“We wanted to notify the community to be on the lookout for these devices,” Lt. Joseph Bellino, of the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Section, said. 

Police said criminals are targeting convenience and discount store shoppers. They found the latest device on Wednesday morning.

“[It’s] scary. I guess you can’t shop anywhere now safe,” shopper George Campbell said. 

Employees at a 7-Eleven on Greenbelt Road and 58th Avenue said they found a skimmer in early April. According to authorities, that was just the beginning of what they call an organized crime operation.

Over the next few weeks, detectives got calls from several other convenience stores across the county, located in the:

• 4500 block of Saint Barnabas Road in Temple Hills
• 3000 block of Forestville Road in Forestville
• 6100 block of Oxon Hill Road in Oxon Hill
• 6800 block of Race Track Road in Unincorporated Bowie
• 6300 block of Central Avenue in Seat Pleasant
• 11000 block of Baltimore Avenue in Beltsville
• 9100 block of Riggs Road in Chillum area

Investigators said the thieves typically target stores in high traffic areas, which is why police want to get the word out. 

“It’s made to look exactly like the actual point of sale machine and fits like a glove on top of it,” Bellino said. “Usually with a swipe of your credit card, it allows the payment to go through so that the business will get paid, but in the process it’s also capturing your private information.”

Police released a photo of one of the skimmers they recovered, but the devices can come in all shapes and sizes, so shoppers should be careful when swiping. 

“If you insert your chip and it doesn’t function and the system forces you to swipe, we believe that that’s an indicator, because the swiping itself is unencrypted because it’s the easiest way for them to capture your data,” Bellino said. 

Prince George’s County police could not confirm if the devices they discovered are connected to the skimmers D.C. police found in several grocery stores last month. 

“What we do know is these are large, organized and transient groups that travel in and out of our region,” Bellino said. 

So when in doubt, tap to pay, and give your bank or credit card company a heads up if you think you’ve become a victim. 

Campbell said he’s not taking any chances.

“How can you trust one of these machines?” he asked. “All of your information is out there and it’s gone… Observe the machine, what you’re going to use before you insert your card.”

Detectives say if you’re out shopping and you find one of those devices, leave it there and let the store know so they can call the police.

1. Records Within Reach Today
2. Fantastic Friday
3. Few Drops Saturday
4. Rain Likely Sunday, Monday

The very warm pattern that we’re in is showing no signs of breaking down any time soon. Sunny skies today will push temperatures to near records once again. The record at Reagan National is 91°. Dulles Airport’s record is 88°. If broken, this would be Dulles Airport’s third record this week!

Increasing clouds and a change in wind directions will keep Friday cooler than today, but near 80° is still more than 5° above average. The coolest days ahead will come over the weekend.

Weather radar:

Download the NBC Washington app on Apple and Android to use the weather radar on your mobile device.

Thick cloud cover and occasional rain showers will keep Saturday afternoon in the mid-60s. Rain totals on Saturday will be less than 0.10″. Sunday will be milder, with highs near 70°, with periods of rain and thunder even more likely than on Saturday. Local amounts of a half inch of rain are expected.

Those rain chances will last into Monday as afternoon highs get back near 80°. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week will feel like summer once again with chances for afternoon thunderstorms each day.

10-day forecast

Quickcast:

TODAY:
Mostly Sunny
Very Warm
Low Humidity
Chance Of Rain: 0%
Wind: West 5-10 mph
HIGHS: 84° – 90°

TONIGHT:
Passing Clouds, Mild
Some Fog, Rural Areas
Chance Of Rain: 0%
Wind: Variable 5 mph
LOWS: 58° – 64°

Science 4 Everyone Apr 28

Maps: Here's a look at DC-area population density

Things to Do DC Apr 30

Don your fanciest hat for these Kentucky Derby events around DC

FRIDAY:
Increasing Clouds
Dry Before Sunset
Late Evening Shower Possible
Wind: Southeast 10-15 mph
Chance Of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 74° – 80°

SATURDAY:
Cloudy, Much Cooler
Occasional Showers, Breezy
Wind: Southeast 12-22 mph
Chance Of Rain: 60%
HIGHS: 60° – 66°

SUNDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Rainy Periods
Scattered Thunderstorms
Wind: Southeast 10-20 mph
Chance Of Rain: 80%
HIGHS: 66° – 72°

Sunrise: 6:09 a.m. Sunset: 8:02 p.m.
Average High: 73° Average Low: 54°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

The congressmembers, including committee Chairman James Comer (Ky.) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), were greeted by chants and boos from the protesters.

The congressmembers have been deeply critical of the way D.C. police and Mayor Muriel Bowser have handled the protest, calling it unlawful and antisemitic. They are calling on D.C. police to remove the demonstrators as the university requested last week.

“We’re hearing from Jewish students that they don’t feel safe,” Comer said. “We’re hearing from administrators that they don’t feel like they area equipped to handle these types of protests.”

“We bless Israel,” Boebert said, raising her voice as protesters chanted. “We bless Israel. Those who bless Israel shall be blessed. We stand with Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East. That is who we stand for.”   

Bowser called the visit “interesting.”

“The members have universities in their own districts, especially the member from North Carolina, and I was watching a lot of activity in North Carolina,” she said. “It would seem that her energy would be best placed there.”

There are still hundreds of protesters at University Yard and on H Street, and they say they have no plans to leave until their demands are met. They are asking the university to commit to protecting students who speak out in support of Gaza and also to divest financial support from Israel.

Bowser’s office issued a statement Tuesday.

GW encampment

Israel-Hamas War Apr 25

‘No peace on stolen lands': Pro-Palestinian students still at GW encampment after deadline to move

George Washington University (GW, GWU) Apr 30

GOP lawmakers say DC should shut down George Washington U. protest as students continue

“We support peaceful protests, and I rely on the Metropolitan Police Department and their experience and expertise to decide what types of interventions are necessary,” the letter said in part. “[…] We will not tolerate violence of any kind; we will monitor and ensure access to streets, parks, and safe and sanitary conditions; and we will continue to be supportive of universities or other private entities who need help.”

The House Oversight Committee scheduled a hearing for next Wednesday on the matter, with Bowser and Police Chief Pamela Smith invited to testify. Bowser’s office didn’t say whether she will attend, but they will have some type of response.

D.C. police declined to comment on the House Republicans’ remarks. George Washington University has yet to respond to News4’s request for comment.

A large crowd of students, alumni and neighbors gathered on campus steps outside the barricaded area of tents, sitting as they listened and applauded various speakers and joined in pro-Palestinian chants. Overheard television cameras showed students in the barricaded area passing out goggles and helmets, as well as setting up medical aid stations. A small group of students holding signs and wearing T-shirts in support of Israel and Jewish people gathered nearby.

The law enforcement presence and continued warnings stood in contrast to the scene that unfolded the night before, when counter-demonstrators attacked the pro-Palestinian encampment, throwing traffic cones, releasing pepper spray and tearing down barriers. Fighting continued for several hours before police stepped in, and no one was arrested. At least 15 protesters suffered injuries, and the tepid response by authorities drew criticism from political leaders as well as Muslim students and advocacy groups.

Ray Wiliani, who lives nearby, said he came to UCLA on Wednesday evening to support the pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Israel-Hamas War May 1

A look at the protests of the war in Gaza that have emerged at US colleges

Israel-Hamas War Apr 30

Around 100 arrested after Columbia University calls in police to end pro-Palestinian occupation

“We need to take a stand for it,” he said. “Enough is enough.”

Elsewhere, at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, activists clashed with police officers who destroyed their tents early Wednesday, and police dismantled an encampment at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire just hours after pro-Palestinian demonstrators put up a handful of tents. Officers arrested multiple people, including at least one professor, according to local media reports.

The chaotic scenes unfolded early Wednesday after police burst into a building occupied by anti-war protesters at Columbia University on Tuesday night, breaking up a demonstration that had paralyzed the New York school.

An Associated Press tally counted at least 38 times since April 18 where arrests were made at campus protests across the U.S. More than 1,600 people have been arrested at 30 schools.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said in a statement that “a group of instigators” perpetrated the previous night’s attack, but he did not provide details about the crowd or why the administration and school police did not act sooner.

“However one feels about the encampment, this attack on our students, faculty and community members was utterly unacceptable,” he said. “It has shaken our campus to its core.”

Block promised a review of the night’s events after California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Los Angeles mayor denounced the delays.

“The community needs to feel the police are protecting them, not enabling others to harm them,” Rebecca Husaini, chief of staff for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said in a news conference on the Los Angeles campus later Wednesday, where some Muslim students detailed the overnight events.

Speakers disputed the university’s account that 15 people were injured and one hospitalized, saying the number of people taken to the hospital was higher. One student described needing to go to the hospital after being hit in the head by an object wielded by counter-protesters.

Several students who spoke during the news conference said they had to rely on each other, not the police, for support as they were attacked, and that many in the pro-Palestinian encampment remained peaceful and did not engage with counter-protesters. UCLA canceled classes Wednesday.

Tent encampments of protesters calling on universities to stop doing business with Israel or companies they say support the war in Gaza have spread across campuses nationwide in a student movement unlike any other this century. The ensuing police crackdowns echoed actions decades ago against a much larger protest movement protesting the Vietnam War.

In Madison, a scrum broke out early Wednesday after police with shields removed all but one tent and shoved protesters. Four officers were injured, including a state trooper who was hit in the head with a skateboard, authorities said. Four were charged with battering law enforcement.

This is all playing out in an election year in the U.S., raising questions about whether young voters — who are critical for Democrats — will back President Joe Biden's reelection effort, given his staunch support of Israel.

In rare instances, university officials and protest leaders struck agreements to restrict the disruption to campus life and upcoming commencement ceremonies.

At Brown University in Rhode Island, administrators agreed to consider a vote to divest from Israel in October — apparently the first U.S. college to agree to such a demand.

The nationwide campus demonstrations began at Columbia on April 17 to protest Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7. Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Health Ministry there.

Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests antisemitic, while Israel’s critics say it uses those allegations to silence opposition. Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.

Late Tuesday, New York City police officers entered Columbia's campus and cleared an encampment, along with Hamilton Hall, where a stream of officers used a ladder to climb through a second-floor window, and police said protesters inside presented no substantial resistance.

The demonstrators had seized the Ivy League school building about 20 hours earlier, ramping up their presence on the campus from a tent encampment that had been there for nearly two weeks.

They encountered police clearing tents early on, as well as more than 100 arrests and threats of suspension unless they abandoned the encampment Monday. Instead, protesters took over Hamilton Hall early Tuesday.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams blamed “outside agitators” on Wednesday for leading the demonstrations and repeatedly cited the presence of a woman on Columbia’s campus whose husband Adams said had been “convicted for terrorism." The woman, Nahla Al-Arian, wasn’t on Columbia’s campus this week and isn’t among the protesters who were arrested.

Al-Arian, a retired elementary school teacher, told The Associated Press that Adams misstated both her role in the protests and the facts about her husband, Sami Al-Arian, a prominent Palestinian activist. Nahla Al-Arian said she did go to Columbia for one day on April 25 to see the protest encampment there but left after she got tired.

Meanwhile, protest encampments elsewhere were cleared by the police, resulting in arrests, or closed up voluntarily at schools across the U.S., including The City College of New York, Fordham University in New York, Portland State in Oregon, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona and Tulane University in New Orleans.

________

Offenhartz and Frederick reported from New York. Associated Press journalists around the country contributed to this report, including Christopher L. Keller, Lisa Baumann, Cedar Attanasio, Jonathan Mattise, Stefanie Dazio, Jae C. Hong, Colleen Long, Karen Matthews, Sarah Brumfield, Carolyn Thompson, Philip Marcelo, Corey Williams and Felicia Fonseca.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Two Republicans joined with Democrats in the Senate on the 16-14 vote in favor of repealing a Civil War-era ban on abortions that the state’s highest court recently allowed to take effect. The ban on all abortions — which provides no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest, and only allows for procedures done to save a patient’s life — would still be active until the fall.

Hobbs said in a statement that she looks forward to quickly signing the repeal, with a ceremony scheduled for Thursday.

“Arizona women should not have to live in a state where politicians make decisions that should be between a woman and her doctor,” Hobbs said. “While this repeal is essential for protecting women’s lives, it is just the beginning of our fight to protect reproductive healthcare.”

The revival of the 19th century law has put Republicans on the defensive, as it’s one of a handful of battleground states that will decide the next president.

“Across the country, women are living in a state of chaos and cruelty caused by Donald Trump,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement on Wednesday. “While Arizona Democrats have worked to clean up the devastating mess created by Trump and his extremist allies, the state’s existing ban, with no exception for rape or incest, remains in effect.”

If the repeal bill is signed, a 2022 statute banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy would become Arizona’s prevailing abortion law. Still, there would likely be a period when nearly all abortions would be outlawed, because the repeal won’t take effect until 90 days after the end of the legislative session, likely in June or July.

Arizona state Attorney General Kris Mayes called the vote “a win for freedom in our state,” but expressed concern that without an emergency clause, Arizonans would still be subject to the near total-abortion ban for some time.

“Rest assured, my office is exploring every option available to prevent this outrageous 160-year-old law from ever taking effect,” she said.

The near-total ban on abortions predates Arizona’s statehood. In a ruling last month, the Arizona Supreme Court suggested doctors could be prosecuted under the 1864 law, which says that anyone who assists in an abortion can be sentenced to two to five years in prison. Then, last week, the repeal bill narrowly cleared the Arizona House.

Voting on the bill stretched more than an hour on Wednesday, amid impassioned speeches about the motivations behind individual votes.

“This is about the Civil War-era ban that criminalizes doctors and makes virtually all abortions illegal, the ban that the people of Arizona overwhelmingly don’t want,” said Democratic state Sen. Eva Burch. “We’re here to repeal a bad law. I don’t want us honoring laws about women written during a time when women were forbidden from voting because their voices were considered inferior to men.”

Burch made public on the Senate floor in March that she had a non-viable pregnancy and was going to have an abortion. She warned supporters of reproductive rights on Wednesday that they could not yet rest easy, even after the repeal is signed.

“They are going to use every tool in the toolbox to try to do whatever it is they can to interfere with the repeal of this ban,” she said.

There were numerous disruptions from people in Senate gallery Wednesday, as Republican state Sen. Shawnna Bolick explained her vote in favor of repeal, joining with Democrats.

GOP state Sen. Jake Hoffman denounced Republican colleagues for joining with Democratic colleagues, calling it an affront to his party’s principles.

“It is disgusting that this is the state of the Republican Party today,” Hoffman said.

Advocates on both sides of the abortion issue arrived outside the Arizona Senate on Wednesday to emphasize their views. They included people affiliated with Planned Parenthood and faith-based groups opposed to abortion.

A school-age girl kneeled in prayer in front of a table holding a large statute of the Virgin Mary, while a man with a megaphone shouted at passersby to repent.

Outside Phoenix in the satellite town of Gilbert, 26-year-old Anna Kupitz, a middle-school math teacher, expressed disappointment in the Senate vote to overturn a near-total abortion ban.

“It is outrageous that we believe so little in women’s ability to value the life of their child and also value their careers,” she said. “As a country, we believe that human life deserves to be protected.”

Former President Donald Trump, who has warned that the issue could lead to Republican losses, has avoided endorsing a national abortion ban but said he’s proud to have appointed the Supreme Court justices who allowed states to outlaw it.

The law had been blocked since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision guaranteed the constitutional right to an abortion nationwide.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022 though, then-Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, persuaded a state judge that the 1864 ban could again be enforced. Still, the law hasn’t actually been enforced while the case was making its way through the courts. Mayes, who succeeded Brnovich, urged the state’s high court against reviving the law.

Planned Parenthood officials have vowed to continue providing abortions for the short time they are still legal and said they will reinforce networks that help patients travel out of state to places like New Mexico and California to access abortion.

Advocates are collecting signatures for a ballot measure allowing abortions until a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions — to save the parent’s life, or to protect her physical or mental health.

Republican lawmakers, in turn, are considering putting one or more competing abortion proposals on the November ballot.

A leaked planning document outlined the approaches being considered by House Republicans, such as codifying existing abortion regulations, proposing a 14-week ban that would be “disguised as a 15-week law” because it would allow abortions until the beginning of the 15th week, and a measure that would prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before many people know they’re pregnant.

House Republicans have not yet publicly released any such proposed ballot measures.

abortion Apr 24

Arizona state House passes bill to repeal 1864 abortion ban

Arizona Apr 9

Arizona Supreme Court upholds near-total ban on abortions

The following content is created in partnership with the District Wharf Community Association. It does not reflect the work or opinions of the NBC Washington editorial staff. Click here to learn more about The Running of The Chihuahuas at The Wharf.

Now in its 12^th year, the Running of The Chihuahuas will draw locals and tourists alike to the nation’s capital for the beloved spectacle in the name of fun and charity. Held against the picturesque backdrop of The Wharf, with its stunning waterfront views and vibrant atmosphere, the event offers a unique blend of entertainment, activities, competition, and community spirit. So, what can attendees expect at this year’s Running of The Chihuahuas? Can all breeds participate? Here’s a rundown of what’s in store:

Chihuahua Races

As expected, the main attraction of the day will be Chihuahua races. Chihuahuas who wish to participate in the races must register and pay the race entry fee prior to the event, and all race entry fees are donated to Rural Dog Rescue. Only Chihuahuas may participate in the races, but all dogs can take part in the excitement of the day during the free all-breed dog costume contest.

All-Breed Costume Contest

Dogs of all breeds are welcome to don a dazzling getup and participate in the costume contest. Prepare for pooches to strut their stuff in an array of adorable and creative outfits around 3:30pm on the main racetrack. If you’d like to participate, there is no need to sign up in advance, just bring your costumed dog on a leash to the racetrack when the emcee announces it’s time for the costume contest.

Drink Specials for The Humans

Throughout the event, attendees can expect ice cold drinks and beer for purchase at the District Pier Bar. Additionally, an array of neighborhood restaurants have crafted specialty cocktails named after adoptable dogs from Rural Dog Rescue to help raise awareness and find the dogs a home. Don’t worry, there will also be plenty of water bowls on the pier for thirsty pups.

Family-Friendly Activities

The Running of The Chihuahuas isn’t just for four-legged friends—it’s a day of fun for the whole family. In addition to the main event, enjoy a 360-pet photo booth, a DJ, an adoptable pet parade, and a giant inflatable Chihuahua perfect for pictures and posting.

Opportunities to Give Back

By attending the Running of The Chihuahuas, spectators will be supporting Rural Dog Rescue in their mission to save and rehome dogs in need. All race entry fees are donated to the non-profit which is dedicated to saving dogs from high-kill rural shelters. The event will also feature opportunities to adopt and other ways to support.

Whether you’re a Chihuahua owner, a dog enthusiast, or just a group of friends or family looking for a fun activity, visit The Wharf in Washington D.C. on Saturday, May 4^th for The Running of The Chihuahuas, a delightful spectacle for all ages that combines good fun with a good cause. Click Here to learn more.

Ten dogs drowned in the incident Aug. 14 in Northeast D.C.

In February, members of the D.C. Council grilled Heather McGaffin, the head of the District’s 911 system — the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) — about the agency’s response to the District Dog flood. While her agency had months to do so before that hearing, McGaffin did not release an after-action report that day as expected, saying it would instead come from D.C.’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

What she didn’t say is that the draft report was finished by Dec. 18 – months earlier.

D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto released that report Wednesday. The D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency didn’t explain to the News4 I-Team why it hadn’t released the report.

“As part of my oversight role of our emergency response and public safety agencies as Chairwoman of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, I requested, obtained and am reviewing a draft of the after-action report on the tragic District Dogs flooding incident last August,” Pinto told the I-Team. “I firmly believe that increased transparency of the District’s emergency response is critical for improving accuracy, reliability and public trust, which is why I shared the draft after-action report from the executive with the public.”

The 25-page report breaks down the timeline of what happened Aug. 14.

Three 911 calls came in about District Dogs that afternoon.

The first call at 5:06 p.m. came from an employee who wasn’t at work but watching the flooding from a remote camera. That employee and their partner, Corvo Leung, who was also on the call, told the call taker people and animals were trapped with rising water. According to the report, the call taker questioned how to code the incident in the dispatch system. According to the report, the call taker was told by a supervisor to enter it as “water leak.”

Despite the call, no emergency response was dispatched to District Dogs after that first call. That’s because the report said up until that time, a water rescue inside a building had never occurred in the city.

“To hear that classified as a water leak, when we very clearly said that people and dogs’ lives were in danger … It boggles my mind,” Leung told the I-Team. “And it troubles me on a very, very high level.”

OUC got a second 911 call at 5:09 p.m. from another employee off site who also said there were people and animals inside. Only then did OUC dispatch the first rescue team to District Dogs, but the call over the radio to crews on scene was still described as a “water leak.” At that moment, the report says, “the dispatch did not mention people or dogs being trapped.” It was still coded in the dispatch system as “flooding-public assistance.” That’s considered a “low priority,” so the fire commander turned the rescue crew around, which is standard practice.

A third 911 call came in at 5:17 p.m. from a person actually trapped inside. That’s when the computer system was finally updated to “water rescue.” It was 11 minutes after the first call. Five minutes after that, at 5:22 p.m., OUC made it clear for the first time over the radio to firefighters on the scene that people and animals were trapped and in danger.

The report reveals firefighters didn’t get into District Dogs until 5:29 p.m. and didn’t reach the third caller until 5:35 p.m.

Leung still can’t make sense of it.

“I believe that had there been a faster response, a different response, a more accurate response, that the people that I know and care about and love wouldn’t have as severe PTSD, that they would not have flashbacks every time it rains,” they said.

The report says any change in the coding would not have saved the dogs. The dogs were already dead, the report said, but it would have ensured proper resources were dispatched from the initial dispatch.

OUC says all its call takers and dispatchers have been trained since this incident to code future indoor water rescues as an emergency — categorizing them as “rescue or building collapse.”

District Dogs flood

Crime and Courts Nov 25, 2023

DC woman's puppy stolen — months after her previous pet died in the flood at District Dogs

flooding Aug 25, 2023

Neighbor says video of 2020 flood indicates District Dogs tragedy was not ‘unprecedented'

flooding Aug 16, 2023

Owners of drowned dogs question response to DC flooding

The report does not address the lack of problem solving or a work around for OUC when dealing with an emergency it never encountered before.

OUC didn’t respond to the I-Team’s request for comment.

Pinto said she will push for more insight at OUC.

“With the implementation of my Secure DC public safety omnibus legislation that requires sustained public transparency of our 911 and emergency operations, I’ll continue to push for increased transparency to improve the accuracy and reliability of our emergency response and build trust with the public,” she said.

Reported by Ted Oberg, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Steve Jones.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday said it plans to pay $6.5 billion over 25 years to settle nearly all of the thousands of lawsuits in the U.S. claiming its talc-based products caused ovarian cancer, pending approval of the claimants.

Those cases have for decades caused financial and public relations trouble for J&J, which contends that its now-discontinued talc baby powder and other talc products are safe for consumers. About 99% of the talc-related lawsuits filed against J&J and its subsidiaries stem from ovarian cancer. 

The company recorded a charge of about $2.7 billion in the first quarter to raise its reserve for talc claims to about $11 billion.

The deal, pending approval by claimants, would allow J&J to resolve the lawsuits through a third bankruptcy filing of a subsidiary company, LTL Management. Courts have rebuffed J&J’s two previous efforts to resolve the lawsuits through the bankruptcy of that subsidiary, which was created to absorb the company’s talc liabilities.

J&J will begin a three-month voting period for claimants, in hopes of reaching a 75% support threshold needed for a bankruptcy settlement that would end the litigation entirely and prevent future lawsuits. Claimants did not have the opportunity to vote in LTL Management’s previous bankruptcy cases, J&J executives said on a call with investors on Wednesday.

J&J has the “significant support of the overwhelming majority of the claimants” based on conversations with their lawyers or representation, the executives added.

“We firmly believe this plan is in the best interest of claimants and should receive a favorable and immediate confirmation from the bankruptcy court,” said Erik Haas, J&J’s worldwide vice president of litigation, during the call.

He contended the settlement is a far better recovery for claimants than would be likely in a trial.

“As that track record shows, most of bearing claimants have not recovered, nor are they expected to ever recover anything at trial,” Haas said. “At the rate at which use cases have been tried, it would take decades to try the remaining cases meaning most claimants will never see their day in court.”

Still, litigation has resulted in some large verdicts for claimants. That includes a roughly $2 billion award in favor of 22 women who blamed their ovarian cancer on asbestos in J&J’s talc products.

Shares of J&J closed more than 4% higher Wednesday.

J&J said the remaining pending lawsuits relate to a rare cancer called mesothelioma and will be addressed outside of the new settlement plan. The pharmaceutical giant said it has already resolved 95% of mesothelioma lawsuits filed to date.

J&J noted on Wednesday that it has reached “final and comprehensive” settlements to resolve an investigation by a coalition of more than 40 states into claims the company misled patients about the safety of its talc baby powder and other talc-based products.

The company has also reached an agreement in principle to resolve claims brought by suppliers of its talc, which include Imerys Talc America, Cyprus Mines Corporation and their related parties.

One person was taken to a hospital, while the other two were treated at the scene on 13th Street SE, D.C. Fire and EMS said.

Neighbors said the dogs have been a nuisance for months.

One victim of the attack said she was standing in an alley when a dog suddenly pounced. It bit her on the arm and seriously wounded her.

She jumped on top of a man’s car to try to escape, driver Will Vincent said.

“The whole hood was covered in blood,” he said.

“She jumped on one the vehicles that was parked in the alley, and there was a trash man also in the alley,” according to a man who said he witnessed the attack. “He noticed it as well, so he got out of his truck and tried to ward off the dogs with a stick.”

The man said he called 911 and grabbed a bat.

“I just warded the dogs off. I didn’t strike the dogs or anything like that. Nonetheless, I wanted the dog to know, ‘Hey, I’m not playing with you,’” he said.

Witnesses said a police officer who arrived on the scene pulled out his gun but did not shoot.

“I know how vicious a pit bull attack is. It was to the point I was telling this man, ‘Shoot him! Shoot him!’” Vincent said.

D.C. police said one of the dogs was captured and taken away by animal control.

Video shared with News4 by a neighbor shows one of the dogs trying to run away as animal control tried to get it on a leash.

The Humane Rescue Alliance said a dangerous dog investigation was underway.

They said in a statement: “There are no dogs currently running loose in the area. Since the dogs were in possession of the owner when we arrived (and not running at large/a stray), we could not forcefully take the dogs. We cannot forcefully take dogs that were already confined to the owner’s home for dog bite related cases.”

Neighbors describe repeated complaints about dogs

Three people who live on the block told News4 the dogs have been a nuisance for months but despite their complaints, nothing has been done.

One man, who asked not to be identified, said the dogs have been abused. He said he has complained to both the owner and the city.

“I think there is too much bureaucratic red tape to get a dog taken away in D.C. For a dangerous animal, somebody needs to be permanently disfigured or needs sutures. So far that hasn’t happened and there haven’t been enough recordings of abuse for them to be taken away in an abuse case,” he said.

Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s county executive, and Trone, a businessman-turned-congressman, share similar views when it comes to reproductive rights, a repeal of the federal death penalty, a ceasefire in Gaza and a two-state solution.

But there are undeniable differences when it comes to their backgrounds, how they’re funding their candidacies and historic implications for each in a potential win.

If Alsobrooks earns the nomination, she could become the first Black woman senator in Maryland’s history and break up the state’s all-male congressional delegation.

Trone, meanwhile, is a multimillionaire largely self-funding his U.S. Senate run at a time national Democrats are defending 20 seats. The contest has national implications as Democrats hold a narrow majority in the Senate and Republicans are poised to heavily back former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who is expected to win the GOP nod.

Alsobrooks is aware of the magnitude of her candidacy, but in an interview with News4, she said that’s not why she should be elected.

“I know that race and gender play into people’s kind of considerations, but I think they mostly want a person who understands them, a person who will fight for them, a person who has a record of results. And that is what I offer people,” she said.

A prolific donor to Democratic causes, Trone said he offers experience – noting “this is not a job for someone on training wheels” — as well as the ability to win in Republican territory.

His congressional district stretches from Montgomery County to western Maryland. While the population centers of Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and the Baltimore region are important targets, Trone has said he has the “persona” to carry the rest of the state.

“This race is about beating Larry Hogan pretty soon, and I won in a Republican district by 10 points. That’s tough,” he said.

News4 held separate interviews with the candidates after plans to hold a televised debate fell through. Alsobrooks’ campaign agreed to the debate, but Trone’s camp didn’t commit.

Instead, the candidates touted their bona fides to News4 while taking jabs at each other in an increasingly contentious race.

Trone, for example, also has called Alsobrooks a career politician. Before she was county executive, Alsobrooks was a domestic violence prosecutor and then served as state’s attorney for Prince George’s County.

“All she has ever done has been in politics, just working her way up the ladder from one political job to the next, to the next, to the next,” he said.

Before running for Congress, Trone became a multimillionaire through building the Total Wine alcohol empire – a fortune that’s allowed him to largely self-fund his multiple political campaigns.

“I don’t begrudge people who earn money, even if they do so selling liquor,” Alsobrooks said in response to his attack. “But I think that it is wrong to disparage public service.”

She’s accused Trone of trying to “buy” the Senate seat, saying, “To allow the person with the most money to buy an election, that is a very dangerous precedent, and I don’t think Marylanders are going to allow it.”

Money matters

Money has no doubt emerged as a major difference in this closely watched race.

According to the latest election filings, Trone has loaned his campaign nearly $42 million and raised about $640,000 from individual donors.

Alsobrooks, meanwhile, has raised $7.1 million, with nearly $6 million from individual donors — the majority from Maryland.

Trone said his wealth guarantees he’s not accountable to special interests while accusing Alsobrooks, whose donors include people affiliated with real estate and other lobbying groups, of being beholden to corporate donors.

“When I’m not taking money — like my opponent takes money from Exxon — well, I can go after them about tax rates, about our climate change,” he said, adding, “People love that fact that you’re independent.”

When News4 noted Total Wine is a powerful force in the alcohol lobby, Trone – listed on its website as a co-owner — responded, “First of all, nothing that Total Wine does has anything to do with the federal level. Zero. It’s all state level stuff.”

But Alsobrooks has repeatedly made issue of Total Wine’s donations to Republican governors in states that have curtailed reproductive rights.

“I am the only candidate in this race who has never compromised my values where choice is concerned,” she said. “You think about Mr. Trone, who has contributed to the campaigns … of these Republicans across the country who are working diligently right now to ban abortion.” 

In response, Trone said Total Wine is merely protecting its interests in the states where it operates.

“We support red candidates. Some blue candidates … but none of it’s related to women’s rights,” he said.

Trone points out his foundation helped open an abortion clinic in Cumberland, Maryland, last year, when neighboring state West Virginia all but banned the procedure.

“What we really have done has been phenomenally, 100% supportive of a woman’s right to abortion,” he said.

Eyes toward Hogan?

Trone is leading Alsobrooks in many independent polls, though Alsobrooks said her own polling has them in a statistical tie.

But some of those same polls show Hogan with a clear shot at beating them both.

Alsobrooks downplayed the significance of that polling to News4, pointing out the two-term former governor hasn’t run during a presidential election year when more of Maryland’s Democrats are expected to turn out and vote.

“Maryland’s not purple. It’s blue, you know. And we’re going to see that in this next general election,” she said.

Trone, meanwhile, told supporters at a recent event, “I’m the only guy that can beat Larry Hogan, I tell you that right now.”

Alsobrooks has repeatedly pointed out Trone’s companies have donated to Hogan in the past. According to a 2018 article from The Washington Post, several of Trone’s businesses donated funds to the Maryland GOP following Hogan’s gubernatorial win against now-Attorney General Anthony Brown in the 2014 race.

At the time, a spokesman for Total Wine said the funds were intended to help Hogan retire campaign debt.

In a statement, the Hogan campaign told News4 the former governor is “the underdog in this race,” adding, “Nobody will outwork us. They were expecting a coronation, but what they are going to get is the fight of their lives.”

Endorsements

With few policy differences, Alsbrooks and Trone are blasting the airwaves this week to highlight their key endorsements.

In one, Alsobrooks is flanked by U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Gov. Wes Moore and key members of the state’s congressional delegation like Jamie Raskin and Glenn Ivey.

Former Sen. Barbara Mikulski, the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate from Maryland, emerged out of retirement this week to throw her support behind Alsobrooks, too.

Sen. Ben Cardin, who is stepping down after three terms in the Senate, has said he will not endorse a candidate in the Democratic race.

Trone, meanwhile, is highlighting the support he’s gotten from leaders in Alsobrooks’ own county, including Attorney General Brown, State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy, state Sen. Joanne Benson and a few council members.

“The people that know that county the best, ironically, all came to us,” he said.

When News4 noted the majority of elected officials in the county are supporting Alsobrooks, Trone countered, “The people in Prince George’s County that stuck with her are the low-level folks, not the top level folks. That’s called the attorney general … it’s called the state’s attorney … it’s called the senior senator. I think they’re the top level folks.”

Asked for her response to such key endorsements going to Trone, Alsobrooks said, “I have so much support, you know, that it would be really shortsighted of me, I think, to focus on who has not chosen to support me.”

With battle lines drawn, the question is who do voters think has the best shot at winning the general election this fall, especially if facing Hogan at the polls.

“We don’t want them voting just against Larry Hogan. I want to offer them something to vote for,” Alsobrooks said.

Trone, for his part, summarized the historic implications of the Democratic contest.

“This race really hinges on who could beat Larry Hogan or we lose the U.S. Senate,” he said.

Reported by Tracee Wilkins, produced by Katie Leslie, and shot and edited by Steve Jones and Jeff Piper.

Rob Scheer was raised in foster care, going from place to place with his stuff in a trash bag.

“It happened to me again in 1984 when I aged out and became homeless in Northern Virginia, and it happened to all of my children — and I have five — when they arrived to our home, all of them carrying trash bags,” he said.

He succeeded despite his circumstances, raised five foster kids with the help of his husband and founded Comfort Cases, which provides backpacks full of items to be given to kids entering the foster care system.

Scheer also worked to get the trash bag ban passed. It requires new luggage for children when the enter, exit or move between homes in foster care.

Comfort Cases provides the bags to kids to make sure they have something to call their own.

At a packing party in Bethesda Wednesday, dozens of volunteers placed personal care items, pajamas, a blanket, a stuffie and other items into backpacks.

“I came through the system, as well, and I teach my children all the time, do not be ashamed of where you come from,” Scheer said. “Just make sure that we don’t blame the system, we help change the system, and that’s why we’re here today.”

Volunteer Sandra Anez Powell is from Venezuela where she helped at-risk kids living on the street.

“Here in the United States we’re very fortunate,” she said. “In places like Venezuela and Latin America, having organizations that will donate this kind of thing is not common at all.”

Comfort Cases has packed and given out more than 250,000 bags.

American Eagle flight 4168, operated by Envoy, was leaving Reagan on the way to Key West when the crew reported a bird strike, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. The plane diverted to Baltimore Washington International Airport as a precaution, according to American Airlines, and landed safely there about 2 p.m.

The aircraft, an Embraer 175, had 69 passengers and four crew members aboard. No injuries were reported.

“The aircraft landed without incident and taxied to the gate under its own power, where it will be inspected by our maintenance team,” a statement from the airline said in part.

The FAA said it’s investigating the incident.

The airline said it was working to get travelers back on their way as soon as possible.

The ship, which lost power and crashed into one of the bridge’s supporting columns, has been stationary amid the wreckage since the March 26 collapse. Officials expect to have it removed by May 10, according to a news release Tuesday from the Port of Baltimore.

Six members of a roadwork crew plunged to their deaths in the disaster. Four bodies have been recovered while two remain missing.

Crews have identified “areas of interest” where they believe the bodies could be, but they’ve been unable to access them so far, Maryland State Police Superintendent Roland Butler said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

“We’re working in generalizations of areas where we think they should be, based on sonar images and other mapping techniques,” he said.

Officials declined to provide a projected timeline for how long the cleanup will continue and when the victims’ families can expect to be made whole. So far, 3,300 tons of debris have been removed from the Patapsco River.

“What we know is that we’re putting forth every single asset that we have at our disposal to bring closure to these families,” Gov. Wes Moore said during the news conference.

Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse Apr 25

New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore

Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse Apr 24

After Baltimore collapse, Maryland leaders to consider better protections for Bay Bridge

Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse Apr 22

Baltimore leaders accuse ship's owner and manager of negligence in Key Bridge collapse

Last week, officials opened a temporary deep-draft channel that allowed some stranded cargo ships to finally leave the Port of Baltimore. Others entered the port through the channel, which closed Monday so crews could focus on extracting the Dali from the wreckage.

A large span of the steel bridge came crashing down on the Dali’s bow, damaging the ship and destroying some of its containers. Removing those pieces of bridge is the next major priority in the cleanup process, officials said.

“That work is remarkably complicated,” Moore said, because cutting the spans into shorter sections could risk destabilizing other pieces of wreckage.

Crews are using the largest hydraulic grabber in the country to help in that effort, he said.

Once the Dali returns to port, officials said they expect to open a 45-foot channel by May 10 that can accommodate more large cargo ships. They plan to fully restore the port’s 50-foot main channel by the end of May.

Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize fully reopening the port in hopes of easing the economic ripple effects of the collapse. Officials have also established various assistance programs for unemployed workers and others impacted by the closure.

Law enforcement had become accustomed to MS-13 killings involving rival gang members, or ones in which MS-13 members themselves became victims when suspicions arose that they were cooperating with police. What was new, prosecutors say, was that victims were chosen at random, with no connection to MS-13 or any other gang.

On Tuesday, gang leader Melvin Canales Saldana, whose orders set off the killings, was sentenced to life in prison, as was another gang member convicted of carrying out one of them. A third member was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder but was acquitted of carrying out the killing himself.

Prosecutors say Canales was the second-ranking member in the Sitios clique, or subunit, of MS-13, which had a strong presence in Northern Virginia. In spring 2019, Canales ordered midlevel members to carry out their duties to kill rival gang members more aggressively, prosecutors said; up until that time, members of the clique had largely contented themselves with running cocaine between New York and Virginia.

MS-13 members responded by patrolling in Virginia and Maryland, looking for rival gang members. But they came up empty, according to prosecutors. When that happened, they instead targeted random civilians so they could increase their status within the gang.

Maryland Oct 18, 2023

Four charged in killing of 18-year-old woman buried in shallow grave in Olney

Pets Apr 30

‘Preventable': Arlington dog owner says prescription mix-up killed pet

Diversity & Equality Apr 24

‘Not just a job': Neurodiverse find careers in AI tech at Northern Virginia company

“At first blush the murders committed in the wake of the defendant’s order seem to be the stuff of urban legend,” prosecutors John Blanchard and Matthew Hoff wrote in court papers. “Gang members forming hunting parties and killing whoever was unfortunate to cross their path was an alien concept.”

In August 2019, gang members targeted Eric Tate as he traveled to an apartment complex to meet a woman. He bled out in the street. The next month, Antonio Smith was coming home from a convenience store when he was shot six times and killed. Court papers indicate Smith asked his killers why they were shooting him.

At a separate trial, three other MS-13 members, including the gang’s U.S. leader, Marvin Menjivar Gutiérrez, were convicted for their roles in the double slayings of Milton Bertram Lopez and Jairo Geremeas Mayorga. Their bodies were found in a wooded area of Virginia’s Prince William County in June 2019. The defendants from that trial have not yet been sentenced.

Canales’ attorney, Lana Manitta, said she will appeal her client’s conviction. She said that the targeting of innocent civilians was against her client’s wishes, and that his underlings tried to portray the shooting victims as legitimate gang rivals to him so that they would earn their promotions within the gang.

“Mr. Canales repeatedly warned clique members to ‘do things right,’” Manitta said in court papers.

Prosecutors say that Canales joined the gang at age 14 or 15 while he was living in El Salvador and that he came to the the U.S. illegally in 2016 to evade arrest warrants in that country.

MS-13 got its start as a neighborhood street gang in Los Angeles but grew into a transnational gang based in El Salvador. It has members in Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, and thousands of members across the United States with numerous cliques, according to federal authorities.

Local emergency services providers said they are receiving accidental 911 alerts from people’s smart devices. In some cases, it’s been prompted by something as simple as dropping an Apple Watch onto a hard floor. 

“So, the smart devices that are out there nowadays where if you fall, it does benefit that it’s able to call 911. However, it could also pick up, let’s say if you’re riding a bike and you hit a pothole and nothing, you know, you’re still continuing on your way, it could trigger 911,” Olney said. 

In addition to the smart devices, 911 call centers are now getting crash notifications directly from a vehicle’s onboard computer system, through popular internet radio provider Sirius XM. 

The partnership between Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services and a company called RapidSOS allows any connected vehicle to automatically share information with first responders.

“It’s called in by Sirius, possible crash notification,” a dispatcher said.

When these false alarms do occur, dispatchers can be heard in call center recordings trying to figure out if it’s a real emergency.

“It’s an Apple crash notification with no response, no vehicle description as well.”

“Could be one of the iPhone automatic messages, for a fall message.”

“We received an automated message, through the patient’s iPhone, about a fall.”

If you realize you accidentally called 911, never do this one thing:

“Definitely, if it triggers 911, please stay on the phone. Do not hang up because we are obligated to call back. So please do not hang up,” Olney said.

Instead, 911.gov advises callers to explain to the dispatcher what happened. Otherwise, they may send first responders to your location.

Both iPhone and Android users can adjust or turn off the SOS function in system settings. 

Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police / MPD) Apr 12

‘I want to be a part of that change': Community safety ambassadors will give MPD new approach to policing

Washington DC Dec 5, 2023

Emergency legislation allows retired firefighters, police officers to work for DC's 911 call center

Tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons were reportedly used by riot police against protesters in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi as demonstrations over a so-called foreign agent bill escalated.

Clashes lasted until late into Tuesday night, with police trying to disperse protesters which the Georgian Internal Affairs Ministry said were breaking demonstration laws by blocking entrances and exits to the country’s Parliament. Sixty-three people were arrested, the ministry said.

“Totally unwarranted, unprovoked and out of proportion use of force ongoing in Tbilisi against peaceful protesters,” Georgia’s president, Salome Zourabichvili, said in a post on social media platform X.

The bill would force nongovernmental organizations, campaign groups and media platforms who receive at least 20% of funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents.” They would also be under close scrutiny by Georgia’s Justice Ministry and be made to share sensitive details with authorities, or be faced with large fines.

The ruling Georgia Dream party proposed the bill, and members of Parliament gave their initial sign-off earlier this month. Another vote is expected Wednesday.

Georgia’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, has accused NGOs of trying to launch revolutions and spread propaganda in the country, while Georgia Dream’s founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, on Monday said foreign funding for NGOs was a way to strengthen intelligence agencies, Reuters reported. They contend that the bill would boost transparency.

The bill’s opponents, including Georgia’s President Zourabichvili, say it would obstruct media freedom, and push the country away from the European Union and closer to Russia.

Georgia became an EU candidate country in late 2023, however member countries voted not to begin accession talks while the “foreign agent” bill is under consideration. The U.S. has also been critical, with the State Department saying it was “incredibly troubling” and “akin to the kinds of legislation that we see in the Kremlin.”

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Wednesday said using force to suppress the right to assemble peacefully is “unacceptable.”

“I strongly condemn the violence against protesters in Georgia who were peacefully demonstrating against the law on foreign influence. Georgia is an EU candidate country, I call on its authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly. Use of force to suppress it is unacceptable,” he said in a post on X.

It’s a common sight across the District. Mopeds zip down the street, usually with some sort of compartment for storing food in tow.

“We’re seeing them being driven on sidewalks. We’re seeing them driven in ways that don’t fit neatly into a box,” D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen said. 

And if it feels like you’re seeing more, that’s because you are. 

Local leaders estimate there are thousands of the unregistered vehicles on D.C. roads, and they say it’s time to do something.  

“Not too different from when you buy a car, right? When you go to the dealer you buy the car and guess what? They give you the temporary tag right there that’s registered to that vehicle,” Allen, who is also chair of the transportation committee, said. 

Now, he and Councilmember Brianne Nadeau have introduced a bill that would hold the owners accountable.

Under the proposed Moped Registration Accountability Amendment Act, companies that rent the vehicles would have to register their fleet, which requires insurance.  

“We’re not talking about e-bikes. We’re not talking about motorcycles. It’s the somewhere in-between, which usually has an engine capacity of up to about 50ccs, so they can scoot around pretty fast,” Allen said.

The public safety push also comes after four teenagers were arrested for a series of moped thefts this week. In two of the cases, the riders were robbed at gunpoint while waiting at intersections, the Metropolitan Police Department said. 

“Fortunately MPD did a great job. They made an arrest in that case, but when we see that happen it’s also a lot harder to be able to hold accountable what just happened if it’s an unregistered vehicle,” Allen said. 

Allen said they aren’t trying to stop anyone’s side hustle either. Since many riders rent these vehicles to make deliveries, they want to make sure the owners are held responsible.  

“Listen, I want my meal when I order it to get there fast just like everybody else, but I want people to drive safely, and I think we have to have our laws catch up,” Allen said. 

This is just the beginning of a months-long process. Now that the bill has been introduced, it will have to go through committees and hearings before the D.C. Council can vote.

The resolution goes into effect immediately and fills the gap as similar but separate legislation goes through the legislative process.

That bill is expected go to a public hearing and vote in May. It is being fast-tracked after hundreds of unsupervised kids — some as young as 8 — were involved in fights at National Harbor April 20.

County Executive Angela Alsobrooks issued an executive order specifically for National Harbor that went into effect last weekend.

“Our county executive put an executive order in place specific to National Harbor, but we want to allow other commercial property owners in the county to apply for a curfew zone if they feel it’s needed,” Council Chair Jolene Ivery said. “Our biggest priority is making sure we’re in partnership with the business community, law enforcement, and the residents of our county who have all been strong supporters of these measures.”

The curfews would begin at 5 p.m. and continue until 5 a.m.

Police found North Carolina Central University student Myles Gresham shot to death in his car several miles away from campus at an apartment complex near where he lived in Durham Thursday.

The 22-year-old was driving when he was struck by gunfire about 3:30 p.m., police said. His car crashed into two others in the apartment complex parking lot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police call it an isolated incident. They have not made an arrest.

Gresham’s mother described him as very smart and humble, often flying under the radar.

NCCU’s chancellor issued a statement saying Gresham, a business administration mayor, was a dedicated student with entrepreneurial aspirations.

“He diligently selected his courses each semester, aiming for a path toward future success,” the statement reads. “Actively involved in campus life, Myles served as treasurer of the Metro Eagles Club. His friendly nature and enthusiasm for the Wordle game will always bring forth smiles from those who had the pleasure of knowing him.”

Gresham planned to start an internship in real estate this summer in Seattle.

His mother said the family will accept his diploma at graduation Saturday.

Kate Laporta was one of eight cousins in Zubrick’s family that were closest to him in age. But earlier this month, she was shot and killed — with Laporta’s boyfriend charged in her killing.

“We were just very close growing up,” Zubrick told News4. “We got to visit every Sunday, but we always wanted more than that.”

Zubrick and the rest of their close knit family were stunned on the morning of April 18, when they learned Laporta, a resident of Fairfax County, had been shot. Her boyfriend, Huy Nguyen, has been charged with second degree murder.

Police say he brought a mortally wounded Laporta to Mt. Vernon Hospital, at first claiming that she had been shot in the parking lot. But the 38-year-old was actually shot in a vehicle and then driven to the parking lot, police say. The gun was recovered later.

Zubrick says hearing how his cousin died has added to his sorrow.

“I cannot stop thinking about how much terror her last moments must have been filled with,” Zubrick said.

But he says gathering with family to share stories about his cousin has helped.

Laporta had her first child at a young age. But in the last seven or eight years, Zubrick says, she had really taken control of her life, wanting to provide for her kids.

That’s why she dedicated herself to her job at a local Safeway, where she started as a bagger. She later became a checkout clerk, and was often asked to work as a supervisor.

Her hope was to get her two kids to college.

Fairfax County Apr 18

Boyfriend charged with murder of woman taken to Fairfax County hospital with gunshot wound

Fairfax County Apr 18

Woman dropped off at hospital in Fairfax County dies after shooting

Fairfax County Apr 18

Woman fatally shot, brought to Mt. Vernon Hospital

“Higher education was something that was always really important to our grandparents, that they enforced on their kids and imparted on us,” Zubrick said. “So Kate talked a lot about it over the years.”

Now, to honor her memory, the cousins have launched an online fundraiser. They say the money collected will go into 529 savings plans for Laporta’s children.

Their efforts serve a twofold purpose — helping them process their grief, while working to fulfill Kate Laporta’s greatest wish.

They were expecting to see D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

“There is a big world out there waiting for you to be a leader in it,” she told them.

But they did not expect Obama.

“We need your vision,” she told them. “We need your energy, we need your ideas, we need your perspectives to help us to continue to build a more just and equal nation and world, at this point.”

Obama started College Signing Day 10 years ago to shine a light on the importance of academic success and a college education.

Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, who chairs the DC College Access Program that provides college scholarships, opened up the arena for the event and began by thanking teachers and parents.

“Stand up,” he said. “Let them know how much you appreciate their work.”

One of the seniors in the crowd, Khaliq Keeta, said he plans to be the first in his family to earn a college diploma.

“A lot of people might not say this, but I’m most excited to finish college, you know,” he said. “I just want to — not get everything done with — but start my life, basically.”

Another college-bound senior at the event, Lynni Thomas, who has been on her own her entire senior year due to family issues, is also the battalion commander of her ROTC.

“I don’t want to be a victim of my past or my circumstances,” she said. “I want to be better than I see everybody else around me, so that kind of pushed me towards moving forward and getting my grades up, because I don’t want to stay in D.C. forever.”

While Keeta was awarded an academic scholarship, Thomas is still trying to figure out how she’ll pay for her education.

Jack Milton was a decorated pilot with a 31-year military career, serving in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. But he never got to don the cap and gown and get his diploma in 1968 because he was in Vietnam.

Fifty-five years later, the University of Maryland Global Campus fixed that, giving one of its most distinguished alums the ceremony he always wanted.

“I’ve thought about it many times that I was unable to attend my ceremony after all that hard work,” Milton said. “And this more than makes up for it.”

He thought the school was hosting a luncheon to celebrate his 100th birthday, a milestone he reached in August.

“I feel like this is a finale of a long journey in education,” Milton said. “And again, I keep using the word appreciative, but I can’t think of any other word.”

Making it even more special, Milton was surrounded by those who matter most. Milton’s nephews and nieces attended, as did Nora Nabala and her family.

Nabala has been Milton’s family caregiver for more than two decades, originally helping take care of his late wife, Samantha.

“Jack has been there for me, has been there in every way,” she said. “I mean, every way. He’s a father to me.”

“I’ve had many ceremonies throughout my life, fortunately, to celebrate many occasions, but this has to be the top,” Milton said.

Milton said there’s no secret to making it to 100 years old. He said he’s always been focused on helping others, which has served him well in life.

NBC’s live coverage of the Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, but you can watch live Derby Day coverage on USA Network and Peacock from 12-2:20 p.m. ET. You can also stream Derby Day coverage on Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Get the full viewing guide here.

However, if you want an excuse to dress to the nines, break out an ostentatious hat, and sip some bourbon here in the District, here are some parties, rooftop events and more you can check out.

Where to Watch the Kentucky Derby in DC

Derby de Mayo
Sat., 12-3 p.m., 901 U Street NW, D.C.
Details

D.C. landmark bar Whitlow’s is hosting a 2-in-1 celebration for what just might be this year’s biggest drinking holiday. The bar is hosting a bottomless brunch from noon to three, featuring Dragon Fruit margaritas, Jalapeno and Cucumber margaritas, and tequila Jell-O shots.

There will be a prize for the best Derby hat or sombrero, so no matter what direction you choose, commit to the ‘fit!

Run for the Rosés
Sat., 3-7 p.m., 1940 11th Street NW, D.C.
Details

If you’re still riding the high of last summer’s Barbie-pink shenanigans, Lulu’s Winegarden has the perfect Derby party for you. Their annual “Run for the Rosés” comes with eight different rosé bottle options for just $40, rosé magnums and frozen mint juleps to enjoy during the indoor-and-outdoor viewing party.

There are also, of course, bourbon specials. The party itself is free, but you’ll have to pay for food and drinks.

Kentucky Derby party
Sat., 3 p.m., 2007 18th St. NW, D.C.
Details

This is the 12th annual Kentucky Derby event hosted by Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Adams Morgan. If you couldn’t tell from how long the event has been running, it’s a popular one — and unfortunately, the reserved indoor seating is already sold out.

But never fear! The first-come, first-served rooftop terrace party is open to anyone, and that’s free. The bar opens early at 3 p.m. to serve mint juleps with whiskey from what WTOP calls one of the best lists on the East Coast. Sip away and watch the races on their many TVs.

Derby Day at Wren
Sat., 4-7 p.m., 1825 Capital One Dr., Tysons, VA
Details

Wren, a Japanese-American fusion restaurant on the 11th floor of the Watermark Hotel in Tyson’s Corner, is hosting its very own Derby Day watch party on May 4.

The ticketed party will feature live music, specialty cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and of course the race itself. There will be prizes for the best hat and the best dressed.

Kentucky Derby Experience
Sat., 3-8 p.m., Maryland 5 in Waldorf, MD
Details

The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill is an equestrian event space — so it’s no wonder they’re ready to party in honor of the Kentucky Derby. They promise an event filled with “excitement, elegance, and of course, horse racing,” for everyone from the most season horse racing fan to those just looking for a fun day out.

150th Kentucky Derby Party
Sat., 12:30-6:30 p.m., Laurel Racetrack, MD
Details

This ticketed event hosted by the Maryland Jockey Club features a “mouthwatering buffet spread,” and a photo booth to capture your fancy outfits and hats.

The organization is sure to give the Derby gravitas, since they’re the same organizers that sell tickets to the second race in the Triple Crown: The Preakness Stakes.

KENTUCKY DERBY Apr 29

Everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby

KENTUCKY DERBY Apr 30

How much does the Kentucky Derby winner earn? Here's a prize money breakdown

Other Derby-adjacent events

Happy to celebrate without the horses as long as you’ve got a mint julep in hand? Interested in Derby vibes but not necessarily attached to the one in Kentucky? We’ve got you covered.

Virginia Gold Cup & Jack Russell Terrier races
Sat., 10 a.m., 5089 Old Tavern Rd., The Plains, VA
Details

The Virginia Gold Cup, which organizers call “Virginia’s answer to the Kentucky Derby,” has been running for more than 100 years. It comes with a tailgate contest and a horse race of its own.

A fan-favorite part of the ticketed event are the Jack Russell Terrier races, where dogs jump over obstacles to be the first to reach a lure at the end of the course.

Derby Day Pig Roast
Sat., 2-6 p.m., 917 V St. NW, D.C.
Details

If you want a taste of the south, American Ice Company is hosting their annual Kentucky Derby Cookout, complete with roast pork, macaroni salad, baked beans and cornbread. There are two all-you-can-eat tiers — one that includes all-you-can-drink beers, one with just the food — and extra juleps and alcoholic lemonade for purchase.

There will also be live music on the patio, and dogs are encouraged.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Education Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) called the protests “radical, unlawful and antisemitic” in a letter Tuesday. They threatened to use the “legislative powers” of Congress to intervene.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office issued a statement in response.

“We support peaceful protests, and I rely on the Metropolitan Police Department and their experience and expertise to decide what types of interventions are necessary,” the letter said in part. “[…] We will not tolerate violence of any kind; we will monitor and ensure access to streets, parks, and safe and sanitary conditions; and we will continue to be supportive of universities or other private entities who need help.”

Protests at the university reached their sixth day on Tuesday, with some students saying they’re in it for the long haul. Police were stationed nearby and had not moved to dismantle an encampment.

“We are prepared to negotiate, and President Ellen Granberg has not even granted us a meeting,” sophomore Reem Ladabdi said.

She said she and fellow students want GW to commit to protecting students who speak out in support of Gaza. They also asked the school to divest from Israel.

A group of mothers from Bethesda visited the campus on Tuesday to show support for Jewish students.

“While we respect the rights of free speech and other people to have their opinions, it is important that all students feel safe and feel supported,” Robin Galkin said.

The protesters at GW were joined by students and professors from all over the D.C. area.

Israel-Hamas War Apr 30

13 arrested after police, protesters clash at Virginia Commonwealth University over Israel-Hamas war demonstration

Israel-Hamas War Apr 29

Photos: Pro-Palestinian demonstrations on US college campuses

Israel-Hamas War Apr 29

Israel-Hamas war protest at George Washington University grows to 200; university barriers dismantled

Professor Nader Hashemi, director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, said the demonstrations reminded him of his own activism against apartheid, decades earlier.

He said he doesn’t expect the protests to create immediate change, similarly to how it took years for opinions to shift against the Vietnam War.

“I view this in the context of the broad evolution of history, where this is the beginning point of demands that hopefully will create some momentum,” he said.

GW declined to comment on students’ demands or their request for a meeting.

“It’s a preventable mistake, and nobody should go through the suffering I experienced,” she said.

Daisy was Mircheva’s service dog, Mircheva said. Daisy was so important to her that when the pet developed a heart condition and needed a surgery that could only be performed at a few sites worldwide, Mircheva dipped into her savings, sold her car and flew the dog to London.

“She came back with completely healthy heart and very happy,” Mircheva said.

But that happiness would be short-lived. Six months after the surgery, a check-up detected a heart arrythmia. Mircheva said her vet wrote a prescription and sent it directly to her local CVS to be filled.

After the first dose, Daisy started experiencing labored breathing, lethargy and extreme thirst.

Mircheva said she was advised to take Daisy to an emergency vet clinic. Within days, she would be dead.

Pets Mar 20

French bulldogs remain the most popular dog breed in the US

South Dakota Apr 27

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem admits to killing her dog in new book: ‘I hated that dog'

Mircheva said the possible cause for Daisy’s decline was discovered when she sent her vet a photo of the dog’s prescription bottle. She provided an image of a prescription for amiodarone, which is used to treat heart arrhythmia.

A second image Mircheva provided shows a prescription bottle for amlodipine, a blood pressure medication.

Both drugs can be prescribed for dogs and humans, but for different maladies. The names are similar but they’re not the same.

“I never expected that. I fully trusted the pharmacist to give what had been prescribed,” Mircheva said.

She said she notified CVS, they told her to file a claim and she’s waiting for the next steps.

Mircheva said she hopes her story can serve as a reminder to be extra vigilant with medications for both pets and people.

VCU said that the protesters were trespassing and refused orders to leave. Gov. Glenn Youngkin vowed to support law enforcement and university leadership to ensure campuses were safe as protests over the Israel-Hamas war rage at colleges nationwide.

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Cabell Library to call for a cease-fire and demand the university divest itself from financial ties to Israel, according to WWBT. The encampment included tents and large signs with statements including “free Palestine,” “cease-fire now” and a list of demands, photos show.

VCU said the demonstrators violated several policies, including by erecting tents and structures, and disrupted campus on the week of final exams, according to a statement.

“VCU respectfully and repeatedly provided opportunities for those individuals involved – many of whom were not students — to collect their belongings and leave. Those who did not leave were subject to arrest for trespassing,” the statement said.

Police gave four mass warnings to the crowd, and Richmond police declared the protest an unlawful assembly, a VCU spokesperson said in a statement.

Video shows a line of demonstrators holding wooden pallets outside the library, facing a string of officers in helmets holding shields reading police. Police marched in unison toward the protesters, followed by a clash in which police and protesters pushed each other, video shows.

“Individuals who chose not to leave threw objects and used chemical spray on officers. Officers used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. VCU Police report that officers did not use other chemical agents, such as tear gas,” the VCU spokesperson said.

People ran away coughing after police used pepper spray, according to WWBT.

Israel-Hamas War Apr 28

12 arrested at University of Mary Washington during pro-Palestinian protest

Israel-Hamas War Apr 29

Israel-Hamas war protest at George Washington University grows to 200; university barriers dismantled

Thirteen people were arrested and charged with unlawful assembly and trespassing, according to VCU. The six students who were arrested “will proceed normally through the university’s student conduct process.”

Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears said late Monday that students and non-students were arrested, campus maintenance was dismantling tents and crowds were being dispersed.

Sears, in social media posts, went on to say that students and Richmond residents want answers.

“Once the dust settles, I think we will see this was not entirely a peaceful protest,” she said.

University and college officials across the country have been facing off with protesters calling for an end to Israel’s war in Gaza, and tensions are rising on many campuses.

Dozens of protesters at Columbia University took over Hamilton Hall early Tuesday, barricading the entrances and unfurling a Palestinian flag out of a window.

More than 80 people were arrested at Virginia Tech between Sunday and Monday as police tried to clear an encampment.

Virginia’s governor wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that his administration will “fully support campus, local and state law enforcement and university leadership to keep our campuses safe.”

He accused students and demonstrators who aren’t students of throwing things at law enforcement, disrupting student life and endangering public safety.

At George Washington University in Washington, D.C., protesters took down bike rack-style barriers and refused to leave an encampment. Six days into the demonstration, there are no signs that protesters plan to leave.

“Multiple times, the GWPD and the administration has attempted to sweep our campus and we’ve successfully managed to prevent that from happening because of our community mobilization,” one demonstrator said.

GW has made it clear that they want protesters to leave University Yard, but it’s unclear what will happen if demonstrators continue to refuse to leave.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The scene unfolded shortly after 9 p.m. as police, wearing helmets and carrying zip ties and riot shields, massed at the Ivy League university’s entrance. The demonstrators had occupied Hamilton Hall, an administration building on campus, more than 12 hours earlier, spreading their reach from an encampment elsewhere on the grounds that’s been there for nearly two weeks.

Shortly before officers entered the campus, the New York Police Department received a notice from Columbia authorizing officers to take action, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss details of the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Columbia’s protests earlier this month kicked off demonstrations that now span from California to Massachusetts. As May commencement ceremonies near, administrators face added pressure to clear protesters.

More than 1,000 protesters have been arrested over the last two weeks on campuses in states including Texas, Utah, Virginia, North Carolina, New Mexico, Connecticut, Louisiana, California and New Jersey, some after violent clashes with police in riot gear.

“Walk away from this situation now and continue your advocacy through other means,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams advised the Columbia protesters on Tuesday afternoon. “This must end now.”

The White House earlier Tuesday condemned the standoffs at Columbia and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, where protesters had occupied two buildings until officers with batons intervened overnight and arrested 25 people. Officials estimated the northern California campus’ total damage to be upwards of $1 million.

President Joe Biden believes students occupying an academic building is “absolutely the wrong approach,” and “not an example of peaceful protest,” said National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.

Other colleges have sought to negotiate agreements with the demonstrators in the hopes of having peaceful commencement ceremonies. As cease-fire negotiations appeared to gain steam, it wasn’t clear whether those talks would inspire an easing of protests.

Northwestern University notched a rare win when officials said they reached a compromise with students and faculty who represent the majority of protesters on its campus near Chicago to allow peaceful demonstrations through the end of spring classes.

The nationwide campus protests began at Columbia in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7. Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry.

Israel-Hamas War Apr 30

Ahead of visit to Israel, US's Blinken presses Hamas to accept new proposal for Gaza cease-fire

Israel-Hamas War Apr 29

Israel-Hamas war protesters arrested in Texas, others defy Columbia University demand to leave camp

Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while Israel’s critics say it uses those allegations to silence opposition. Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.

On Columbia’s campus, protesters locked arms early Tuesday and carried furniture and metal barricades to Hamilton Hall, among several buildings that were occupied during a 1968 civil rights and anti-Vietnam War protest. Demonstrators called the building Hind’s Hall, honoring a young girl who was killed in Gaza under Israeli fire.

The takeover came hours after protesters had shrugged off an earlier ultimatum to abandon a tent encampment Monday or be suspended — restricted from all academic and recreational spaces, allowed only to enter their residences, and, for seniors, ineligible to graduate.

Mahmoud Khalil, a lead negotiator before talks with the administration broke down over the weekend, was among the suspended students. His suspension letter — which he shared with The Associated Press — said he had refused to leave the encampment after prior warnings, but Khalil said he had abided by the university’s demand to vacate the encampment on the campus lawn by the Monday afternoon deadline.

Columbia spokesperson Ben Chang said in a statement that anyone occupying Hamilton Hall risked being expelled from the university for escalating the protest “to an untenable situation — vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances.”

Occupying protesters have insisted they will remain in Hamilton Hall until the university agrees to three demands — divestment, financial transparency and amnesty.

Columbia spokesperson Ben Chang said in a statement that anyone occupying Hamilton Hall risked being expelled from the university for escalating the protest “to an untenable situation — vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances.”

Students had defiantly set up tents again after police cleared an encampment at the university on April 18 and arrested more than 100 people. The students had been protesting on the Manhattan campus since the previous day, opposing Israeli military action in Gaza and demanding the school divest from companies they claim are profiting from the conflict.

The Columbia University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors said faculty’s efforts to help defuse the situation have been repeatedly ignored by the university’s administration despite school statutes that require consultation. The group warned of potential conflict between police officers nearby and protesters on campus.

“We hold University leadership responsible for the disastrous lapses of judgment that have gotten us to this point,” the chapter said in a statement late Tuesday. “The University President, her senior staff, and the Board of Trustees will bear responsibility for any injuries that may occur during any police action on our campus.”

Ilana Lewkovitch, a self-described “leftist Zionist” student at Columbia, said it’s been hard to concentrate on school for weeks, amid calls for Zionists to die or leave campus. Her exams have been punctuated with chants of “say it loud, say it clear, we want Zionists out of here” in the background, she said.

Lewkovitch, who identifies as Jewish and studied at Columbia’s Tel Aviv campus, said she wished the current pro-Palestinian protests were more open to people like her who criticize Israel’s war policies but believe there should be an Israeli state.

Adams claimed Tuesday that the Columbia protests have been “co-opted by professional outside agitators.” The mayor didn’t provide specific evidence to back up that contention, which was disputed by protest organizers and participants.

NYPD officials made similar claims about “outside agitators” during the huge, grassroots demonstrations against racial injustice that erupted across the city after the death of George Floyd in 2020. In some instances, top police officials falsely labeled peaceful marches organized by well-known neighborhood activists as the work of violent extremists.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

With the conclusion of the recent draft, all 32 franchises got a fair shot to potentially improve their respective rosters in preparation for the upcoming season.

Teams like the Philadelphia Eagles made a bevy of trades to bolster their depth after falling apart as the 2023 season progressed. However, teams like the Dallas Cowboys didn’t do as much as they should’ve.

So, let’s rank all 32 NFL teams based on how their rosters look entering the 2024 season:

Kansas City Chiefs Apr 29

Chiefs' Travis Kelce agrees to contract extension become NFL's highest-paid tight end, report says

nfl draft Apr 29

Way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft: 5 quarterbacks, 6 EDGE rushers projected to be picked

32. Carolina Panthers: The Panthers added more young offensive talent to complement Bryce Young in WR Xavier Legette, RB Jonathon Brooks and TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, but they’ll still be a few years away from potentially making noise under new head coach Dave Canales. Jadaveon Clowney, Diontae Johnson and Jordan Fuller are intriguing veteran additions, but they don’t move the needle too much just yet.

31. New England Patriots: How the Patriots fare will rely on Drake Maye’s in-season development. Second-round wideout Ja’Lynn Polk could play a crucial role in that, as could fourth-round wideout Javon Baker. New head coach Jerod Mayo has plenty of work to do with all three units.

30. New York Giants: The Giants are sticking with Daniel Jones as their QB1, but at least they drafted Malik Nabers to give him better receiving talent. They didn’t pick any offensive lineman but signed four in free agency, so how that group performs in front of Jones will tell the story.

29. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix is Sean Payton’s new QB1. Maybe Troy Franklin’s drop to the fourth round pans out, but there’s not too much Denver did this offseason that inspires optimism.

28. Tennessee Titans: New head coach Brian Callahan will be responsible for Will Levis’ next steps. Drafting tackle J.C. Latham in the first round could provide Levis a blindside blocker for years if everything pans out, while T’Vondre Sweat could push for a key role on the defensive line. How Tony Pollard takes over for Derrick Henry as RB1 will also determine how well Tennessee does.

27. Las Vegas Raiders: Antonio Pierce is here to stay, but Las Vegas is still lacking a franchise quarterback. First-round pick Brock Bowers will be a key target for either Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell, while the defense will have to carry the burden.

26. New Orleans Saints: Kool-Aid McKinstry was the draft highlight for the Saints in the second round, but having Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler and Nathan Peterman in the same quarterback room doesn’t exactly provide much confidence.

25. Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray will have a full season under his belt with Marvin Harrison Jr. reinforcing the wideout department. Arizona made 12 draft picks in total while tackle Jonah Williams was the big free-agent signing. The Cardinals will have some steps to climb in a tough division, though.

24. Washington Commanders: The Commanders made noise in the offseason by signing a compelling mix of productive veterans and rising talent in their prime that make them a potential sleeper team. How soon No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels adjusts to NFL life, if at all, will be pivotal.

23. Seattle Seahawks: Expect the Seahawks to field a sturdy defense with Mike Macdonald now in charge. They prioritized defenders in both free agency and the draft, but a Geno Smith-Sam Howell QB tandem leaves more to be desired.

22. Indianapolis Colts: Second-year head coach Shane Steichen did a phenomenal job keeping Indianapolis fighting after Anthony Richardson’s season-ending injury. Now that Richardson is back, he’ll get to work with Michael Pittman Jr., Jonathan Taylor and Adonai Mitchell. Laiatu Latu could also be in for a robust rookie year on defense.

21. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin O’Connell will have to work out Sam Darnold vs. J.J. McCarthy in training camp. The Vikings still have talent across all units, led by Justin Jefferson and Harrison Smith, but they might regress from this position if the QB play is bland.

20. Atlanta Falcons: QB drama aside, there’s plenty of talent under Raheem Morris’ disposal to make a run in an open NFC South. The draft class may not have bolstered things much, but Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Jessie Bates III and A.J. Terrell headline talent elsewhere.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tampa Bay’s roster isn’t all that much different than last season and Baker Mayfield got capital-P paid, so it should be favorites to win the NFC South again. But the Buccaneers have to hope the team has more room to grow in order to advance past the wild-card round in the postseason.

18. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams will have Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore as his wideout options. That’s before getting into Cole Kmet and D’Andre Swift, among others. The Bears‘ defense then is headlined by Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson. Expectations are high for Chicago to at least push for a wild-card spot, so they’ll have to translate the on-paper glamour to on-field success.

17. New York Jets: Robert Saleh should have the Jets‘ defense thriving again, even with losses like Bryce Huff. The real question comes down to how Aaron Rodgers fares after returning from a torn Achilles. The 40-year-old QB will have Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams and Malachi Corley as his top wideouts.

16. Los Angeles Rams: The Rams indicated last season the Matthew Stafford-Sean McVay era isn’t going anywhere just yet. Aaron Donald’s story may be over, but Los Angeles still has intriguing young talent on both sides of the ball. How new CB signing Tre’Davious White fares coming off an Achilles injury will also be crucial for the defense, as will the developments of first-round DE Jared Verse and second-round DT Braden Fiske (both from Florida State).

15. Los Angeles Chargers: You could flip the Rams and Chargers here and there would be little pushback. The biggest thing going for the Chargers is the potential Jim Harbaugh effect. Harbaugh may not always win titles but he’ll have his teams in the conversation. Let’s see if he can help break the Chargers’ curse and build toward that status after this year, even though the wide receiver room is quite bleak (Ladd McConkey, come on up).

14. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jacksonville’s draft was OK, to be blunt. Trevor Lawrence is entering a crucial season and the Jaguars made most of their noise in free agency, picking up Arik Armstead, Gabe Davis, Darnell Savage and Ronald Darby, among others. Is that enough to go past the opening round of the playoffs like they did two years ago? This year could be consequential if they fumble again.

13. Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys‘ biggest move this offseason was reportedly signing Ezekiel Elliott — after the draft. That’s a red flag, coupled with contract situations looming with Mike McCarthy, Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. If this is a Super-Bowl-or-bust year for Dallas, it’s a script the league has seen already.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers: Justin Fields vs. Russell Wilson obviously is the most enticing QB battle in the league. The Steelers also did well to add Patrick Queen and Cordarrelle Patterson, among others, in free agency. Then add the fact that Mike Tomlin just does not miss playoffs and you have to like where Pittsburgh currently stands. How the QB battle pans out will determine their ceiling both in this ranking and in the official standings.

11. Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins struggled to win the big games last season and predictably lost right away in the postseason. But, after watching several stars go down to season-ending injuries, they made proactive moves in signing veteran defensive free agents in Jordan Poyer, Shaquil Barrett, Jordyn Brooks, Kendall Fuller and more. However, Tua Tagovailoa holds the keys to Mike McDaniel’s offense — and Miami’s ceiling.

10. Cleveland Browns: As long as the Browns’ defense remains elite, they’ll be in the conversation like last season when Joe Flacco was under center. Deshaun Watson has an immense “prove-it” season ahead after struggling most of last season. If he’s decent, Cleveland can be a tough postseason out.

9. Buffalo Bills: The Bills‘ main problem in recent years has been Kansas City. But this year they have a new-look wideout room with rookie Keon Coleman and signing Curtis Samuel joining the rising Khalil Shakir. If their defense can rise a few levels, Buffalo should be right in the mix.

8. Cincinnati Bengals: Cincinnati is a top-10 team when Joe Burrow is healthy, but he needs to prove he can stay on the field for a whole season. The Bengals also have some trade drama with Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, so those decisions could have a say in how 2024 pans out.

7. Green Bay Packers: Green Bay impressively made noise in the playoffs with the league’s youngest roster. Jordan Love will also have Josh Jacobs in the backfield now, though first-round pick Jordan Morgan may have a big role to play along the offensive line early. Second-round linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is also one to watch.

6. Detroit Lions: Detroit reached the conference championship game last season, and there’s a path back if Jared Goff keeps improving alongside a plethora of young talents on offense. Defensive tackle D.J. Reader was its splash in free agency, while sixth-round DT Mekhi Wingo could be a steal.

5. Baltimore Ravens: After Lamar Jackson struggled en route to another postseason exit, Baltimore went out and signed Derrick Henry before drafting tackle Roger Rosengarten and wideout Devontez Walker. The Ravens also drafted corners Nate Wiggins (first round) and T.J. Tampa (third round), who could play key roles early.

4. Houston Texans: The Texans managed to keep key players from last season while also adding Danielle Hunter, Stefon Diggs, Azeez Al-Shaair and Denico Autry, among others in free agency and the draft. With C.J. Stroud proving Super Bowl-caliber already, Houston can spend expensive elsewhere before his next big contract. And with DeMeco Ryans being a young, proactive head coach, there’s definitely more levels this squad can reach.

3. Philadelphia Eagles: Based on the Eagles’ free-agency signings and subsequent draft picks, they are determined not to collapse again like last season. Saquon Barkley, Bryce Huff, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Devin White are entering the fold along with rookies Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Jeremiah Trotter Jr., among others. They can be dangerous if Nick Sirianni can assemble the pieces properly.

2. San Francisco 49ers: Before Brock Purdy gets a lucrative extension, the 49ers made sure to stock up on ready-now rookies. Ricky Pearsall, Renardo Green, Dominick Puni, Isaac Guerendo and Jacob Cowing could all play pivotal roles early while free-agent signings Leonard Floyd, Isaac Yiadom, Maliek Collins and De’Vondre Campbell, among others, will be tasked to plug defensive gaps in what could possibly be the final year of the Deebo Samuel-Brandon Aiyuk tandem on offense.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs proved that no matter what happens in the regular season, all they need is to get in the postseason with a healthy Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Losing L’Jarius Sneed is a blow at corner, but Mahomes also got a speedy wideout in Xavier Worthy. That might just be a worthy tradeoff.

“Having this unit helps not to revictimize victims again, deaf victims,” Jordan said.

After 34 years on the force, she knows retirement is near and she wants to ensure the unit is staffed with younger officers who can carry on her work for years to come.

Gallaudet University graduate Officer Jay Pomare has been on the force for a year. He is the son of two deaf parents, so American Sign Language is his first language.

“When I came out the womb, my parents are signing to me, and I’m being receptive to everything that they’re signing,” he said. “I had to go to school and go to speech therapy, and then that’s how I learned how to talk.”

“I’ve always been a mediator, and really, that’s what a liaison is, a mediator,” Pomare said. “Having two deaf parents, I’ve always mediated from the hearing world to the deaf world.”

Jordan sees the future of the unit when she looks at Pomare.

“I see his deaf heart, meaning, yes, he knows the language, he knows the culture, but he also have a deaf heart,” she said. “He loves the community, and that’s what’s important.”

Pomare has seen the difference it can make when the victim of a crime is able to communicate with police in their first language.

“It feels like a sense of relief,” he said. “They see it and they feel like, ‘Oh, perfect, I don’t have to really struggle while I’m already experiencing a traumatizing or bad experience.’”

A spokesperson for the National Association of the Deaf said often people who are deaf or hard of hearing are arrested for failure to comply with verbal orders.

Three Oakton High School students were on Blake Lane on June 7, 2022, when a teen driving 81 mph in a 35 mph zone struck and killed two girls in ninth grade. The third student was seriously injured.

This month, driver Usman Shahid, who was 18 at the time of the crash, was found guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

For its first 30 days, the speed camera will issue warnings to drivers speeding through the school zone during school hours. After that period, fines will range from $50 to $100.

The fine for failing to yield to pedestrians will run as high as $500.

“It’s the most substantive … change in the corridor since we’ve been involved,” leader of Fairfax Families for Safe Streets Chris French said.

French has been advocating for ways to slow traffic on Blake Lane since 2020, after he was nearly hit while walking his bike through a crosswalk.

Another incident happened at a crosswalk in the area when a teen was struck on his bike and spent weeks in the hospital.

“I broke my leg, I broke my jaw and I got a concussion,” the teen told News4.

It wasn’t until after the high schoolers were killed that more discussion and change came to fruition, French said.

“As a pedestrian safety advocate, you never want to have an ‘I told you so’ moment, but that’s kind of the way it felt,” French said.

After the fatal crash, crosswalk warning signs were installed, the crosswalk was upgraded and fines increased. However, the speed camera is a new addition.

“I’m really glad that everyone is going to be safe now,” the teen who was injured after being struck while riding his bike said.

Regardless of this new measure, some are saying there is still more to be done.

Currently, the official school zone does not include the nearby intersection area where the two girls were killed and therefore is not as protected, French added.

Fairfax County Apr 26

Jury recommends 4 years for driver in high-speed crash that killed 2 Oakton High students

Fairfax County Apr 24

Driver convicted for high-speed crash that killed 2 Oakton High students

The Virginia Department of Transportation is finishing a road safety audit which is expected to be presented sometime in the coming months.

Once this is presented, the push will be renewed to add even more improvements, French said.

“Unfortunately … speed kills, and unless we can get the speeds on Blake Lane under control, I’m afraid it will happen again,” French said.

The witness said she saw a man run down an escalator but fail to reach the train before the doors closed about 11:15 a.m. She says he jumped onto the track and then onto the back of the Ashburn-bound Silver Line train before it left the station.

The Metro Transit Police Department investigated a report of someone riding from outside and went to McPherson Square and neighboring stations but did not find the rider, Metro said.

Metro warns riding outside a train is illegal and dangerous. Offenders can be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct.

The number of trespassers on Metro are up slightly this year — 110 cases compared to 106 this time last year.

A teenage girl died in an apparent Metro train surfing incident March 1. Train surfing is a dangerous activity in which someone rides a train from the outside or roof.

Another person died in a train surfing attempt on Metro in June of last year.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Hundreds of teenagers gathered at Schrom Hills Park April 19 for a skip day gathering that ended in chaos as shots were fired.

Video recorded by a Bladensburg High School student who shared it with News4 captured the sound of teens celebrating interrupted by gunfire.

Five teens were shot, and the shooters fled among the scattering crowd.

Prince George’s County police – with the help of the sheriff’s office, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – identified a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old as suspects. U.S. marshals arrested them in Bowie and District Heights.

The suspects face attempted murder and gun charges and are charged as adults.

The skip day was not a school-sanctioned event but is a widely known tradition in Prince George’s County.

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy opposes senior skip days.

Greenbelt Apr 19

‘Just maddening': 5 teens shot during senior skip day gathering at Greenbelt park

gun violence Apr 22

Witnesses describe chaos after 5 teens were shot at Greenbelt senior skip day gathering

“Our young people deserve a future free from violence, and it is our responsibility as grownups to show them the way,” she said. “I know that senior skip days might sound like a lot of fun, but senior skip days of 20 years ago was not like senior skip days today.”

The injured teenagers – all between ages 16 and 18 – have been released from the hospital.

In response to the shooting, Greenbelt’s city manager said more camera trailers will be added to the park and license plate readers around the city.

Barry Mitchell was the victim. He was 53.

Mitchell had walked to a Taco Bell across the street from his home the night of April 21. But he never made it back. A driver hit him in the 9000 block of Contee Road and sped off.

Prince George’s County police responded at about 8:10 p.m. They found Mitchell in the roadway. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Arnaldo Morgan served with Mitchell in the Army. He said he knew something was wrong when he couldn’t reach his friend.

“He was truly my brother, in military and out the service,” he said.

Morgan asked the driver to come forward.

“There’s nothing we can do to bring him back, but, all we’re asking is, please, turn yourself in and bring some closure to the family,” he said. “We understand accidents happen, but he didn’t deserve to be left out there like that.”

Prince George’s County police say they’re actively investigating the crash. They’re looking for a dark blue 2018 or 2019 Hyundai Sonata that may have damage to the headlight and grille on the passenger side.

Residents told News4 the stretch of Contee Road is dangerous, especially for children going to and from school, and has inadequate lighting at night.

Mitchell’s family and friends said they hope police can identify the hit-and-run driver soon.

“I just want him to be remembered as a soldier in uniform, a soldier out of uniform and truly a friend indeed to anyone who was in need,” Morgan said.

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. Tips can be left anonymously.

The Team USA sprinter won gold in the 100m at the USA Track & Field Bermuda Grand Prix on Sunday with a time of 9.96 seconds. Canada’s Aaron Brown (10.09 seconds) and fellow American Pjai Austin (10.10 seconds) joined Lyles on the podium.

“All together, I think it was a pretty well-put-together race,” Lyles told NBC Sports’ Lewis Johnson. “I felt that I had a pretty average start, (and then) my acceleration kicked in.”

Lyles entered the race as the reigning world champion in the 100m and 200m. His time at the Bermuda Grand Prix was an improvement on his 10.01-second time at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitation on April 13 in his hometown of Gainesville, Florida. Gusty conditions created a 3 m/s tailwind on Sunday compared to a 1.7 m/s tailwind at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational.

The 26-year-old already has an Olympic medal in his trophy case after earning bronze in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics. He will have a chance to add to his collection when the track and field competition gets off and running at the Paris Olympics in early August.

Next up on the track and field calendar is the World Athletic Relays in the Bahamas. The competition will air live on Peacock starting at 7:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 4, and on Peacock, CNBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app starting at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 5.

2024 paris olympics Dec 13, 2023

2024 Paris Olympics: See dates, sports, how to watch and more

2024 paris olympics Dec 21, 2023

Here are the rules for the 2024 Olympics in Paris

2024 paris olympics Dec 20, 2023

Get to know Team USA Olympians ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics

More than 200 people, including “professional organizers, activists, and university students,” have joined the demonstration, the university said Monday, as protests continue on college campuses across the country.

Video shared on social media shows a rush of demonstrators breaking through the bike rack-style barricades set up near the encampment. A drum is beating, there is chanting, and some protesters kick or jump on barriers. Police attempt to push back or hold on as the barriers are moved. Someone can be heard saying, “Whoa, whoa, hey.”

“Yesterday, the crowd rallied, and we, the crowd was like, we need real liberation, and we dismantled the barriers. They were gone,” sophomore Selina Al-Shihabi said. “And just the feeling, you know, the energy of finally feeling free. I mean, it’s a fraction of what the people of Gaza are going through.”

One person was escorted away by campus police, but they were not arrested, according to the university. The barriers were placed as a way to limit access to University Park instead of resorting to forcible relocation, the university said.

By Monday morning, the barricades were in a jumbled pile at the center of the encampment.

“This is an egregious violation of community trust and goes far beyond the boundaries of free expression and the right to protest,” the university’s update said in part.

Dozens of students set up tents on Thursday in University Yard — which is bordered by GW’s law school and other GW buildings — to call on the university to divest itself from financial ties with Israel, according to student newspaper The GW Hatchet.

Five days later, on the final day of classes for the spring semester, the number of people participating in the encampment swelled, and a second encampment had cropped up on H Street, on D.C. property, according to the university. 

Over the weekend, the university reduced the space in University Park to allow for 20 people to remain and “to minimize further disruption to university activities.” They were allowing demonstrators to access food and water and shared how to find medical assistance, GW President Ellen M. Granberg said in a Sunday message to the campus.

“GW continues to offer Anniversary Park as an alternate demonstration site and implores demonstrators to vacate University Yard immediately,” Granberg wrote in part.

When access was limited to University Park Friday evening, protesters set up a new encampment of about 20 tents on H Street.

Al-Shihabi thinks students standing in solidarity with Gaza is making a difference.

“I definitely think it’s helping raise awareness. I mean, we’ve been getting messages from the people of Gaza — voice notes, photos — just telling us how much we appreciate them, which is so ironic because we draw so much of our inspiration from them,” Al-Shihabi said.

‘Liberation Camp’

Students celebrated the first 24 hours of the “Liberation Camp” protest on Friday.

Protesters say that their solidarity is with the Palestinian people, not with Hamas. While any protest movement has extreme elements that diverge from the core cause, most of the protesters at GW say they want to keep the focus on why they’re in the encampment — killings and what they’re calling a genocide in Gaza.

“We’ve been very clear with our demands and we’ve been very clear that we are here in solidarity with Gaza,” said one young woman protesting on Thursday, who did not want to be identified. “We are here in solidarity with Palestine.”

GW said it decided to request D.C. police assistance after multiple instructions from university police officers to relocate to another site on campus went unheeded.

The university also issued a statement saying protesters are trespassing and “any student who remains in University Yard may be placed on temporary suspension and administratively barred from campus.”

Several students told News4 Friday they were prepared to get arrested in order to stand up for what they believe in, and others said if they are removed, that would only embolden them in their protests.

“Missing class, it’s nothing compared to what the people in Gaza are going through right now,” said the anonymous protester. “It’s not about us, it’s not about our so-called sacrifice.”

Counterprotester Eric Hirshfield said he tried to enter the encampment “just to see what’s going on and make sure they’re not disenfranchising the rights of others.”

Leaders of the Jewish Student Association said they feel uncomfortable walking by the pro-Palestinian protests.

“A lot of people have family in Israel, and when there are slogans used that call for the destruction of where people live, it’s very intimidating,” Co-President Alana Mondschein said.

“The campus climate, the protests, are just unproductive,” Co-President Jacob Wise said. “There’s no effort to speak to other students who might disagree.”

Last fall they had to help replace posters of Israeli hostages at the Hillel building after someone tore them down. GW said it suspended the student involved.

 This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for updates.

Israel-Hamas War Apr 22

Pro-Palestinian protests sweep US college campuses following mass arrests at Columbia

Israel-Hamas War Apr 23

‘We chose to be loud': Pro-Palestinian students demonstrate at American U, UMD

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

A cargo tanker off the coast of Norway completed a 13-hour journey last year — but it wasn’t a regular ship. 

The voyage was a test of an autonomous ship under AUTOSHIP, an EU-funded program to develop new technologies for navigating large vessels.

The consortium brought together entities from academia and industry, including Kongsberg Maritime, the Norwegian giant that has been conducting deep research and development (R&D) on autonomous shipping.

The trip marked a pivotal advancement in developing autonomous technology for shipping, which still faces many hurdles before it is ready for primetime.

Markus Laurinen, growth and solutions director at Kongsberg Maritime, said that autonomous shipping as well as remote operating centers are possible, but there are external factors at play that will influence the acceptance of the tech, from gaining customer trust to securing regulatory clearance.

“We are doing this step wise. We have a road map where we are role by role moving the functions to the remote operating center,” Laurinen told CNBC.

“This enables all the stakeholders involved to also learn and adapt in this big change that is happening. This is concerning a big amount of stakeholders, the freight owners, the ship owners, operators, the regulatory bodies and even the technological development bodies.”

Convincing national and global maritime regulators to get on board is the biggest obstacle for autonomous or remote shipping, said Ville Vihervaara, Kongsberg Maritime’s VP of remote and autonomous solutions.

“It really much depends on regulation, how the different countries and maritime regulators, how soon they will allow unmanned or uncrewed vessels at sea.”

Reaching full autonomy

Tests like those carried out by Kongsberg in Norway aim to sway decision makers in the company’s direction. The business is nevertheless not the only player experimenting in this space.

South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) is also making key advancements in the technology and retrofitted one of its Samsung T-8 vessels with automated tech in 2020.

“We then successfully performed a 10km (kilometer) journey at Geoje Island without any interference from the staff on board,” a SHI spokesperson said.

Much of this is made possible by radar and sensor technology, the company added.

“Our organization is presently implementing our autonomous navigation technology on six large vessels and five small vessels.”

Industry collaboration will be key to getting more such projects up and running. Last year, SHI announced it had signed an agreement with Denmark’s DNV to develop autonomous functions.

Much like self-driving cars, ships can operate under different degrees of autonomy.

The International Maritime Organization outlines four levels of autonomy, with the minimal level one still requiring seafarers on board, while level four implies full autonomy and enables the ship to operate without human intervention.

There are still many kinks to straighten out before a ship reaches level four.

The U.K. Hydrographic Office, a government agency responsible for providing hydrographic data for mariners for navigation, is currently developing standards for how machines will be able to read its graphs, according to Leo McLeman, business development manager at the institution.

“Uniquely for autonomous technology, the hazards are hidden for the mariner by the sea. If you’re navigating an autonomous car, you can see the hazards, same with an aircraft to a certain extent,” McLeman explained. 

One of the biggest challenges for a machine is context. As a ship enters busier waters — usually as it nears land — it will encounter more vessels and infrastructure such as offshore wind farms. 

Traditionally a ship’s captain knows how to navigate these obstacles and who receives priority on a route to avoid collisions. Will a machine be able to do that?

“That’s a question that our R&D team are tackling internally,” McLeman said.

Safety

Questions linger over how an autonomous or remotely controlled ship will deal with collisions or other hazardous incidents at sea.

“Learning via mistake in a cargo ship environment can be costly, it can be dangerous,” said J.C. Renshaw, head of supply chain consulting at Savills North America. “In order to get there, I think that there needs to be some element of human intervention that enables the technology to learn without the peril of learning via mistake.” 

Renshaw added that piracy is another consideration. Piracy around the Horn of Africa has reportedly been rising again in recent months, adding to concerns.

On one hand, tasking an autonomous ship to undertake a dangerous route would mean no threat to human life in the event of an attack. On the other hand, freight owners may not have confidence in their precious cargo being carried through risky waters without human oversight. 

“It’s going to take a while to make this pivot. I don’t think it’s going to be something that is an overnight game changer. There are a lot of things that do have to be figured out. Regulatory safety issues, piracy, any of the issues that are always dealt with by these cargo ships need to be cleared,” Renshaw said.

Startups on the outside

The development of autonomous shipping has been fronted by the industry’s large players, like Kongsberg Maritime and Samsung Heavy Industry.

That is likely to continue, according to Kaitlyn Glancy, currently a partner of VC firm Eclipse and formerly a VP at logistics tech firm Flexport.

Tech startups may have a hard time competing with these larger players, which is why there are not as many playing in the shipping field as there are in autonomous driving.

Glancy told CNBC that there is a great need to improve port infrastructure through digitization and automation, which is an area where younger companies working on tech like sensors and AI can prove their worth.

“The biggest opportunities are more so on optimizing domestic infrastructure. Once a massive container and cargo vessel arrives at the Port of LA (Los Angeles) or the Port of Newark, what is the optimization of how quickly I can get those containers off the vessel onto truck beds and out to final delivery?” she said.

“That’s where you would potentially see startups playing in this space and adding value.”

But it may still be years before the creatures step foot in the remote and rugged landscape, given that the complicated process requires trapping, trucking and moving bears by helicopter from British Columbia or northwestern Montana.

“There’s a lot to be done before we could even come up with a timeline,” said Jason Ransom, a wildlife biologist at North Cascades National Park. “For a project like this to be successful, it’s really important you get the planning right.”

The National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday that they hope to build a “founder population” of 25 bears over the next five to 10 years, releasing the animals in remote parts of the forest.

The move would restore a keystone species to the North Cascades, which is one of the best-protected landscapes in the U.S. Grizzlies were once found throughout the region, but thousands were killed for their fur. The bears haven’t been spotted with certainty there since 1996, according to the National Park Service.

The two agencies plan to release three to seven bears each year. The goal is a population of 200 bears within 60 to 100 years.

The North Cascades is one of six areas where federal agencies are pursuing grizzly restoration.

Advocates say the effort will make the overall ecosystem healthier.

“Our culture had a war on these species and we know better now, and this is a chance for us to tell a different story,” said Gordon Congdon, a retired orchardist and conservationist who lives in Wenatchee, Washington, and who has supported the restoration effort. “We think by restoring the grizzly bear, that improves the ecology of the environment, which benefits other animals and benefits the diversity of habitat.”

Ransom said grizzlies turn over soil, spread seeds and can move and thrive in a lot of habitats. As climate change reshapes the environment, bears are expected to fare relatively well.

“I think their ability to move and the really broad spectrum of foods they need bodes well for them. They can be one of the climate change survivors,” Ransom said. “Putting back a species like that builds resilience in an ecosystem in the face of change.”

Opponents, however, worry that bears present a safety risk to people and will stray into lowland areas with farms and livestock. That group includes some farmers and ranchers near the border of the landscape where the bears will make a new home.

For more than a decade, Washington state has struggled to keep wolves from killing livestock and prevent people from illegally harming wolves.

“We already have predator issues in the state. We don’t need another apex predator when we can’t deal with what we have,” said Rachel McClure, a rancher who is the secretary of the Okanogan County Cattlemen’s Association. “We’re busy dealing with wolves. We don’t need to be thinking about bears.”

McClure said she suspects grizzlies will wander from the terrain ecologists choose: “They’re not going to stay where they put them.”

Federal agencies are sensitive to such concerns. But Ransom said release sites would be “in high-quality habitat far, far away from everybody.”

Andrew LaValle, a Fish and Wildlife public affairs officer, said the area of habitat within Washington state is roughly the size of New Jersey, and roughly 85% of it is under federal management.

The federal government has also designated the grizzly bears in this project as a “nonessential experimental population” under the Endangered Species Act, which will give more legal flexibility.

People will be allowed to kill grizzlies to protect humans from bodily harm, and federal agencies will be allowed to relocate or kill the bears, if necessary. In limited cases, with government authorization, private landowners will be allowed to kill grizzlies if they get close to livestock and are a threat.

But lethal action is “not the first tool in the toolbox,” LaValle said.

The bears will be captured in late summer or early fall, according to Ransom, using what’s called a “culvert trap,” which looks like an elongated steel drum with a trapdoor. Once inside, the creatures will be anesthetized, receive a veterinary exam and get fitted for a radio collar so biologists can track their whereabouts.

The bears will be shipped in the traps to staging locations, then helicopters would lift them into the wilderness for release.

Joe Scott, the international programs associate director at Conservation Northwest, said grizzly recovery is slow, challenging work. Female grizzlies typically don’t reproduce until 5 years of age and rarely wander out of their home terrain. Many cubs don’t survive to reach reproductive age.

“As long as it’s taken to get here, it’s just the start of this. The actual implementation is not a slam dunk,” Scott said.

He added that starting with 25 bears should allow the population to ramp up slowly: “It gives a chance for people and bears to get used to each other in a place we haven’t had them for several decades.”

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

• Biden speaks with Netanyahu as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war mount in the US
• Tank Dell, Houston Texans wide receiver, wounded in Florida shooting
• 10 shot by teen gunman at Florida party venue, police say

“My thinking is the parents need to take responsibility. Compared to last week and this week, it’s 100 percent different. Everything was in order, security police did a great job. But the week before, they were just outnumbered,” resident Chris Ross said. 

Prince George’s County police said as many as 800 young people were involved in fighting, vandalism and stealing at National Harbor on Saturday. Fights were caught on camera and posted to social media. 

Prince George's County Apr 24

Prince George's County fast-tracks teen curfew bill after National Harbor brawl

Prince George's County Apr 25

Emergency curfew for teens in Prince George's approved after National Harbor fighting

The teenagers were “fighting; shoplifting; smoking cannabis; being confrontational with business owners, residents and law enforcement personnel,” Police Chief Malik Aziz said.

County Executive Angela Alsobrooks described it as the worst single day at National Harbor.

“We were taken aback. I never expect anything like that to happen at National Harbor, a lot of rowdy, loud and intoxicated children just running around,” Shaina Taylor, owner of the wine bar V-No @ The Harbor, said. 

In response, Alsobrooks implemented a curfew effective Fridays, Saturday and Sundays from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. for unsupervised teenagers 16 and younger. 

Taylor said the curfew has created the atmosphere that’s needed for area residents, businesses and visitors.

“This weekend it’s been calm. It’s been quiet. It’s been kind of what I expect of National Harbor. I’m a resident here as well as a business owner, and I walk back and forth from here to home, so it’s really important to feel safe and secure,” she said. 

The extra police presence was visible Sunday, along with signs alerting visitors the curfew is in effect.

While some say the restrictions aren’t fair for the teens who aren’t causing trouble, others told News4 they support the curfew and that parents need to be more involved.

“The children are out of control, and this is a way that will help control some of these kids,” one woman said.  

On Thursday, the county executive ordered the curfew to go into effect right away. She promised to hold accountable parents who drop their kids off at the harbor or allow them to go there and cause trouble.

“Our parents must know that National Harbor is not a day care or a playground,” Alsobrooks said.  

Parents of unsupervised children could receive a phone call from authorities and be charged a fine.

The Prince George’s County Council is working on separate emergency legislation that would allow stricter juvenile curfews to be set up in commercial zones throughout the county starting as early as 5 p.m.

That legislation is expected to be voted on in May and would go into effect immediately.

The line came in a video parody of Kidman’s AMC Theatres “we make movies better” ad that opened the Saturday night ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. It got huge laughs from the crowd of multigenerational A-listers there to honor the 40-year career of the 56-year-old Australian that has included roles in “Moulin Rouge,” “Eyes Wide Shut” and an Oscar-winning turn in “The Hours.”

Meryl Streep, Kidman’s “The Hours” co-star who presented to Streep the Life Achievement Award that she won herself in 2004, got laughs nearly as big when, in a mock-boastful voice, she described the hardest part of being “incessantly called the greatest actress of my generation.”

It’s when you come up against someone else who is “really, really, really, really, really, really great” and you realize they did things you couldn’t do, as happened with Kidman the first day they worked together on the HBO series “Big Little Lies,” Streep said.

Streep and their “Big Little Lies” co-star Reese Witherspoon both did spot-on, Australian-accented impressions of Kidman that had the audience in stitches.

Streep also drew tears from Kidman when describing what she believed motivated her.

“People call it bravery when an actress bares all and leaps off into the unknown and she dives deep into the darker parts of what it is to be a human being,” Streep said. “But I don’t think it’s bravery. I think it’s love. I think she just loves it.”

Kidman teared up for the first time in the evening when her husband and fellow Australian, singer Keith Urban, said she showed him “what love in action really looks like” when his substance abuse problems emerged almost immediately after they wed in 2006.

“Four months into our marriage, I’m in rehab for three months,” Urban said, looking at Kidman where she sat on a dais with their two daughters and other family. “Nic pushed through every negative voice, I’m sure even some of her own, and she chose love. And here we are 18 years later.”

Kidman said the night was the first time she allowed their teenage daughters to join her on a red carpet. She also has two children with her first husband, Tom Cruise.

She accepted the AFI award in the same venue where she accepted her Oscar in 2003 for playing Virginia Woolf in “The Hours.”

She thanked by name every director she has worked with, including Stanley Kubrick, Jane Campion, Baz Luhrmann, Sofia Coppola, Yorgos Lanthimos, Sydney Pollack and Lars von Trier.

“It is a privilege to make films. And glorious to have made films and television with these storytellers who allowed me to run wild and be free and play all of these unconventional women,” Kidman said, wearing a floor-length, glittering-gold gown. “Thank you for making me better at my craft and giving me a place, however temporary, in this world.”

It was announced back in November of 2022 that Kidman would receive the award, first handed out in 1973, whose previous winners include Orson Welles, Bette Davis, Alfred Hitchcock, Gene Kelly, Sidney Poitier, Barbara Streisand, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington and Julie Andrews.

The ceremony originally was scheduled for June of 2023, but delayed because of Hollywood’s strikes. It will air on TNT on June 17.

Kidman also was nominated for Academy Awards for “Moulin Rouge,” “Rabbit Hole,” “Lion,” and “Being the Ricardos,” whose director, Aaron Sorkin, also sang her praises at the ceremony.

Others honoring her included Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Zoe Saldana and Mike Myers, who came on stage in disguise in one of the eerie orgy masks from “Eyes Wide Shut.”

Kidman began her career as a teen in Australia in films including “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits.” Naomi Watts, a friend from those days, described meeting Kidman when both had to sit in a waiting room in bathing suits for two hours at an audition. Aussies Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett all gave video tributes to the first from their country to win the award.

Kidman said in a video played at the ceremony that her appearance in the 1989 thriller “Dead Calm” brought her to the attention of, among others, Cruise, the only time his name was spoken Saturday night.

She had her breakthrough Hollywood role alongside him in 1990’s “Days of Thunder” — they would marry the same year — and also starred together in 1992’s “Far and Away” and in 1999 in Kubrick’s final film, “Eyes Wide Shut.”

She divorced Cruise in 2001, but her stardom only grew. Some of her biggest roles, and her Oscar, were still to come.

The role most often cited as a favorite during the awards show Saturday night was her musical turn in Luhrmann’s 2001 “Moulin Rouge.”

Freeman, the 2011 AFI honoree, in his in-person presentation that followed the video spoof, serenaded Kidman with the modified Elton John lines she sings in the film: “How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world.”

Mecus, 52, from Keene Valley, New York, was an outspoken advocate for expanding the presence of fellow transgender people in alpine climbing. In 2022, she co-founded Queer Ice Fest in the Adirondack Mountains of her adopted hometown, and the event earlier this year was its third annual happening.

New York Department of Environmental Conservation interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said in a statement that Mecus made a mark in her long career with the state.

“Over her 25-year career with DEC, Ranger Mecus demonstrated an unparalleled passion for protecting the environment and New Yorkers,” the commissioner said. “She exemplified the Forest Rangers’ high standard of professional excellence while successfully … advancing diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ belonging throughout the agency.”

Her body was recovered Saturday morning after rescuers decided to halt their recovery efforts Friday amid challenging conditions on the park’s Mount Johnson, where Mecus’ climbing partner survived after falling with her, the National Park Service said in a statement.

The survivor, who wasn’t identified, was described by the service as a 30-year-old woman from California. She sustained serious injuries and was rescued by rangers Friday morning before she was ultimately flown to an Anchorage hospital, the park service said.

The accident took place Thursday night as the pair was ascending Mount Johnson in a steep, technical climb on the mountain’s southeast face, park officials said previously.

The climbers were roped together on a 5,000-foot route called “the Escalator” when they fell 1,000 feet, the park service said.

A witness called first responders, fellow climbers built a snow cave to preserve the survivor’s temperature and rescuers reached the location Friday morning, the service said.

The pathway the two used is composed of ice, rock and snow, it said.

The perilous route is popular with seasoned climbers who report it can take a good 24 hours to get to the summit and back to base, with some preferring night climbing that may ensure frozen elements instead of wet or slushy ones, according to accounts published by the American Alpine Club.

Mecus was a seasoned climber who has been credited with rescuing others multiple times in upstate New York mountains.

Mecus was interviewed in 2019 as part of the New York City Trans Oral History Project, telling an interviewer she grew up in the city, later got married and had a child, but also “cross-dressed, closeted” before she decided to make her transition, which broke up her marriage.

She said she worked for the state for 17 years as a ranger, which is a sworn law-enforcement position she described as “hyper-macho,” before making her transition in the 2010s. Mecus said she fully expected to be out of a job, but was pleasantly surprised, describing the response of colleagues as “overwhelmingly positive.”

She drew a lesson from the experience.

“I think visibility is so important,” she said. “I’ve come to realize that people with privilege need to fight for people who don’t have that privilege.”

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

• Biden speaks with Netanyahu as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war mount in the US
• Tank Dell, Houston Texans wide receiver, wounded in Florida shooting
• 10 shot by teen gunman at Florida party venue, police say

There are signs on the lawn of Temple Beth Ami and blue ribbons on the trees, but one sign is missing, a banner that had been up for some time saying, “WE STAND WITH ISRAEL.”

“And for the very first time, someone defaced that sign,” Rabbi Gary Pokras said. 

Authorities believe it happened sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning, when the vandalism was discovered and the sign taken down.

Israel-Hamas War Apr 28

12 arrested at University of Mary Washington during pro-Palestinian protest

Israel-Hamas War Apr 25

‘No peace on stolen lands': Pro-Palestinian students still at GW encampment after deadline to move

“I’m really grateful to live in a country that enshrines free speech, and that includes the right to protest passionately and that includes public discourse,” Pokras said. “Whoever did this doesn’t want public discourse; they want to shut us down.”

Police are investigating the incident. 

“We look to every life as being worthy of being lived in peace and with dignity. We want that for Palestinians; we want that for Israelis,” Pokras said. 

None of them could expect what happened next.

The Greeley Police Department officers arrived at the home about an hour away from Boulder at around 3:30 a.m. on April 18 to find the 24-year-old woman actively in labor after her water broke, according to a news release. Almost immediately after they called emergency medical personnel for assistance, they heard a faint cry.

The first baby, a boy, had been delivered — but was turning blue. It was a cold day, and it was raining and snowing, police said.

“One officer located bread ties to tie off the umbilical cord while another ran to nearby homes and collected towels and blankets to help keep the new family warm,” the Greeley Police Department said. “A third officer, who was still with the new mother, then tied off the umbilical cord and cut it. The fourth officer rushed the baby boy back to his patrol where it was much warmer.”

The baby boy stopped breathing while inside the patrol vehicle, prompting the officer to administer infant CPR. Luckily, medics arrived shortly after to help the newborn.

That’s when the new mother told the officers she was actually expecting two more babies. Needless to say, they called for more medical personnel.

“While the officers were comforting the mother, a second baby boy was delivered, with the assistance of the officers,” the police department said. “Officers wrapped this baby up, tied off the umbilical cord, and cut it. Baby number two was also rushed to the ambulance where medical personnel were still tending to the first baby.”

The mother was brought by ambulance to a local hospital, where she was taken into surgery to deliver the final triplet. Her two other newborns were taken to the same hospital for medical care.

Police said the triplets, who had strong heartbeats, were receiving care at the neonatal intensive care unit. Their current condition isn’t immediately clear.

According to the Greeley Police Department, the 24-year-old woman went into labor while home alone and her phone had died, so she had attempted to go to a neighbor’s home to call 911. She is not being identified out of respect for her privacy.

Police Chief Adam Turk said he was “amazed at the teamwork, ingenuity, and care” of the officers, who were faced with a “lofty expectation.”

“The success of this call is a success in our officers, our training, and our partnerships with other public safety agencies in the area,” Turk said.

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:

• Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at campuses as colleges crack down on encampments
• 10 shot by teen gunman at Florida party venue, police say
• Did TikTok videos inspire a teen’s suicide? His mom says she found graphic evidence

Punishing storms that began late Saturday in Oklahoma injured at least 100 people, damaged a rural hospital, washed out roads and knocked out power to more than 40,000 customers at one point, state officials said. Tornadoes on Friday in Nebraska and Iowa also caused wide destruction and were blamed for one death.

The destruction was extensive in Sulphur, a town of about 5,000 people south of Oklahoma City, where a tornado crumpled many downtown buildings, tossed cars and buses and sheared the roofs off houses across a 15-block radius.

“You just can’t believe the destruction,” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said during a visit to the hard-hit town. “It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed.”

Rick Jones of Sulphur told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth that the storm was so powerful it sucked up the second story of his home, scattering its contents throughout the neighborhood. Jones said he was out of town Saturday night, celebrating his 11th wedding anniversary with his wife. Their two children were staying with family.

“Our roof is about a block and a half that way,” said Jones. “It could’ve been worse. The wife and kids were out of the house. The rest of it is stuff.”

Stitt said about 30 people were injured in Sulphur, including some who were in a bar as the tornado struck. Hospitals across the state reported about 100 injuries, including people apparently cut or struck by debris, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. An infant was among those killed, NBC affiliate KFOR reported.

White House officials said President Joe Biden spoke to Stitt on Sunday and offered the full support of the federal government.

The deadly weather in Oklahoma added to the dozens of reported tornadoes that have wreaked havoc in the nation’s midsection since Friday. Another death was reported Sunday in Iowa, where officials in Pottawattamie County said a man critically injured during a tornado Friday had died.

In Oklahoma, authorities said the tornado in Sulphur began in a city park before barreling through the downtown, flipping cars and ripping the roofs and walls off of brick buildings. Windows and doors were blown out of structures that remained standing.

“How do you rebuild it? This is complete devastation,” said Kelly Trussell, a lifelong Sulphur resident as she surveyed the damage. “It is crazy, you want to help but where do you start?”

Carolyn Goodman traveled to Sulphur from the nearby town of Ada in search of her former sister-in-law, who Goodman said was at a local bar just before the tornado hit the area. Stitt said one of the victims was found inside a bar but authorities had not yet identified those killed.

“The bar was destroyed,” Goodman said. “I know they probably won’t find her alive … but I hope she is still alive.”

Farther north, a tornado near the town of Holdenville killed two people and damaged or destroyed more than a dozen homes, according to the Hughes County Emergency Medical Service. Another person was killed along Interstate 35 near the southern Oklahoma city of Marietta, state officials said.

Heavy rains that swept into Oklahoma with the tornadoes also caused dangerous flooding and water rescues. Outside Sulphur, rising lake levels shut down the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, where the storms wiped out a pedestrian bridge.

Stitt issued an executive order Sunday declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties due to the fallout from the severe weather.

At the Sulphur High School gym, where families took cover from the storm, Jackalyn Wright said she and her family heard what sounded like a helicopter as the tornado touched down over them.

Chad Smith, 43, said people ran into the gym as the wind picked up. The rain started coming faster and the doors slammed shut. “Just give me a beer and a lawn chair and I will sit outside and watch it,” Smith said. Instead, he took cover.

Residents in other states were also digging out from storm damage. A tornado in suburban Omaha, Nebraska, demolished homes and businesses Saturday as it moved for miles through farmland and into subdivisions, then slammed an Iowa town.

The tornado damage began Friday afternoon near Lincoln, Nebraska. An industrial building in Lancaster County was hit, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated, and the three injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

One or possibly two tornadoes then spent around an hour creeping toward Omaha, leaving behind damage consistent with an EF3 twister, with winds of 135 to 165 mph (217 to 265 kph), said Chris Franks, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Omaha office.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds spent Saturday touring the damage and arranging for assistance for the damaged communities. Formal damage assessments are still underway, but the states plan to seek federal help.

___

Associated Press journalists Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas, and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.

The protestors created the encampment Friday in Jefferson Square in support of Gaza, continuing for several hours until “an invitation extended the encampment to the public to stay on campus, additional safety and security concerns emerged,” University of Mary Washington President Troy D. Paino said in part.

According to the letter, the university asked the organizers to take the tents down by 8:30 p.m. and they complied.

“Emergency: UMW has banned the Palestine encampment at Jefferson Squad [sic] only 12 hours and demanded we leave by 8:30 despite approving it before so we need all hands on deck if you can get to Jefferson square now. into Saturday,” @YDSAUMW tweeted Friday. 

Videos shared on social media by Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) at UMV show protestors peacefully singing, dancing and chanting overnight Friday into Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, the tents were put back up against guidelines, the university said. Later in the evening, the protestors were told again to leave the area but 12 people remained and were arrested for trespassing, according to the university. 

“During the day on Saturday, health and safety concerns began to emerge from the event as well as increased concerns for campus community members, as outside influence was further invited to campus to grow the encampment,” Paino said in part. 

“We continue to call on @umwsga to represent the student body and their right to protest by releasing a statement demanding the lifting of the encampment ban as well as urging the administration not to implement disciplinary measures,” YDSA wrote on Instagram. 

One of the arrested protestors, a member of the YDSA at UMW, took to social media after being released from Rappahannock Regional Jail. 

“I was arrested for trespassing; standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine at universities across the county,” he said in the video.

He added that the university permitted them to protest in Jefferson Square and then revoked permission. 

The school is in the middle of reading days and is a week out from exams, according to the university.

This is a developing story. Stay with NBC Washington for more updates.

White House Apr 27

Chants of ‘shame on you' greet guests at White House correspondents' dinner shadowed by war in Gaza

Israel-Hamas War Apr 25

‘No peace on stolen lands': Pro-Palestinian students still at GW encampment after deadline to move

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

“The big knob you can turn is cost of living,” says Tommy Sikes, a certified financial planner and founder of Traveltirement, where he highlights affordable homes in France and Italy through a newsletter and social media channels.

“It might cost you $70,000 a year to have a middle-class retirement in the United States,” Sikes says. “If you have that money in southern Italy, you can live like a king, including renting or purchasing a property.”

If you’re hoping to retire in style while keeping costs low, a European retirement may be right for you. But as you begin searching for chateaus, keep these three tips in mind.

1. Think outside of popular spots

If you were looking for an exciting but cost-effective retirement destination in the U.S., you’d likely scratch New York and Los Angeles off your list right off the bat. The same goes in Europe, says Sikes.

“Paris, Rome and Milan are still going to be expensive,” he says. That’s true for luxury vacation hotspots such as Lake Como and Saint-Tropez, though you may not find what you’re looking for in those places anyway.

“The heart of these countries is when you get further into the countryside,” Sikes says. “We’re not talking about living in the middle of nowhere. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of small towns and villages that still have infrastructure. They still have high-speed internet and medical offices. It’s just that people may not see them as glitzy or glamorous,” he adds.

Nevertheless, life can feel glamorous if you can spend less on basic living expenses and more on doing the things that make you happy.

“A couple I know lives in southern Italy in a coastal town. So they have beaches, a walkable town, restaurants, bars, trains — they live on the main line,” Sikes says. “He tells me he lives on $1,500 a month.”

2. Know the residency rules

Before you start your search, you’ll have to figure out what the rules are when it comes to owning or leasing property and generally residing in the country you plan to retire to.

Part of the reasoning behind Sikes’ focus on France and Italy is that the countries’ rules are favorable to Americans looking to buy property there.

“There are zero restrictions on Americans buying property in Italy or France,” Sikes tells CNBC Make It. “You don’t have to be a citizen. You don’t even have to be a resident. You can literally buy something remotely.”

Once you sort out whether you’re able to buy or rent in another country, residing is another question. For many would-be continental retirees, a half-and-half solution is a good first step. Valid U.S. passport holders can reside anywhere in the Schengen area, which includes all of the European Union except Ireland and Cyprus, for up to 90 days during any 180-day period.

“You could go from January to March, then leave for 90 days, then go back for July, August, September,” Sikes says.

For full-time residency, you’ll have to explore whether citizenship or visa rules make sense for your retirement plan.

3. Work with professionals

Living on a fixed income in retirement always requires a good deal of planning, and doing so abroad adds another layer of complexity.

You may have a pretty good handle on how distributions from your 401(k) and Roth IRA are handled from a U.S. tax perspective, but that picture could look drastically different in another country depending on international tax treaties.

Even Sikes, a CFP, knows that it’s important to have people on both sides of the ocean that can help you plan. “You need people in the country — boots on the ground to help you through the administrative stuff,” he says. “Some of these countries are famous for their bureaucracies.”

If you’re planning on using a property part time, and plan to rent it when you’re not there, you’ll need to establish a relationship with a property manager that you trust. Even if you’re not renting it out, you’ll have to plan for what happens when you’re not there for three months.

Even before you cross that bridge, if you’re making real estate deals, there’s a good chance the selling agent won’t speak English and the documents will be in the native language. Those are just a couple more reasons why Sikes strongly advocates enlisting help.

“There are many reasons to budget for working with a professional and not trying to figure it out for yourself.”

Want to make extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Wali Shabazz, 49, of Southwest D.C., was arrested and charged with second degree murder while armed, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a release.

Officers were called to a stabbing in the 100 block of T Street SW just before 6:30 p.m. When they arrived, they found a man who was stabbed multiple times, police said.

He was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries. He was identified as Marin Gross Jr., 41, of Northwest D.C.

The stabbing occurred over a workplace dispute between Shabazz and Gross, according to investigators.

An hour later, DC United fans packed the area for the team’s game.

The team released a statement that said first responders already on site supporting the match responded quickly.

“This was an isolated incident, and the Metropolitan Police Department has advised that they have the suspect in custody,” the team’s statement said in part.

The incident remains under investigation.

Things to Do DC Apr 26

DC Irish pub The Dubliner celebrates 50th anniversary

Washington DC Apr 27

‘People immediately hit the ground': 6 hurt in shooting outside DC nightclub

“So instead of rewarding the growth that we saw [tech companies] all pursue years ago, they’re now rewarding profit,” said Jeff Shulman, professor at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. “And so the layoffs have continued. People have become used to them. Regrettably and sadly, it seems that the layoffs are going to be the new normal.”

Even though mass tech layoffs continue, the labor market still seems strong. The U.S. economy added 303,000 jobs in March, well above the Dow Jones estimate for a rise of 200,000, with the unemployment rate edged lower to 3.8%.

According to Handshake, a career site for college students and recent grads, the tech layoffs have prompted new workers to seek other opportunities. The share of job applications from tech majors submitted to internet and software companies dropped by more than 30% between November 2021 and September 2023.

“Part of the reason why this is happening is because stability is such a major factor in students’ decisions around what types of jobs they apply to and what types of jobs they accept,” said Christine Cruzverga, chief education strategy officer at Handshake. “They’re looking at the headlines in the news and they’re paying attention to all of the layoffs that are happening in Big Tech, and that makes them feel unstable.”

Mass layoffs have eroded the shine of the tech industry, which is why workers are questioning whether getting a job in the tech industry should still be regarded as a “dream job.”

“For the people who are chasing … a tech dream job, I think keep your options open and be realistic,” said Eric Tolotti, senior partner engineer at Snowflake, who got laid off from Microsoft in 2023. “Don’t just focus on one company and feel like you have to get into that one company because it’s the dream.”

Watch the video to learn about tech workers’ sentiments, considerations for aspiring Big Tech employees, and more.

University police said a group of students reported that a man “brandished a weapon in their direction” inside of an AU shuttle bus at around 6 p.m. at Nebraska Avenue and Ward Circle. 

Police locked down campus and sent out an alert about a “dangerous subject,” advising students to go inside a secure location.

Shortly after, officials sent an update saying the suspect was in custody. 

Video shows a man being detained by D.C. police. News4 is working to confirm if that is the person in custody in connection to the alert.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

An evening normally devoted to presidents, journalists and comedians taking outrageous pokes at political scandals and each other often seemed this year to illustrate the difficulty of putting aside the coming presidential election and the troubles in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Biden opened his roast with a direct but joking focus on Trump, calling him “sleepy Don,” in reference to a nickname Trump had given the president previously.

Despite being similar in age, Biden said, the two presidential hopefuls have little else in common. “My vice president actually endorses me,” Biden said. Former Trump Vice President Mike Pence has refused to endorse Trump’s reelection bid.

But the president quickly segued to a grim speech about what he believes is at stake this election, saying that another Trump administration would be even more harmful to America than his first term.

“We have to take this serious — eight years ago we could have written it off as ‘Trump talk’ but not after January 6,” Biden told the audience, referring to the supporters of Trump who stormed the Capitol after Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 election.

Trump did not attend Saturday’s dinner and never attended the annual banquet as president. In 2011, he sat in the audience, and glowered through a roasting by then-President Barack Obama of Trump’s reality-television celebrity status. Obama’s sarcasm then was so scalding that many political watchers linked it to Trump’s subsequent decision to run for president in 2016.

Biden’s speech, which lasted around 10 minutes, made no mention of the ongoing war or the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

One of the few mentions came from Kelly O’Donnell, president of the correspondents’ association, who briefly noted some 100 journalists killed in Israel’s 6-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza. In an evening dedicated in large part to journalism, O’Donnell cited journalists who have been detained across the world, including Americans Evan Gershkovich in Russia and Austin Tice, who is believed to be held in Syria. Families of both men were in attendance as they have been at previous dinners.

To get inside Saturday’s dinner, some guests had to hurry through hundreds of protesters outraged over the mounting humanitarian disaster for Palestinian civilians in Gaza. They condemned Biden for his support of Israel’s military campaign and Western news outlets for what they said was undercoverage and misrepresentation of the conflict.

“Shame on you!” protesters draped in the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh cloth shouted, running after men in tuxedos and suits and women in long dresses holding clutch purses as guests hurried inside for the dinner.

“Western media we see you, and all the horrors that you hide,” crowds chanted at one point.

Other protesters lay sprawled motionless on the pavement, next to mock-ups of flak vests with “press” insignia.

Ralliers cried “Free, free Palestine.” They cheered when at one point someone inside the Washington Hilton — where the dinner has been held for decades — unfurled a Palestinian flag from a top-floor hotel window.

Criticism of the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has spread through American college campuses, with students pitching encampments and withstanding police sweeps in an effort to force their universities to divest from Israel. Counterprotests back Israel’s offensive and complain of antisemitism.

Biden’s motorcade Saturday took an alternate route from the White House to the Washington Hilton than in previous years, largely avoiding the crowds of demonstrators.

Saturday’s event drew nearly 3,000 people. Celebrities included Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm and Chris Pine.

Both the president and comedian Colin Jost, who spoke after Biden, made jabs at the age of both the candidates for president. “I’m not saying both candidates are old. But you know Jimmy Carter is out there thinking, ‘maybe I can win this thing,’” Jost said. “He’s only 99.”

Law enforcement, including the Secret Service, instituted extra street closures and other measures to ensure what Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said would be the “highest levels of safety and security for attendees.”

Protest organizers said they aimed to bring attention to the high numbers of Palestinian and other Arab journalists killed by Israel’s military since the war began in October.

More than two dozen journalists in Gaza wrote a letter last week calling on their colleagues in Washington to boycott the dinner altogether.

“The toll exacted on us for merely fulfilling our journalistic duties is staggering,” the letter stated. “We are subjected to detentions, interrogations, and torture by the Israeli military, all for the ‘crime’ of journalistic integrity.”

One organizer complained that the White House Correspondents’ Association — which represents the hundreds of journalists who cover the president — largely has been silent since the first weeks of the war about the killings of Palestinian journalists. WHCA did not respond to a request for comment.

According to a preliminary investigation released Friday by the Committee to Protect Journalists, nearly 100 journalists have been killed covering the war in Gaza. Israel has defended its actions, saying it has been targeting militants.

“Since the Israel-Gaza war began, journalists have been paying the highest price — their lives — to defend our right to the truth. Each time a journalist dies or is injured, we lose a fragment of that truth,” CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna said in a statement.

Sandra Tamari, executive director of Adalah Justice Project, a U.S.-based Palestinian advocacy group that helped organize the letter from journalists in Gaza, said “it is shameful for the media to dine and laugh with President Biden while he enables the Israeli devastation and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.”

In addition, Adalah Justice Project started an email campaign targeting 12 media executives at various news outlets — including The Associated Press — expected to attend the dinner who previously signed onto a letter calling for the protection of journalists in Gaza.

“How can you still go when your colleagues in Gaza asked you not to?” a demonstrator asked guests heading in. “You are complicit.”

Gilver Zelaya-Diaz was allegedly driving the white Acrua that struck 27-year-old Jacques Price as he rolled along Viers Mill Road in Rockville on April 8. Price was killed.

Prosecutors said Zelaya-Diaz was on probation at the time of the crash and has used eight different aliases. They contend that Zelaya-Diaz knew he was wanted by police after investigators found the damaged car.

Zelaya-Diaz eluded police until last week. He went “dark”, according to the prosecutor, turning his phone off so that he could not be tracked.

His defense attorney, who declined to comment as he left district court, said his client had planned to turn himself in to police.

Marcus Glivings, Price’s father, praised the work done by police in making the arrest.

“He’s a bad guy I’m glad they caught him. It doesn’t change things but we are grateful he was apprehended,” he said in an interview with News4.

In asking for Zelaya-Diaz to be held until trial, the prosecutor said the suspect was recently released from federal prison and has previously failed to show up at court five times. His criminal record shows that he was arrested on drug, assault and armed robbery charges.

He does not have a driver’s license and entered the United States illegally in 2019, according to the prosecutor.

Police said they found the white Acura by going through a database of similar vehicles registered in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and then visiting the registered addresses.

At the scene of the crash, a memorial continues to stand honoring the memory of Price, who was a father and uncle.

A white skateboard with the date Price was killed was nailed to the telephone pole by a neighbor the day after his death. The symbol brought Glivings to tears.

“Ever sine it happened, I think the very next day, one of the neighbors nailed that skateboard up there and then flowers and candles and pictures,” he said.

“He didn’t deserve it, he didn’t deserve it. He was minding his own business.”

General Manager Randy Clarke says there will only be modest changes to service.

“There’s a great comeback story going on here, and I think the Metro is one of the key reason to fuel this,” he said.

Bus fares and base rail fares increase from $2 to $2.25. The maximum rail fare increases from $6 to $6.75. Late night and weekend fares rise from a flat $2 to between $2.25 and $2.50 based on distance.

This budget only fixes the next fiscal year. There will be budget gaps going forward unless Metro can find a sustainable, dedicated source of funding like a sales tax or a gas tax.

“We can’t keep doing this year, after year, after year,” Board Chair Paul Smedberg said.

The region’s leaders are getting tired of having to find more money for Metro every year like they did this year, Smedberg said.

“This whole idea of having a dedicated stream of funding, whatever it looks like — whether it’s one regional thing or three different things that go into a pot — whatever it is, they understand we can’t continue to do this,” he said.

The Metro workers union — Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 — shared that concern, releasing a statement saying, in part, “It’s disappointing that WMATA continues to be the only major transit system in the country without dedicated funding, and the union renews our call for establishing dedicated funding.”

A first-of-its-kind meeting between the Metro Board and the region’s Council of Governments to talk about funding Metro is expected to happen May 1.

Fare increases take effect July 1.

Fresh off a Heisman Trophy-winning season where he threw for 40 touchdowns against just four interceptions to go along with 10 rushing touchdowns last year for the Tigers, Daniels will attempt to solve the quarterback riddle Washington’s faced for the past two decades. 

While there was some back and forth about which QB the Commanders would take throughout the pre-draft process, the mystery seemed solved for most of this week. There was early speculation Daniels wasn’t interested in playing on the East Coast, but eventually, all the noise subsided and the pick became clear. 

“My childhood dream came true, and I’m blessed to be here and be able to hear my name called,” Daniels said.

Daniels will join the Commanders with a chance to earn the starting position in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. Known for a quick release and an ability to attack vertically, many around the league believe the marriage of Daniels and Kingsbury could yield immediate results. One source described the pairing as “gasoline on a fire” and predicted a fast start for the rebuilt Washington offense.

“I was pretty confident after the conversation that we had that I was able to come in here and fit into the Commanders team,” he said. “I’m here now; I can’t wait to get to work.”

There are no perfect prospects, and the concerns with Daniels include his slight frame and a propensity to take sacks when pressured. Clearly Commanders General Manager Adam Peters believes the talent far outweighs the concerns, and made Daniels his first-ever draft pick. 

Washington Commanders

Washington Commanders Apr 24

LSU's Jayden Daniels downplays issues with Commanders, says he'd be ‘blessed' to go No. 2 overall

Washington Commanders Mar 12

Commanders agree to sign quarterback Marcus Mariota to a 1-year deal, AP source says

The organization has undergone a major overhaul in the past year: New owner in Josh Harris, new GM in Peters, new head coach in Dan Quinn and now the new QB of the future with Daniels. 

“They’re going to get somebody that’s a competitor, that wants to win no matter what,” Daniels said. “And I just want to go out and compete and help the team win football games. At some point in the future, we’ll get this thing turned around, hopefully, but day by day. I’m willing to work and put everything out there on the line.”

Commanders fans have real reason for excitement, and ideally, finally an answer to the QBX riddle. 

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.