Latest News – 鶹 News Washington's Top News Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:22:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/WtopNewsLogo_500x500-150x150.png Latest News – 鶹 News 32 32 Winning numbers drawn in Sunday’s Maryland Cash Pop /news/2026/04/winning-numbers-drawn-in-sundays-maryland-cash-pop-23/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:22:50 +0000 /?p=29160575&preview=true&preview_id=29160575 The winning numbers in Sunday’s drawing of the “Maryland Cash Pop” game were:

8

(eight)

For more lottery results, go to

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US Navy seizes an Iranian-flagged ship near Strait of Hormuz and Tehran vows swift response /middle-east/2026/04/iran-doubles-down-on-closing-the-strait-of-hormuz-as-the-ceasefire-inches-toward-expiration/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:06:07 +0000 /?p=29158603&preview=true&preview_id=29158603 WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship it said had tried to evade its naval blockade near the on Sunday, and Iran’s joint military command vowed to respond, throwing a into question days before it expires.

It was the first interception since the U.S. began last week. Iran’s joint military command called the armed boarding an act of piracy and a ceasefire violation, the state broadcaster said.

With the U.S.-Iran standoff over the strait sharpening and the ceasefire expiring by Wednesday, it was not clear where ’s earlier announcement on new talks with Iran now stood. He had said U.S. negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday.

The uncertainty sent . One of the threatened to deepen.

Trump on social media said a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman warned the Iranian-flagged ship, the Touska, to stop and then “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.” U.S. Marines had custody of the U.S.-sanctioned vessel and were “seeing what’s on board!”

It was not clear whether anyone was hurt. The U.S. Central Command, which didn’t answer questions, said the destroyer had issued “repeated warnings over a six-hour period.”

Iranian state media suggest new talks won’t take place

There was no comment from Iranian officials directly addressing Trump’s announcement of talks. However, Iranian state media, without citing anyone beyond unnamed sources, issued brief reports suggesting that they would not happen.

Minutes after the ship seizure was announced, Iranian state media reported on President Masoud Pezeshkian’s phone conversation with Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, earlier Sunday. U.S. actions, including bullying and unreasonable behavior, have led to increased suspicion that the U.S. will repeat previous patterns and “betray diplomacy,” the reports cited Pezeshkian as saying.

Two previous attempts at talks — last June and earlier this year — were interrupted by Israeli and U.S. attacks.

On another phone call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, that recent U.S. actions, rhetoric and contradictions were signs of “bad intentions and lack of seriousness in diplomacy,” Iran’s state broadcaster said.

Pakistan did not confirm a second round of talks, but authorities had begun tightening security in Islamabad. A regional official involved in the efforts said mediators were finalizing preparations and U.S. advance security teams were on the ground. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss preparations with the media.

The White House had said Vice President JD Vance, who led the of historic face-to-face talks over 21 hours last weekend, would lead the U.S. delegation to Pakistan with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Iran on Saturday said it had received new proposals from the United States. While Iran’s chief negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, late Saturday said “there will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy,” he acknowledged a wide gap remained between the sides.

It was unclear whether either side had shifted stances on issues that derailed the last round of negotiations, including , its regional proxies and the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s announcement on talks repeated his threats against Iranian infrastructure that have drawn widespread criticism and . If Iran doesn’t agree to the U.S.-proposed deal, “the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” he wrote.

Iran wants to control strait until ‘war fully ends’

Iran early Monday warned it could keep up the global economic pain as ships remained unable to transit , with hundreds of vessels waiting at each end for clearance.

Security of the strait is not free and “the choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone,” Mohammad Reza Aref, first vice president of Iran, said in a social media post calling for a lasting end to military and economic pressure on Tehran.

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade normally passes through the strait, along with critical supplies of , natural gas and humanitarian supplies for places in dire need like and .

Iran had announced the strait’s reopening after a between Israel and the Iranian-backed in Lebanon took hold on Friday. But then Trump said the U.S. blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Iran said it would again enforce restrictions it imposed early in the war. On Saturday, Iran fired at ships trying to transit.

For , the strait’s closure is perhaps its most powerful weapon, inflicting political pain on Trump. For the United States, the blockade squeezes Iran’s already weakened economy. Each side has accused the other of violating the ceasefire.

Since most supplies to U.S. military bases in the Gulf region come through the strait, “Iran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends,” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said late Saturday. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates.

The council has recently acted as Iran’s de facto top decision-making body.

The war is now in its eighth week after the U.S. and Israel launched it on Feb. 28 during talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. At least 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, , 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 U.S. service members throughout the region have been killed.

___ Magy reported from Cairo and Metz from Ramallah, West Bank. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

___

An earlier version of this story corrected the name of the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson to Esmail Baghaei.

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The Latest: 8 children dead after a mass shooting in Louisiana, police say /national/2026/04/the-latest-8-children-dead-after-a-mass-shooting-in-louisiana-police-say/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:15:40 +0000 /?p=29159736&preview=true&preview_id=29159736
Flashing red and blue lights on police cruiser. (Telemundo 44)(Courtesy Telemundo 44)

A gunman in Louisiana between the ages of 1 and 12 in domestic-related shootings at a home in the nation’s in more than two years. Police in Shreveport said a total of 10 people were shot Sunday. Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon says the gunman, identified as Shamar Elkins, died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect. The suspect had stolen a car while leaving the scene of the shootings.

Police said seven of the children killed were Elkins’. Officials said they were still gathering details at crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — two homes and a third location.

Here is the Latest:

Mother posted updates of growing family on social media

Shaneiqua Elkins frequently posted about her growing family, sharing photos and videos of recitals and academic achievements, including a daughter’s recognition as “most improved” student.

The photos also showed Shamar Elkins, often smiling alongside the children.

On Friday afternoon, less than 48 hours before the shooting, he shared a photo of a girl — whom he identified as his eldest daughter — alongside a lighthearted caption about their “lil 1 on 1 date.”

— By Jim Mustain

Elkins did not appear to have an extensive criminal history

But court records show he was placed on probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to illegal use of weapons.

In that case, Elkins told police that someone driving a vehicle pulled a gun on him “and then took off,” according to a police report.

Elkins ran into the street, brandished a 9mm handgun and fired five rounds at the fleeing vehicle, according to the report, which notes he was 280 feet away from a school and “shooting toward the school while children were playing outside.”

Bordelon identified the suspect Sunday evening as Shamar Elkins

Police say the gunman killed 7 of his own children and wounded their mother, as well as killing another child.

Shreveport police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said Sunday evening that the suspect shot the mother first and then killed eight children, seven of whom were his own.

The victims ranged in age from 1 to about 12 years old, and the mother and another woman are in critical condition, Bodelon said.

Bordelon said there was still much to investigate but detectives were confident the shooting was “entirely a domestic incident.”

Bordelon also said the suspect had been arrested in 2019 in a firearms case. He said police were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.

Gunman fatally shot 7 of his own children and another child in an attack, police say

Bordelon, the police spokesperson, says the children who were killed ranged in age from 1 to “about” 12 years old.

Police and other officials had said earlier Sunday those killed ranged in age from 1 to 14.

Bordelon says two adult females who were shot were in critical condition.

He also says the gunman was known to the police department but they were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.

A state official says some children tried to escape out the back door

That’s according to Democratic state Rep. Tammy Phelps, who represents Caddo Parish.

“I can’t even imagine what the police officers, first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,” she said at a news conference.

District attorney’s office: ’What began as a domestic dispute has ended in irreversible harm’

The Caddo Parish District Attorney’s office is emphasizing that the shootings show that “domestic violence is not a private matter” and that “this tragedy’s impact demands our collective attention.”

“This is not simply an event; it is a profound community loss,” it said, adding that domestic violence “is not a private matter” but rather “a community issue with far-reaching consequences, often affecting the most vulnerable among us — our children.”

The office said: “We see how quickly situations can escalate. We see how patterns of control, fear and instability can grow behind closed doors. And we know that intervention — whether through reporting, support services, or community awareness — can make a difference.”

It says that “this moment calls for more than grief. It calls for awareness, connection, and action.”

The office encouraged individuals experiencing domestic violence to reach out to local resources, some of which it listed in its statement.

“No one has to navigate these situations alone,” it said.

Police provide more details on the shootings and pursuit of suspect

Shreveport police said in a news release that the attacks began in a neighborhood south of downtown when the suspect shot a woman at one home and then drove to another home where the children were killed in what was described as “a violent domestic incident.”

Police say the suspect fled the scene and carjacked an adult male at gunpoint.

Officers spotted the vehicle and began a pursuit that continued into Bossier Parish, where the officers “ultimately engaged the suspect,” the statement said.

The officers, it said, “were forced to discharge their department-issued firearms, neutralizing the suspect, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Coroner’s office says IDs of victims is pending

The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office says in a statement that it was not yet releasing any of the children’s names because “scientific identification of the victims is still pending.” city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It’s a terrible morning.”

Neighbor says security camera captured video of suspect running away

Liza Demming, who lives two doors down from one of the shooting scenes, said her security camera captured video of the gunman running away toward a tire shop.

She said she could hear two shots on the audio.

“That’s’ pretty much all I saw, was him running out of the house,” she said.

Demming said she later saw one of the child victims, who had already been covered, laying on the roof of the house. But she said she never heard anything like a fight or argument.

“It was nothing loud, no altercations. It was quiet. Nothing,” she said.

Pastor who owns home where shootings occurred says he didn’t have dealings with the family

Pastor Marty T. Johnson Sr. of St. Gabriel Community Baptist Church owns the home where the shootings occurred but says that he doesn’t know the family who rented the home and never had dealings with them.

Johnson says a person who works for him had rented the home to the family.

He said all he knows is from what he’s heard from news reports and from neighbors but that he’s ready to do whatever he can to help.

“I do plan on having a prayer vigil for the family, and anything I can do, with so many children, to help them bury the children, I’m going to do so,” Johnson said.

“We’ve got to take our community back, and we will.”

Louisiana US representative: ‘There are no words’

That’s the reaction from U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, a Democrat whose district includes part of Shreveport.

In a statement, Fields says he is praying for two women injured the shootings.

Fields also expressed support for the several law enforcement agencies that are conducting what he calls “an extensive and deeply painful investigation.”

“A crime scene spanning four locations, eight children gone ranging in age from just one to fourteen years old — there are no words,” Fields says.

“Shreveport is a resilient community, and we will get through this together.”

Former US Rep. Gabby Giffords: ‘All of us should be outraged’

“All of us should be outraged that we live in a country that routinely subjects our kids to such unimaginable violence,” said Giffords, who in 2011.

“Our children have no option but to trust us to keep them safe, but our country is failing them every day,” she said in a statement. “Both Congress and Baton Rouge have a moral duty to do better. Our leaders must act—now.”

Giffords was shot in the head on Jan. 8, 2011, as she met with constituents at a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona. Six people were killed and a dozen injured in addition to Giffords.

She now advocates for gun control measures.

Police say shootings were result of a ‘domestic disturbance’

That’s according to Bordelon.

“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” he said.

House Speaker Johnson reacts to shootings

“Heartbreaking tragedy in Shreveport this morning — 8 children were senselessly killed and multiple others were injured. My team is in touch with local law enforcement as more details emerge,” said U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is from Shreveport and represents part of northwest Louisiana.

“We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time. And we are grateful to the Shreveport, Bossier, and Louisiana State Police for their swift response,” Johnson said.

Gov. Jeff Landry says he and his wife are heartbroken

“We’re deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” Landry said in a statement.

State police say they’ve been asked to help investigate

In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.

State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.

Police say shootings were result of a ‘domestic disturbance’

That’s according to police spokesperson Chris Bordelon.

“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” he said.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since 2024

That’s according to maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

In January 2024, eight people were killed .

Officials appear stunned at news conference in Shreveport

Officials appeared stunned outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.

“I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”

“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It’s a terrible morning.”

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‘We’re still going on’: Big crowds turn out for DC Emancipation Day events /dc/2026/04/dc-emancipation-day-events-bring-crowds-to-pennsylvania-ave/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:12:20 +0000 /?p=29160021&preview=true&preview_id=29160021 A parade, festival, go-go rhythms and popular headliners — rapper T.I. and singer and D.C. native Mya — drew hundreds to the nation’s capital on Sunday for the 21st annual D.C. Emancipation Day celebration.

The day marks April 16, 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, freeing more than 3,100 enslaved people in the District — three years before the Civil War ended.

In 2005, D.C. leaders made April 16 a public holiday, and local government offices closed last Thursday in observance.

Sunday’s D.C. Emancipation Day parade, festival and free concert lined up with another historic event: On April 19, 1866, thousands of Black Washingtonians gathered at Franklin Park for the city’s first major post-Civil War freedom celebration.

The 2026 Emancipation Day organizers had planned to hold the celebration in Franklin Park, but the event was moved a few blocks south to Pennsylvania Avenue in Northwest D.C. due to expected demand.

‘We’re still going on’

For those attending the weekend festivities, music was a big draw.

“I knew the music was going to be here, so I said, ‘Come on, let’s go down here and spend some time,’” Diane Scott told 鶹.

Scott, 69, was born and raised in the District, but she didn’t know until Sunday about D.C.’s long history of celebrating slavery’s end. She said it made her feel good to learn about it “because we’re still going on. We’re still going on.”

For Kent, who did not give his last name, the day was also about remembering the more than 11,000 free Black people who lived in D.C. at the time.

He was also there for the music.

“The Go-go music, I love the Go-go music,” Kent said. “When I moved here … I found out about Go-go music and Chuck Brown. Chuck Brown is the start.”

This was Shamese Forgione’s second D.C. Emancipation Day concert.

“I came to see T.I. and Mya perform,” Forgione said. “This time I get to see T.I., and it’s free, and it’s something to bring my kids to.”

Forgione’s 10-year-old, Shamyia, showed off some of the artwork she created at one of the festival’s activity booths as her 15-year-old son Shamari said he was in attendance to take photos and videos.

He also appreciated the history behind the event.

“I think D.C. Emancipation Day is something to celebrate when the slaves were released,” Shamari said. “I am an African American male, and I wouldn’t, really, wouldn’t want that to be my future, especially living in 2026 and, honestly, I’m kind of — not even kind of, I’m appreciative of that.”

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Iran vows a swift response to the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel, Iran’s state-run media say /news/2026/04/iran-vows-a-swift-response-to-the-u-s-seizure-of-an-iranian-flagged-vessel-irans-state-run-media-say/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:07:51 +0000 /?p=29160208&preview=true&preview_id=29160208 WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran vows a swift response to the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel, Iran’s state-run media say.

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Wisconsin authorities put total arrests from clashes at beagle breeding facility at about 25 /national/2026/04/wisconsin-authorities-put-total-arrests-from-clashes-at-beagle-breeding-facility-at-about-25/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:39:00 +0000 /?p=29160118&preview=true&preview_id=29160118 MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Around 25 protesters were arrested as around 1,000 animal welfare activists tried to gain entry to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin and were met by officers , authorities said Sunday.

Saturday’s protest was the second attempt in as many months by demonstrators to take beagles from Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison. They were turned back by officers who arrested the group’s leader.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said the situation was “significantly calmer and more peaceful” on Sunday, when around 200 people assembled outside the farm. They dispersed after around two hours, it said.

“We’re pleased with the group’s cooperation today, and their willingness to remain peaceful, while still sending their message of concern for the dogs at Ridglan Farms,” Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a statement. “We are happy to support anyone who wants to exercise the right to protest, as long as they do so lawfully.”

The sheriff had said in a video statement Saturday that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property.” They tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence.

Some got through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the .

Those arrested included the leader of the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, Wayne Hsiung, 44, of New York, who was being held on a tentative felony charge of conspiracy to commit burglary. But most arrestees were just booked and released, the sheriff’s office said Sunday.

“No one should be assaulted for giving aid to a dog, even if damage to property is part of that rescue effort,” Hsuing said in a statement from jail Sunday that also accused authorities of using excessive force. “The animals of this Earth are not “things.” They’re sentient beings. And we have the right to rescue them from abuse,” he concluded.

Protesters took 30 dogs when they broke into the facility in March, when authorities arrested 27 people.

Ridglan denies mistreating animals but agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 in a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.

On its website, the company says “no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has ever been presented or substantiated.”

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Fairfax Co. sergeant arrested on sexual battery charges, police say /fairfax-county/2026/04/fairfax-co-sergeant-arrested-on-sexual-battery-charges-police-say/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:52:27 +0000 /?p=29159329 A Fairfax County police sergeant was arrested Saturday in Virginia on charges of aggravated sexual battery, the department said.

Police identified the sergeant in a release as Matthew Sylvester, of Warrenton. He was arrested around 1 a.m. by the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office on two counts of aggravated sexual battery.

The charges stem from an off-duty incident involving two individuals who were known to Sylvester, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Sylvester, 40, is a 16-year police veteran who works in the Internal Affairs Bureau.

Additional details regarding the arrest were not immediately made available by police.

Sylvester is on administrative leave pending the investigation.

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Trump says U.S. has forcibly seized Iranian-flagged cargo ship near Strait of Hormuz that tried to pass naval blockade /news/2026/04/trump-says-u-s-has-forcibly-seized-iranian-flagged-cargo-ship-near-strait-of-hormuz-that-tried-to-pass-naval-blockade/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:34:14 +0000 /?p=29159841&preview=true&preview_id=29159841 WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump says U.S. has forcibly seized Iranian-flagged cargo ship near Strait of Hormuz that tried to pass naval blockade.

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Chernobyl’s radioactive landscape is a testament to nature’s resilience and survival spirit /animals-pets/2026/04/chernobyls-radioactive-landscape-is-testament-to-natures-resilience-and-survival-spirit/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:27:23 +0000 /?p=29158479&preview=true&preview_id=29158479 CHERNOBYL, Ukraine (AP) — On contaminated land that is too dangerous for human life, the world’s wildest horses roam free.

Across the , Przewalski’s horses — stocky, sand-colored and almost toy-like in appearance — graze in a radioactive landscape larger than Luxembourg.

On April 26, 1986, an explosion at the sent radiation across Europe and forced the evacuation of entire towns, displacing tens of thousands. It was the worst nuclear disaster in history.

Four decades on, Chernobyl — which is transliterated as “Chornobyl” in Ukraine — remains too dangerous for humans. But the wildlife has moved back in.

Wolves now prowl the vast no-man’s-land spanning and Belarus, and brown bears have returned after more than a century. Populations of lynx, moose, red deer and even have rebounded.

Przewalski’s horses, and once on the brink of disappearing, were introduced here in 1998 as an experiment.

Known as “takhi” in Mongolia (“spirit”), the horses are distinct from domestic breeds, with 33 pairs of chromosomes, compared with 32 in domesticated horses. The modern name comes from the Russian explorer who first formally identified them.

“The fact that Ukraine now has a free-ranging population is something of a small miracle,” said Denys Vyshnevskyi, the zone’s lead nature scientist.

With human pressure gone, parts of the exclusion zone now resemble European landscapes from centuries past, he said, adding: “Nature and effectively.”

The transformation is visible everywhere. Trees pierce abandoned buildings, roads dissolve into forest, and weathered Soviet-era signs stand beside leaning wooden crosses in overgrown cemeteries.

Hidden cameras show the horses adapting in unexpected ways. They seek shelter in crumbling barns and deserted homes, using them to escape harsh weather and insects — even bedding down inside.

The horses live in small social groups — typically one stallion with several mares and their young — alongside separate bands of younger males. Many died after their introduction, but others adapted.

Declared extinct in the wild in 1969, Przewalski’s horses survived only through captive breeding before reintroduction efforts rebuilt a global population of about 3,000, according to Florian Drouard, an operations manager at a program for the horses at Cevennes National Park in southern France.

“This species is a remarkable example of successful reintroduction,” he said. “While it is still far from being fully secure, it has shown that with proper preparation, a species kept in captivity can regain the social and ecological behaviors needed to live freely.”

The horse, he said, has proved unexpectedly adaptable, adapted to open landscapes but now also thriving in Ukraine’s partly forested environment.

Tracking the animals at Chernobyl takes time. Vyshnevskyi often drives alone for hours, setting motion-sensitive camera traps in camouflaged casings attached to trees.

Despite persistent radiation, scientists have not recorded widespread die-offs, though subtler effects are evident. Some frogs have developed darker skin, and birds in higher-radiation areas are more likely to develop cataracts.

However, new threats have emerged.

ܲ’s fighting through the exclusion zone as troops advanced toward Kyiv, digging defenses into contaminated soil. Fires linked to military activity swept through forests.

Harsh wartime winters have also taken a toll. Damage to the power grid left surrounding managed areas without resources, and scientists report increases in fallen trees and dead animals — casualties of both extreme conditions and hastily built fortifications.

“Most forest fires are caused by downed drones,” said Oleksandr Polischuk, who leads a firefighting unit in the zone. “Sometimes we have to travel dozens of kilometers to reach them.”

Fires can send radioactive particles back into the air.

Today, the zone is no longer just an accidental refuge for wildlife. It has become a heavily monitored military corridor, marked by concrete barriers, barbed wire and minefields — a landscape of what some describe as grim beauty.

Personnel rotate in and out to limit radiation exposure. Chernobyl is likely to remain off-limits for generations — too dangerous for people, yet full of life.

“For those of us in conservation and ecology, it’s kind of a wonder,” Vyshnevskyi said. “This land was once heavily used — agriculture, cities, infrastructure. But nature has effectively performed a factory reset.”

___

Associated Press writers Dmytro Zhyhinas and Vasilisa Stepanenko in Chernobyl, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

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Caitlin Clark getting reacclimated to Fever digs as she returns to practice for training camp /sports/2026/04/caitlin-clark-getting-reacclimated-to-fever-digs-as-she-returns-to-practice-for-training-camp/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:45:52 +0000 /?p=29159730&preview=true&preview_id=29159730
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark participates in an NBC Sports broadcast before an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)(AP/Nate Billings)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark looked right at home inside on Sunday.

She wore her favorite Indiana Fever practice gear, stretched and ran with teammates and, of course, flashed her trademark smile. And while she didn’t line up any 3-pointers during the open portion of the team’s first training camp practice, everyone knows those will be back — in time.

For now, served as a welcome respite after enduring so many frustrating twists during her injury-plagued 2025 season.

“It’s hard, it’s very isolating to come to practice every single day and spend two hours getting treatment and rehab and then you come out here and you have to show up and be the best teammate you can be,” she said. “I think that taught me a lot about what I can do if I’m not on the court, and I got to be their biggest fan. I think that was a great experience for me because through a lot of my career, everyone else was my biggest fan. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t cheering for my teammates. It was like I was playing the most minutes, I had the ball in my hands and when you’re not doing that you have to find another way to impact the team.

Clark did her part last year, serving essentially as the WNBA’s highest-profile coach on game days while working relentlessly behind the scenes to get back to full strength. But the NCAA Division I’s career scoring leader never fully recovered from what turned out to be a season-ending injured right groin just before the All-Star break.

The seemingly indestructible Clark appeared in just 13 games, missed the All-Star Game and surrounding weekend’s festivities in Indianapolis, and embraced the Fever’s inspirational playoff run, which ended one win short of the WNBA Finals despite a rash of injuries.

So getting Clark back to practice Sunday was a victory for her and the Fever. Now comes the hard part — keeping her healthy.

“The biggest thing is just making sure we’re mindful it’s Day 1,” coach Stephanie White said. “It’s not like she has to go out there and go through everything. I think with her, Kelsey (Mitchell), with AB (Aliyah Boston), just being mindful of getting them in and out, and we need to get other people integrated anyway, so I think it will give us a good opportunity to do that.”

Clark didn’t just spend the offseason rehabbing. She worked as a television broadcaster and as a sports photographer during an NBA game before returning to action while representing the U.S. during the recent World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico. That gave her a chance to knock off some rust and get back into playing shape.

But things have changed since Clark last appeared in a WNBA game.

There’s a new collective bargaining agreement in place, a deal that helped her All-Star teammates Boston and Mitchell recently sign million-dollar contracts. Longtime rival Angel Reese has been traded to Atlanta, and the league has added two expansion teams as it prepares for its second straight 44-game schedule.

It was about this time last year, Clark said Sunday, she sensed something was off. A few weeks later she missed Indiana’s first preseason game, her first absence in six years, with a left leg injury that marked the start of her injury-plagued season.

The good news for Clark fans: She declared herself 100% and said she had no restrictions entering camp. That could set her up for a comeback year — presuming a slightly different approach helps her stay healthy in 2026.

“I’ve been playing pickup, playing live all the time. Eventually, skill workouts get a little boring, so you just want to play and play and play,” she said. “I’m the person that doesn’t want to miss a rep, I want to be out there every single time. Like I just love competing and none of that has changed. But I think just being a little smarter with my body and understanding what it takes — I think especially through camp days — taking care of my body is probably the most important thing.”

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Bowie 18-year-old arrested in carjacking of Prince George’s Co. court clerk /prince-georges-county/2026/04/bowie-18-year-old-arrested-in-carjacking-of-prince-georges-co-court-clerk/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:05:02 +0000 /?p=29158954 Prince George’s County Police in Maryland have arrested an 18-year-old Bowie man in the carjacking of the county’s court clerk.

Mahasin El Amin, the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, said she was carjacked Thursday after briefly pulling over her Lexus to take a phone call.

Police said the carjacking happened around 12:40 p.m. in the 1900 block of Grand Way Boulevard, off Landover Road, in Bowie.

Investigators said the suspect, Kairee Hicks, showed El Amin a handgun during the carjacking before fleeing in her vehicle. El Amin said the suspect approached her car wearing a face mask and a brown hoodie.

“I just freaked out,” . “It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me in my life. It was so quick, just like that. And all the thoughts … like ‘I’m literally going to die.'”

Police located El Amin’s vehicle Friday in the Lanham area. When officers tried to pull it over, Hicks fled, leading police on a brief pursuit before crashing the car and running away on foot, police said.

Hicks was located and arrested later that day. Police said officers recovered a loaded handgun with an “obliterated serial number” at the time of his arrest.

According to police, Hicks was charged with armed carjacking, carjacking, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, illegal possession of a handgun, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, among additional charges.

Police also said Hicks was charged in connection with an April 10 shooting in which a man was seriously wounded, following a dispute in the 7100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Highway.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers or through the P3 Tips mobile app, or by calling 1‑866‑411‑TIPS (8477). Tipsters can remain anonymous. Please refer to case number 26‑0020084.

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DC’s newest medical cannabis dispensary opens ahead of 4/20 /dc/2026/04/dcs-newest-medical-cannabis-dispensary-opens-ahead-of-4-20/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:26:31 +0000 /?p=29158841 The District’s newest medical cannabis dispensary opened in Ivy City over the weekend, adding another licensed provider to D.C.’s medical marijuana market ahead of the April 20 holiday.

held its grand opening Saturday in the 1100 block of Okie Street in Northeast, off New York Avenue.

Food trucks were parked outside the large 21,000-square-foot black industrial-looking building, which features a mural of a woman smoking.

General Manager Louie Mrad, who seemed to know most of the customers lined up outside, shook their hands and slapped their backs as he welcomed them to the grand opening.

The facility includes a medical treatment lounge and an on-site, seed-to-sale cultivation operation. Mrad told 鶹 the space was designed to bring multiple aspects of medical cannabis production and use under one roof.

“We’re going to make this a very special place for everybody to come here. A destination,” Mrad told 鶹.

If D.C. legalizes cannabis, Mrad said he believes Higher Ground will become what he called an “international destination.”

As Mrad gave 鶹 a tour, he pointed out high-end glassware in the private members area, that is worth between $80 and $100,000. “These are all art pieces of some of the finest glass blowing people in the country. And some of them are the very first ones that they’ve done,” Mrad said.

From the medicinal consumption lounge to the private members area, it has a look that could be compared to a fancy wine or cigar bar.

“This is an all-in-one place where you get to come in here and experience the plant,” Mrad said. “We have a window behind our bar, and that’s our flower room, where we have our highest genetics, where you get to experience the plant when the lights are on.”

Mrad said he immigrated to the United States from Lebanon at the age of 13 grew up in the D.C. area. He credited his business partners with helping bring Higher Ground together.

“Just trying to bring positivity to this community, that’s it, man,” Mrad said.

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Trump says US negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday for talks with Iran /news/2026/04/trump-says-us-negotiators-will-be-in-pakistan-on-monday-for-talks-with-iran/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:26:14 +0000 /?p=29158930&preview=true&preview_id=29158930 WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump says US negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday for talks with Iran.

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3‑year‑old girl dies after reported drowning in Potomac /local/2026/04/3%e2%80%91year%e2%80%91old-girl-dies-after-reported-drowning-in-potomac-maryland/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:07:25 +0000 /?p=29158862 Montgomery County police are investigating the death of a 3‑year‑old girl after a reported drowning Saturday in Potomac, Maryland.

Police officers and fire and rescue crews responded to the 10900 block of Burbank Drive, off Falls Road, after receiving a report of a possible child drowning around 5:30 p.m.

A 3‑year‑old girl was transported from the scene in critical condition to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

The girl’s body will be taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and no foul play is suspected.

A map of the area is below.

Map of the area
CLICK MAP TO ENLARGE. (Courtesy Google Maps)

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Woman dead after being struck in DC crosswalk, driver flees /dc/2026/04/woman-dead-after-being-struck-in-dc-crosswalk-driver-flees/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:23:06 +0000 /?p=29157450 A driver struck a pedestrian in Northwest D.C. before fleeing the scene Saturday morning, police said.

Around 11:10 a.m., D.C. police and fire personnel responded to reports of a woman suffering critical injuries after she was struck by a white Jeep in a crosswalk at the intersection of 23rd and L streets.

Police said that the woman was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The driver did not stop, police said. A search is underway for the driver and the Jeep with Maryland license plated.

Anyone with information is asked to contact D.C. police at 202-727-9099 or via text at 50411.

A map of the area is below.

CLICK MAP TO ENLARGE. (Courtesy Google Maps)

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