulous fur coats while working as a crossing guard
Paulette Dorflaufer, a Holocaust survivor, has held the community role in New Jersey for 20 years
"If she's not at her post, I get a text. Everywhere we go, people stop her," the 82-year-old woman's daughter said
An elderly crossing guard serves fabulous looks while on the job.
Paulette Dorflaufer helps children and other community members cross the street in New Jersey, all while rocking extravagant fur outerwear.
"[I have about] 13, 15 fur coats, and I change [my coat] every three days," Dorflaufer, 82, toldCBS News Chicago.
Dorflaufer, who was born in France, is also a Holocaust survivor. Her parents and five siblings died at Auschwitz, but she survived after she was taken to the hospital for surgery.
A nurse helped her escape, and she eventually made her way to the United States as a child, Dorflauferexplained in anInstagram video.
Dorflaufer previously worked as a dental assistant, a model and in cosmetology. She has been working as a crossing guard for 20 years.
In her personal life, Dorflaufer has raised three children, looked after her grandchildren and is soon to become a great-grandmother.
Rachel Frieman, Dorflaufer's granddaughter, told theDaily Voice, "She dresses like that no matter where we're going."
"She has fur in the winter, but in the summer it's a heel and a dress, and this fascinator chapeau situation in her hair," she added to the outlet of her grandmother.
Advertisement
"People always think she's celebrating something, but this is her," the family member further explained.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Dorflaufer has an Instagram account where she explains how — and why — she chooses some of her looks.
In one recent clip, she said she chose an all-blue outfit and a matching sparkly headpiece for a specific reason.
"When I woke up, I felt I was in a blue mood," Dorflaufer playfully explained.
Other videos show Dorflaufer having fun as she puts her crossing guard vest over her fur coats.
Dorflaufer's daughter, Heather Frieman, told theDaily Voiceher mom is a staple in their local community.
"If she's not at her post, I get a text. Everywhere we go, people stop her," she explained.
"She's so bubbly, loves to talk to anybody," granddaughter Rachel added. "She's always happy, always positive and always has a smile on her face."
Read the original article onPeople
Alix Earleis reportedly unfazed by the latest dating rumors surroundingTom Brady. The duo got caught in dating speculations when they were seen together at a New Year's Eve party in St. Barth.
Eventually, the rumors intensified. However, neither of them confirmed nor denied the relationship. Amid this, a recent report suggests that the influencer is allegedly "not worried" about the former NFL star seeing other people.
When Alix Earle and Tom Brady were seen together at a New Year's Eve party in St. Barth, people speculated that things might be serious between the duo. In fact, a source toldUs Weeklythat Earle and Brady "met through mutual friends" and hit it off instantly.
"There was a lot of chemistry between them," claimed the insider. While fans speculated there must be something serious going on between the two, a recent report suggests otherwise.
Advertisement
An insider shared with the outlet that Earle and Brady were both present at the Zero Bond opening event in Las Vegas. The social media star allegedly went with her friends and spent time with her "friend group." Even though she met Brady and they hung out at one point, the pair reportedly "weren't together the entire night."
Shedding light on the matter, the source claimed that their relationship has "never been serious." In fact, it was allegedly very "casual," per the insider.
Meanwhile,Bradywas reportedly seen with Yael Cohen, with people speculating that they spent time together in Los Angeles. However, this has allegedly not affected Earle at all. A source says, "She is doing her own thing and having fun, and is not worried about if Tom is seeing other people or the nature of their relationship."
The postAlix Earle's 'Not Worried' About Tom Brady's New Dating Rumors — Sourceappeared first onReality Tea.
