UCLA tops Texas to avenge only loss, will play for 1st title

PHOENIX -- Lauren Betts had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and her blocked shot with 18.1 seconds remaining helped UCLA avenge its only loss of the season on the biggest stage in a 51-44 victory over Texas in an NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal on Friday.

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Kiki Rice had 11 points and Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens added 10 apiece for the Bruins (36-1), who won their 30th straight and will play for their first NCAA title against fellow No. 1 seed South Carolina on Sunday.

"Quite frankly, we didn't play to our best offensively," UCLA coach Cori Close said. "I remember after the Iowa game when we won the Big Ten championship tournament, I told our team that you cannot fall in love with pretty offense and think that it's going to be like this every game. I told them there's going to be a game in the NCAA Tournament that you're going to have to just grind it out and do it with your defense."

Betts had her 14th double-double of the season and doubled her point total from the first meeting, when she had eight points and seven rebounds in a 76-65 loss to Texas in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas on Nov. 26. She averages 17.2 points a game.

"This is something that we've all dreamt of being in the position," Betts said. "We're all very thankful. We expected to be here."

Kyla Oldacre had 11 points and was the Longhorns' only-double digit scorer on a night when Texas shot only 30.8% from the field.

Longhorns leading scorer Madison Booker (19.3 ppg) scored only six points due to 3-of-23 shooting from the field.

"Honestly, every shot I took I thought was going in," Booker said. "I can't pinpoint it. It was surprising I couldn't get out of that funk."

Betts put UCLA up 42-30 with 6:11 left, and her jumper with three minutes to go made the lead 47-37 before Texas closed.

The Longhorns scored seven straight points capped by Jordan Lee's driving layup to make it 47-44 with 1:02 left before Betts blocked Booker's driving layup in the waning seconds.

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"The entire game, the coaches are just continuously telling me sprint back, sprint back, sprint back," Betts said. "My job today was help in any way I can inside the paint. As soon as I saw her getting downhill, I'm like, all right, please block this, just don't let her score. I was in a good position. I trust my work and my defense."

Booker said she slipped on the play, adding, "That's not what we wanted."

Rice made four free throws around a Texas missed shot in the last 13.3 seconds for the final margin.

Rori Harmon had eight points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals for the Longhorns (35-4), who had won 12 in a row. Harmon shot 4 of 11 from the floor.

Booker made the first field goal of the game 37 seconds in and did not score again until her jumper with 5:48 left in the fourth cut the Bruins' lead to 42-32.

The Longhorns had held their previous NCAA Tournament opponents to an average of 49.5 points per game and had outscored them by an average of 35.5 points.

Neither team shot well in a lethargic first half, which ended with UCLA leading 20-17. Texas was 8 of 32 from the field and the Bruins were 9 of 24.

Texas did not break 20 points until Oldacre made a layup with 5:54 remaining in the third quarter.

"I thought (UCLA) played very hard," Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. "Aggressive. Played a lot like the way we like to play. In our locker room, we felt like we let one get away.

"This will haunt me until the day I die. We couldn't make a shot tonight. We had plenty of good looks. It's part of the cruelty that is the game sometimes."

--Jack Magruder, Field Level Media

UCLA tops Texas to avenge only loss, will play for 1st title

PHOENIX -- Lauren Betts had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and her blocked shot with 18.1 seconds remaining helped UCLA av...
UConn's Geno Auriemma doesn't regret what he said about Dawn Staley: 'Why would I?'

Geno Auriemmahad quite a bit to say to and aboutDawn Staleyduring his UConn women's basketball team's 62-48 loss to South Carolina in the2026 Final Fouron Friday, April 3.

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It turns out he had even more to say after it.

Even the end of the Huskies' perfect season, bid for a second-consecutive championship and 54-game win streak was overshadowed by aterse exchange between him and Staleyas they went to shake hands just before the final buzzer. When the final remaining fractions of a second played out, Auriemma went back to his team's locker room without shaking the hand of Staley or any of South Carolina's players or coaching staff.

<p style=The Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn was played with intensity throughout, with emotions building as the game reached its closing stretch.

That tension surfaced late as the outcome was decided, leading to visible reactions and an exchange between two of women's basketball's most prominent coaches.

Above, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley react during the second half of the 2026 Women's Final Four semifinal at Mortgage Matchup Center.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks and head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies exchange words during the fourth quarter in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley (R) yells at Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during Final Four in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley yells out at the referee during their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game against the Connecticut Huskies at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026. South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley yells out at the referee during their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game against the Connecticut Huskies at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026. Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma yells to his team against South Carolina at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies gestures during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks gestures during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma reacts in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma reacts in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks on during the first half against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley reacts in the first quarter against the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies looks on during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley yells to her team around an official against Connecticut at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley yells to her team around an official against Connecticut at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemmare reacts during the second half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma bring intensity to SC‑UConn. See photos

The Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn was played with intensity throughout, withemotions building as the game reached its closing stretch.That tension surfaced late as the outcome was decided, leading to visible reactions and an exchange between two of women's basketball's most prominent coaches.Above, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley react during the second half of the 2026 Women's Final Four semifinal at Mortgage Matchup Center.

What was at the root of the altercation? After initially side-stepping a question in his post-game news conference about the flare-up, Auriemma said it stemmed from having to wait for three minutes for Staley during the customary pregame handshake between coaches.

"For 41 years I've been coaching, 25 Final Fours and before the game, the protocol is you meet at halfcourt,"Auriemma said. "Anybody ever see that before? Two coaches meet at halfcourt and shake hands. Correct? Ever see it? They announce it on the loud speaker. And I waited there for like 3 minutes. (shrugs) So it is what it is."

Staley, for her part, said she wasn't sure what caused it.

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"I have no idea, but I'm going to let you know this, I'm of integrity. I'm of integrity," Staley said in a post-game interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe. "So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did, I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game, I didn't know, I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff's hand, I don't know what we came with after the game, but hey sometimes things get heated. We move on."

REQUIRED READING:'What are you doing dude?': Social media reacts to Geno Auriemma-Dawn Staley altercation

Emotions were running high for Auriemma even before his team lost. During an in-game sideline interview with Rowe entering the fourth quarter, and with the Gamecocks up by five, the 12-time national champion unloaded in a way few coaches do in such settings, complaining about the foul disparity between the teams and Staley, who he said "rants and raves on the sideline and calls the refs some names you don't want to hear."

After the game, Auriemma said he wanted "to make sure there's not a double standard. I'm of the opinion that if I ever talk to an official like that, I would get tossed. So I just want to make sure there's not a double standard, that some people are allowed to talk to officials like that and other people are not. That's it."

When asked in his post-game news conference if he had any regrets about his answer in his interview with Rowe, Auriemma stood by his words.

"I don't have any regrets with what I said to Holly Rowe. Why would I? Why would I? I've been coaching a long time, I've never had a kid change their jersey because somebody ripped it," he said. "And the officials said, 'I didn't see it.' A lot of things happened in that game. Unless you're on that sideline you have no idea what's happening on that sideline."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Geno Auriemma doubles down on Dawn Staley comments, doesn't regret what he said

UConn's Geno Auriemma doesn't regret what he said about Dawn Staley: 'Why would I?'

Geno Auriemmahad quite a bit to say to and aboutDawn Staleyduring his UConn women's basketball team's 62-48 loss ...
1977 Hit Ranked Among Best 'Country Rock Songs' of All Time Became a Breakup Anthem

In 1977, The Marshall Tucker Band released a song that would go on to define both their career and the country rock genre.

Parade

Their hit, "Heard It in a Love Song," became one of the band's biggest successes, reaching the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning lasting recognition decades later. The track has since been ranked among the best country rock songs of all time byUltimate Classic Rock,highlighting its enduring impact.

Written by lead singer Doug Gray, the song stands out for its smooth blend of country storytelling and rock instrumentation. With its laid-back groove and instantly recognizable melody, it captured the essence of the Southern rock sound that defined the era.

"Well, it was kind of strange. I put off singing that song for a year because, here I was thinking to myself, 'That's just too simple if a song for Marshall Tucker to put out there,' with all these other complex songs that we've got out," Gray said in a2018 interview.

"It finally got to the point where the record was coming out. So they said, 'OK, we got the track. You got to come put the vocal on it.' I put the vocal on it, they put the thing out, and four weeks later it was starting to chart. And everybody, all these teeny-bopper people, were there listening and singing to it." So those teeny-bopper people are now in their 40s or 50s or 60s.""

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At its core, "Heard It in a Love Song" is a breakup anthem, one that leans into emotional honesty without becoming overly dramatic. Its lyrics reflect on love, loss and the fleeting nature of relationships, delivered with a sense of quiet resignation that resonated with listeners.

Formed in the early 1970s in South Carolina, The Marshall Tucker Band became known for their fusion of rock, country and jazz influences, often incorporating flute and extended instrumental sections into theirmusic. Songs like this helped them stand out among their Southern rock peers and build a loyal fan base.

Over time, "Heard It in a Love Song" has remained a staple of classic rock and country playlists, continuing to connect with audiences acrossgenerations.

More than four decades later, the track still holds its place as a defining country rock classic, one that captured the sound of its time while delivering a message that feels just as relevant today.

Related: 1976 Hit Ranked Among Best 'American Rock Songs' Became a Timeless Classic

This story was originally published byParadeon Apr 3, 2026, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

1977 Hit Ranked Among Best ‘Country Rock Songs’ of All Time Became a Breakup Anthem

In 1977, The Marshall Tucker Band released a song that would go on to define both their career and the country rock genre...
Journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Iraq. An Iran-aligned militia is demanding ransom

Supporters of an American journalist kidnapped in Baghdad say she risked her life reporting from some of the world's most dangerous places. Now she's the one in danger.

Scripps News

"Bring Shelly home now." That's a growing call from friends, family, and supporters ofkidnapped U.S. journalistShelly Kittleson. The 49-year-old freelancer, who has spent years reporting on the Middle East, was abducted from a busy street in Baghdad on March 31.

Now, days later, the New York Times reports a ransom has been demanded in exchange for her release. So far only one suspect has been arrested. The State Department says they're believed to be connected to an Iranian-aligned militia group.

RELATED NEWS |US journalist abducted in Iraq; State Department says she was warned of threats

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The State Department also says Kittleson was repeatedly warned about credible threats to her safety prior to her kidnapping. Meanwhile, supporters of Kittleson warned against blaming the journalist for her abduction.

"I think it's really critical that we not go down the road of suggesting that the journalist shouldn't have been there or should have been better prepared. Putting the onus on the back of the person who is attacked, who people are trying to silence, is not the right way to go," said Elisa Lees Muñoz, with the International Women's Media Foundation.

Friends of Kittleson told Scripps News she knew the risks, but they didn't stop her from choosing to do her job.

The New York Times reports representatives from an Iranian-backed militia group have contacted Iraqi government officials to negotiate for Kittleson's release. They've demanded the release of several detained militia members in exchange.

Journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Iraq. An Iran-aligned militia is demanding ransom

Supporters of an American journalist kidnapped in Baghdad say she risked her life reporting from some of the world's ...
China aims to show global leadership with Iran war diplomacy. US appears uninterested

WASHINGTON (AP) — China is stepping up its diplomacy onthe Iran war, putting forward a five-point proposal with Pakistan, rallying support from Gulf countries and opposing a United Nations proposal to use any force necessary to open theStrait of Hormuz.

Associated Press Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a press conference on the sideline of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the media center, in Beijing, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Chinese President Xi Jinping applauds during the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A child holds a Chinese national flag near the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

China Congress

It is China's latest push for a more prominent role in global affairs, though it may prove to be more rhetorical than substantive, with the U.S. appearing uninterested in Beijing's efforts.

"The war with Iran is the priority of all countries in and outside the region," said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based think tank. "It is an opportunity China will not miss to demonstrate its leadership and diplomatic initiative."

Danny Russel, a former senior U.S. diplomat, described China's diplomacy as "performative" and compared the five-point proposal for ending the Iran war with its 12-point plan for Ukraine in 2023, which was "filled with platitudes but never acted on."

"Its narrative is that while Washington is reckless, aggressive and heedless of the cost to others, China is a principled and responsible champion of peace," said Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. "What we are seeing from China is messaging, not mediation."

China has been working "tirelessly for peace" since the outbreak of the war, said Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

How the US views China's diplomacy

The Trump administration appears to have little enthusiasm for the prospect of China's mediation, according to U.S. officials.

The U.S. has soured on third-party mediation efforts, and it has little interest in boosting China's international stature or giving it an opening to claim success in the Middle East, said three U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss potential diplomatic options.

One of the officials described the administration's position on the Chinese-Pakistani effort as "agnostic," neither endorsement nor rejection, but all three stressed that could change if President Donald Trump weighs in before hisplanned summitwith Chinese President Xi Jinping.

For Beijing, there could be an incentive to see the war subside before Trump travels to China in mid-May. Citing demands of the war, Trump postponed the trip initially set for the end of March.

"There is no guarantee that Trump may not delay the trip to China again if the war rages on," Sun said.

The war saw amajor escalation Fridaywhen Iran shot down two U.S. military aircraft, a first since the war began five weeks ago. Trump told NBC News that it would not impact negotiations with Iran, just days after declaring in anational addressthat the U.S. has "beaten and completely decimated Iran."

Beijing is calculating the pain from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz

For now, China is more insulated from the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz than other countries after diversifying its energy sources and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

China relies on Iran for only about 13% of its oil imports, and Beijing is working with Tehran to allow the passage of Chinese-flagged vessels through the critical waterway, where Iran's stranglehold has sent energy prices soaring. China also maintains a large strategic petroleum reserve.

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While China has positioned itself to cushion short-term shocks, analysts say Beijing is worried about a protracted war and has an interest in trying to bring it to an end.

"An escalation of the conflict will start to harm Chinese interests," Russel said. "Because China's growth model is so export-heavy, prolonged energy shocks and shipping disruption will mean costlier inputs and weaker global demand that damage its vulnerable economy."

Besides not wanting to see a long war, China "welcomes the opportunity to suggest that it is helping mitigate a crisis of America's making, especially as the Trump administration's lack of a considered strategy for containing the fallout becomes more apparent," said Ali Wyne, a senior research and advocacy adviser on U.S.-China relations at the International Crisis Group.

China has undertaken a flurry of diplomacy

After the war began, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with counterparts from Russia, Oman, Iran, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He told Iran that China cherished its friendship, urged Israel to cease military actions and expressed that China would be willing to play a role in seeking peace.

This past week, Wang hosted his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to hash out their five-point proposal, calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the strait.

He has held more than 20 phone calls with regional foreign ministers, and a special envoy has visited several countries in the region, aiming to promote peace and deescalate tensions, Liu said.

Wang sought support for China's plan from the European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, telling her it represented "broad, international consensus," the Chinese foreign ministry said. Wang told Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan that halting the fighting was the most urgent matter.

Wang also spoke this week with Bahrain's foreign minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, to explain why China opposed Bahrain's U.N. proposal to allow military force to open the Strait of Hormuz. Wang said actions by the U.N. Security Council should help ease tensions "rather than endorse illegal acts of war, still less add fuel to the fire."

China and Russia argued that the U.S. or other countries could exploit a U.N.-backed mechanism to escalate the deadly war, according to a U.N. diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic conversations.

Both countries appear to have less immediate need to see the strait fully open. While China has been able to pay to get some of its ships through, Russia is benefiting from the high price of oil, its main export.

Hoping to avoid a veto, Bahrainsignificantly watered downits proposal to authorize defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait. A vote was pushed back until next week.

To solve the problem of the strait, China says a ceasefire is needed. But its plan with Pakistan has been met with mostly silence from the U.S.

One of the U.S. officials said the plan is difficult to assess because it is less of a roadmap to peace than a vague appeal for respect for international law and the importance of diplomacy and the U.N.'s role.

Amiri reported from the United Nations.

China aims to show global leadership with Iran war diplomacy. US appears uninterested

WASHINGTON (AP) — China is stepping up its diplomacy onthe Iran war, putting forward a five-point proposal with Pakistan,...
Downed planes raise new perils for Trump as Tehran hunts for missing US pilot

By Phil Stewart and Enas Alashray

Reuters

WASHINGTON/CAIRO, April 3 (Reuters) - Two U.S. warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, Iranian and U.S. officials said on Friday, with two pilots rescued and a third still missing and being hunted by Tehran's forces.

The incidents show the risks still faced by U.S. and Israeli aircraft ‌over Iran despite assertions from U.S. President Donald Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that their forces had total control of the skies.

The first plane, a two-seat ‌U.S. F-15E jet, was shot down by Iranian fire, officials in both countries said.

The second plane, an A-10 Warthog fighter aircraft, was hit by Iranian fire and crashed over Kuwait, with the pilot ejecting, two U.S. officials said.

Two Blackhawk ​helicopters involved in the search effort for the missing pilot were hit by Iranian fire but made it out of Iranian airspace, the two U.S. officials told Reuters.

The degree of injuries among the crew of the aircraft remained unclear. The status and whereabouts of the missing F-15E crew member was not publicly known.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was combing an area near where the pilot's plane came down in southwestern Iran and the regional governor promised a commendation for anyone who captured or killed "forces of the hostile enemy."

Iranians, who have been pummeled by American air power for weeks, posted ‌gleeful messages celebrating the plane downings. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer ⁠Qalibaf said on X that the U.S. and Israel's war had been "downgraded from regime change" to a hunt for their pilots.

Trump has been in the White House receiving updates on the search-and-rescue operation, a senior administration official told Reuters. The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond ⁠to requests for comment.

NO SIGN OF END TO WAR

The prospect of a U.S. service person being alive and on the run inside Iran raises the stakes for Washington in a conflict with low public support and no sign of an imminent end.

Iran has officially told mediators it is not prepared to meet with U.S. officials in Islamabad in coming days and that efforts to produce a ceasefire, led by Pakistan, ​have ​reached a dead end, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

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The U.S. and Israel opened the campaign with ​a wave of strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ‌on February 28. The war has killed thousands and threatened lasting damage to the global economy.

So far, 13 U.S. military service members have been killed in the conflict and more than 300 have been wounded, according to the U.S. Central Command.

Iran has rained drones and missiles down on Israel. It has also taken aim at Gulf countries allied to the U.S., which have so far held back from joining the war directly for fear of further escalation.

In a security alert on Friday, the U.S. embassy in Beirut said Iran and its aligned armed groups may target universities in Lebanon and urged U.S. citizens in the country to leave while commercial flights are still available.

Israel has been waging a parallel campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon after the ‌militant group fired at Israel in support of Iran.

TRUMP THREAT TO STRIKE BRIDGES, POWER PLANTS

On Friday, as Trump ​threatened to hit its bridges and power plants, Iran struck a power and water plant in Kuwait, underlining ​the vulnerability of Gulf states that rely heavily on desalination plants for drinking water.

On ​Thursday, Trump posted footage on social media showing dust and smoke billowing up as U.S. strikes hit the newly constructed B1 bridge between Tehran and ‌nearby Karaj, which was due to open this year, and said more ​attacks would follow.

"Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by ​far!) anywhere in the World, hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!" he wrote in a subsequent post.

On Friday, a drone hit a Red Crescent relief warehouse in the Choghadak area of Iran's southern Bushehr province.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said its Mina al-Ahmadi refinery had been hit by drones. Other attacks ​were also reported to have been intercepted in Saudi Arabia and ‌Abu Dhabi. Missile debris landed near the Israeli port of Haifa, site of a major oil refinery.

Oil markets were closed after benchmark U.S. crude prices gained 11% ​on Thursday following a speech by Trump that offered no clear sign of an imminent end to the war.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart in Washington, Reuters bureaux; ​Writing by James Mackenzie and Sharon Singleton; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Bill Berkrot and David Gregorio)

Downed planes raise new perils for Trump as Tehran hunts for missing US pilot

By Phil Stewart and Enas Alashray WASHINGTON/CAIRO, April 3 (Reuters) - Two U.S. warplanes were downed over Ir...
South Carolina ends UConn's perfect season, advances to title game

PHOENIX -- Ta'Niya Latson had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead a balanced South Carolina attack, and the Gamecocks stunned undefeated and top-seeded UConn 62-48 in the NCAA Women's Final Four on Friday.

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"I knew I had to impact the game in any way I could," Latson said. "I wanted this win. Whether that was rebounding, scoring, assisting, I was going to do what I had to do. The balls were coming my way, so I had to grab 'em and snag 'em."

Agot Makeer scored 14 points, Joyce Edwards had 11 and Tessa Johnson added 10 for the Gamecocks (36-3), who avenged an 82-59 loss to the Huskies in the 2025 national championship game.

The Gamecocks will play for their fourth national championship and third in five seasons on Sunday against UCLA, which beat Texas 51-44 in the second semifinal. South Carolina completed a 38-0 season with an 87-75 victory over Iowa in the 2024 title game.

"This is my why," Latson said. "This is why I came to South Carolina."

National player of the year Sarah Strong had 12 points and 12 rebounds, Ashlynn Shade scored 10 points and Azzi Fudd had eight points and five assists for the Huskies (38-1), who had a 54-game winning streak broken.

Strong's 3-pointer, her first points in the second half, closed the deficit to 51-47 with 4:39 remaining, but South Carolina scored the next 11 points to pull away.

Strong shot 4 of 16 from the field against a sticky South Carolina defense that pressured the perimeter. Fudd was 3 of 15. The Gamecocks limited UConn to 31.1% shooting and outshot the Huskies 45.8% to 22.6% in the second half.

"Yeah, I just thought that we made it real difficult for them to get clean looks," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. "We made them put the ball on the floor. That's disruption to UConn, because they're a passing team, they like to assist. They did get 15 assists on 19 field goals. If they're allowed to play that way throughout an entire game, they win.

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"I thought our players just locked in once we built a little lead, and we got suggestions from coaches as to should we change our defense, start switching everything."

UConn coach Geno Auriemma said, "I think, and we do this a lot, the more defensive pressure you try to put on the other team's best player, you are hoping that there is a level of frustration a little bit and it starts to affect the way they play."

Latson made six free throws in the final 1:45 and UConn missed 11 of its last 12 field-goal attempts.

Auriemma and Staley were seen having a heated exchange on the sideline as the clock wound down, but neither offered much additional clarity on the situation following the game.

"You can ask Geno the question, he's the one that initiated the conversation," Staley said in the postgame presser. "I don't want what happened to dampen what we were able to accomplish today."

Auriemma told ESPN that Staley "rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referees some names you don't wanna hear."

After the Huskies held a 26-24 halftime lead, the Gamecocks opened the second half on a 12-2 run for a 12-point lead, the largest deficit UConn had faced all year. All but one of the Huskies' wins were by at least 10 points.

Latson made a pair of free throws for a 40-30 lead with 3:09 left in the third.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Kayleigh Heckel, Blanca Quinonez and Fudd brought UConn within 40-39 with 1:10 left in the quarter, but the Huskies were never closer. The Huskies had made 1 of 11 3-point tires before that and finished 6 of 21. The Gamecocks led 44-39 after three.

--Jack Magruder, Field Level Media

South Carolina ends UConn's perfect season, advances to title game

PHOENIX -- Ta'Niya Latson had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead a balanced South Carolina attack, and the Gamecock...

 

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