BERLIN (AP) — Saki Hayashi and Japan set records for three-pointers on the first day of the Women’s Basketball World Cup while Caitlin Clark also starred on her tournament debut for the United States on Friday.
Hayashi scored nine three-pointers to beat the previous record of eight as she helped Japan to a 102-97 win over Mali. Altogether, Japan scored 20 to beat its shared team record from 1994.
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United States’ Caitlin Clark holds the trophy for the player of the game during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between China and the United States in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Spain’s Awa Fam reaches for a ball against the defense of Germany’s Leonie Fiebich during a Women’s World Cup basketball game between Germany and Spain, in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Germany’s Alexis Peterson in action during a Women’s World Cup basketball game between Germany and Spain, in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Spain’s Megan DiLeo looks to shoot against Germany’s Leonie Fiebich during a Women’s World Cup basketball game between Germany and Spain, in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Mali’s Aminata Sangare, right, and Japan’s Yuki Miyazawa during the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
The Japanese team acknowledges fans after the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Mali’s Aminata Sangare and Japan’s Yuki Miyazawa vie for the ball during the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Japan’s Mai Yamamoto, right, is challenged by Mali’s Djeneba N Diaye during the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Australian players react during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between Australia and Puerto Rico in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Puerto Rico’s Denise Solís and Australia’s Jade Melbourne rebaound during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between Australia and Puerto Rico in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Australia’s Ezi Magbegor lays up during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between Australia and Puerto Rico in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Mali led for most of the game before Mai Yamamoto brought Japan level for the first time at 79-79 with 6:30 left in the final quarter. Kokoro Tanaka completed the scoring with a free throw.
Aminata Sangare contributed 22 points for Mali. Her team had been looking for its second-ever World Cup win after beating Senegal in overtime in the 2010 tournament. Mali lost all five games at the last World Cup in Australia.
Clark had 14 points and 11 assists to help the U.S. beat China, which was led by 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu, 94-61 in its opener at the Max-Schmelling-Halle. It was the same Berlin venue where the U.S. defeated Russia in the final for the 1998 title, the country’s sixth.
Rhyne Howard also scored 14 points and Jackie Young added 12 for the Americans, who have won 31 consecutive World Cup games dating to a loss in the 2006 semifinals.
They next turn attention to Italy on Saturday as they bid for a fifth consecutive title.
Awa Fam led Spain to another win over Germany, contributing 17 points in a dominant 83-53 victory.
Despite vocal support from home fans in the 14,000-seat Berlin Arena, Germany did not lead at any stage and has failed to beat Spain in eight competitive meetups.
Leonie Fiebich scored 13 points to lead Germany, followed by Nyara Sabally with 10.
Spain next plays Mali on Saturday, when Germany faces Japan.
Steph Talbot scored 19 points as Australia defeated Puerto Rico 70-54.
Australia lost its opening games at the last World Cup and at the Olympics, so the victory takes the pressure off coach Sandy Brondello’s team with the four group winners in the expanded 16-team tournament progressing straight to the quarterfinals.
Australia next faces Turkey on Sunday.
Emma Meesseman had 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists to lead European champion Belgium to the 89-75 victory. She scored nine of those points in the final two minutes of the third quarter as Belgium outscored Turkey 27-9 in the third period. Turkey held a 45-44 lead at the end of the first half.
Kennedy Burke scored 15 points to lead Turkey.
Park Ji-hyun scored 27 to lead South Korea to a 99-81 opening victory over Nigeria.
France was to tip off against Hungary later, with the Czech Republic set to play Italy.
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
United States’ Caitlin Clark holds the trophy for the player of the game during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between China and the United States in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Spain’s Awa Fam reaches for a ball against the defense of Germany’s Leonie Fiebich during a Women’s World Cup basketball game between Germany and Spain, in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Germany’s Alexis Peterson in action during a Women’s World Cup basketball game between Germany and Spain, in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Spain’s Megan DiLeo looks to shoot against Germany’s Leonie Fiebich during a Women’s World Cup basketball game between Germany and Spain, in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Mali’s Aminata Sangare, right, and Japan’s Yuki Miyazawa during the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
The Japanese team acknowledges fans after the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Mali’s Aminata Sangare and Japan’s Yuki Miyazawa vie for the ball during the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Japan’s Mai Yamamoto, right, is challenged by Mali’s Djeneba N Diaye during the women’s World Cup basketball match between Mali and Japan, in Berlin Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Australian players react during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between Australia and Puerto Rico in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Puerto Rico’s Denise Solís and Australia’s Jade Melbourne rebaound during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between Australia and Puerto Rico in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Australia’s Ezi Magbegor lays up during the Women’s Basketball World Cup match between Australia and Puerto Rico in Berlin, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s security service in central Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday, ahead of diplomatic talks with U.S. officials on ending the war.
The air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as the conflict stretches toward five years since Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor. Russia recently has been using fast-flying, jet-powered drones, and the recurring wail of air-raid sirens has become part of daily life in Kyiv.
Ukraine’s security service headquarters, near the historic St. Sophia Cathedral and international hotels, is among the agencies carrying out deep strike operations inside Russian territory. Twelve people were wounded in Friday’s attack, local authorities said.
“The drone was deliberately targeted at the head of the SBU’s office in that building,” Zelenskyy said Friday.
Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that acting security chief Oleksandr Poklad had briefed him on a response, including possible targets.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called Friday’s drone strike a “major escalation” that came as potential peace talks were building momentum.
“Moscow launched this strike during a renewed push for peace — laying bare its true rejection of diplomacy,” he said in a post on X.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Moscow and then Kyiv over the weekend and into early next week, a U.S. official said Friday. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, did not have more specific timing for the stops.
This would be their first visit to Kyiv. U.S. efforts to negotiate a settlement have yet to produce a path to peace.
Zelenskyy said Friday that he was expecting Witkoff and Kushner to visit Kyiv on Sunday, after visiting Moscow. He said in a Telegram post that Ukraine will refrain from airstrikes during the negotiations and called on Russia to reciprocate to allow the talks to proceed safely.
“As with previous diplomatic visits by the American side, we will ensure the normal functioning of Russian airspace so that the negotiators can arrive safely. We are concerned about their safety, not about Russia,” Zelenskyy said.
Speaking with journalists Friday, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to confirm reports that Kushner and Witkoff would visit Moscow, saying only that the media would be informed if such a meeting took place.
Kushner and Witkoff last visited Moscow in January, where they met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. After that meeting, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov described talks as constructive but said that “reaching a long-term settlement can’t be expected without solving the territorial issue.”
Further talks have lost momentum, with the White House’s attention focused on its conflict with Iran.
The latest diplomatic developments coincided with a “massive” overnight Russian attack on the Odesa region that killed one person and injured at least five others, including a child, regional head Oleh Kiper said in a post on Telegram. The attacks damaged multiple residential buildings, including two multistory blocks.
Overnight strikes elsewhere in Ukraine killed two police officers in Dnipro, officials said, while a drone attack in Kyiv wounded three people after hitting a residential building.
Russian forces have relentlessly struck civilian areas. Previously, these attacks occurred mostly at night, but now they are happening during the day as well. The front line in eastern and southern Ukraine remains largely deadlocked.
In Russia, a large-scale Ukrainian drone strike hit the Black Sea resort city of Sochi and the nearby district of Sirius, regional officials said Friday. They said the attack sparked a blaze at an oil depot but gave no further details. Russian media outlets reported two depots were hit, with one fire in Sochi and another in Sirius.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted oil facilities that form the backbone of Russia’s economy, one of the world’s largest energy producers. Growing economic pressure and public frustration have mounted in Russia after months of escalating Ukrainian strikes on refineries and e-commerce hubs that have caused nationwide disruptions.
The barrages prompted Putin last month to decree that the state can temporarily seize control of critical infrastructure facilities if private owners fail to protect them from Ukrainian drone attacks or don’t rebuild them after strikes. Analysts said the move was aimed at forcing companies to pay for their own security and bring damaged assets back into service, despite the cost.
Finnish authorities said they were investigating how a Russian-made drone ended up on a rocky shoreline in the Pellinge archipelago east of Helsinki.
Finland’s Border Guard said what appears to be a Geoscan 701 drone, manufactured by a Russian company, was found on the shore. “The device model in question is used by both state and civilian operators, and it is not possible at this stage to determine its intended use or identify the country or entity operating it,” the Border Guard said in a statement.
State broadcaster Yle reported the drone was discovered Tuesday by a fisherman.
Geoscan describes itself as one of Russia’s leading drone manufacturers, and says the 701 model is designed for large-scale aerial surveying.
Associated Press writers Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw, Poland, Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
A woman rides a bicycle as firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a destroyed pharmaceutical warehouse following Russian drone attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after a Russian drone attack struck a building in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after a Russian drone attack struck a building in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Firefighters work at a residential building after a Russian drone attack struck in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
Firefighters walk among debris at a destroyed pharmaceutical warehouse after Russian drone attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
FILE – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Steve Witkoff, special envoy of the United States, meet at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, Pool)