promoearn: Is your bracket busted yet?

Thursday, March 16

The first round of the men's NCAA Tournament has tipped off. A released video shows a Russian aircraft dumping fuel on an American drone. And the treasury secretary told lawmakers the banking system "remains sound."

👋 Happy Thursday! It's Julius here with the news.

☕ But first, RIP to the Dunkaccino. Dunkin' has officially removed the drink, a combination of coffee and hot chocolate, from its menu.

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March Madness is finally here

It's mid-March, and that can only mean two things: The NCAA Tournament is back – and we're all trying to remember what channel truTV is on. Brackets everywhere (mine included) were busted early as No. 13 Furman stunned No. 4 Virginia in a 68-67 upset win in the men's tournament. Three No. 1 seeds – Alabama, Houston and Kansas – are also in action today. But I think the most exciting matchup the will feature ACC champions Duke, riding a nine-game winning streak, against Oral Roberts, a mid-major side led by a prolific scorer in Max Abmas. See all the updates on today's games.

•	NCAA's March Madness has returned! Stream the 20 best basketball movies to celebrate
•	What channel is truTV? How to watch first round games of the NCAA Tournament

Furman forward Jalen Slawson celebrates a basket during the Paladins' upset win against Virginia during the second half of their first round men's NCAA Tournament game at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

Matt Pendleton, USA TODAY Sports

Pentagon releases video of Russian jet dumping fuel on US drone

The Pentagon released footage Thursday of what it says is a Russian aircraft dumping fuel on a U.S. drone, damaging the propeller and forcing U.S. controllers to crash the device in the Black Sea two days ago. "Two Russian Su-27 aircraft conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept with a U.S. Air Force intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance unmanned MQ-9 Reaper operating within international airspace," the Pentagon said in a release issued with the video. The incident further escalated tensions between two countries already sharply at odds since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. See the video here.

•	How the collision happened: Russian fighter jet's 'reckless' intercept downs US drone

The Pentagon released video purportedly showing a Russian aircraft dumping fuel on an unmanned U.S. drone, damaging the propeller and forcing U.S. controllers to crash land the drone in the Black Sea on March 14, 2023.

Department of Defense

What everyone's talking about

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•	'It was so shiny': Man discovers 'big, ugly' 3.29-carat diamond at Arkansas state park
•	Bob Jr., an iconic lion known as 'King of the Serengeti,' killed by rival lions, report says.

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Treasury secretary says banking system 'remains sound' amid SVB fallout

Despite banking industry turmoil after Silicon Valley Bank's collapse, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told lawmakers Thursday that the banking system "remains sound" and depositors' savings "remain safe." Citing the steps regulators took in response to SVB's failure, Yellen added, "This week's actions demonstrate our resolute commitment to ensure that depositors' savings remain safe." Still, the stocks of other regional banks have plunged recently, and online searches by Americans asking if their money is safe have surged. Read more on Yellen's appearance before the Senate Finance Committee.

•	'It's a wake-up call': Advocacy groups, lawmakers highlight law they say led to SVB collapse
•	Is it a bailout? On SVB, White House fights comparisons to 2008

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testifies in front of the Senate Committee on Finance on President Biden's 2024 budget, on March 16, 2023.

Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Two years after Atlanta shootings, Asian Americans' worries linger

Two years have passed since eight people – including six Asian women – were fatally shot at three spas in Atlanta, the shock and grief only exacerbating the Asian American community's concerns over increasing incidents of anti-Asian hate nationwide. As the country rallied in unprecedented support for Asian Americans, many hoped the energy could help boost representation in political and spiritual leadership, visibility in public school curricula and multilingual offerings in voter ballots, mental health services and outreach by law enforcement. But since the shootings, there are mixed feelings in the community about what progress has been made. Read more.

A break from the news

•	🍀 St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow: Here's what you need to celebrate.
•	🧇 Dirty waffle maker? Here's the easiest way to clean it.
•	🧡 Heartwarming surprise: See a man disguised as waiter surprise his mom.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd as he attends an event Friday, March 10, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa.

Trump attacks DeSantis. How long can the Florida governor ignore him?

Trump and his allies are escalating attacks on the Florida governor, including an ethics complaint lodged Wednesday. DeSantis avoids replying in kind.