Oscar Schmidt of Brazil protects the basketball from Scottie Pippen of the U.S. during a men’s quarterfinal game at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta on July 30, 1996. Schmidt, who was nicknamed the Holy Hand for shooting prowess and was widely regarded as the best player never to play in the NBA, died in Santana de Parnaiba, Brazil on April 17, 2026. He was 68. (José R. López/The New York Times) By RICHARD SANDOMIR Oscar Schmidt, a brash Brazilian basketball superstar who was n

Nataly García, left, had 14 points to help Ponce oust defending LVSF champion Caguas and advance to the league finals against Santurce. (Heriberto Rosario Rosa - FPV) By THE STAR STAFF The Women’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSF by its initials in Spanish) will have a new champion this season. The Leonas of Ponce defeated the Criollas of Caguas in straight sets on Wednesday night in the deciding seventh match of the LVSF Semifinal Series B. With the resounding victory over t

Nicole Chacón, Ada Monzón, Denise Pérez, Carla Cappalli Establishing a fashion legacy from Puerto Rico and beyond. By JUDY GORDON-CONDE and JENNIFER CONDE-POWERS Lisa Cappalli, the renowned Puerto Rican designer, continues to be recognized for her feminine style and intricate lacework, inspired by her rich family history in Puerto Rico’s fashion scene. Most recently, her iconic designs were showcased at the exhibition “Three Generations Intertwined by Lace” at the National Mu

An emperor penguin on Antarctica’s Ross Sea ice shelf, Jan. 16, 2011. Populations of emperor penguins are declining as climate change causes the sea ice the birds need for survival to retreat, according to researchers. (Andy Isaacson/The New York Times) By RACHEL NUWER  Emperor penguins, the world’s largest and perhaps most recognizable penguin species, have joined the list of wildlife endangered by global warming, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced