News
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Hundreds trying to storm Wisconsin beagle research facility met with rubber bullets, pepper spray
Apr 18, 2026 9:20 pm - About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group's leader.
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The Lyrid meteor shower is visible now and peaking soon. Here's how to spot it
Apr 18, 2026 9:03 pm - This year’s Lyrid meteor shower is getting a boost thanks to a dim crescent moon. Skywatchers could see 10 to 20 shooting stars per hour soar across the spring sky, according to NASA, when the fiery display peaks Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
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Pope Leo XIV says ‘not in my interest at all’ to debate Trump but will keep preaching peace
Apr 18, 2026 6:29 pm - Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was “not in my interest at all” to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace.
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‘Critical decision point’: Vernon Area Public Library District to survey voters to determine referendum feasibilityApr 18, 2026 6:26 pm - A random sample of voters in the Vernon Area Public Library District will be surveyed to help officials determine whether to proceed with a $39.5 million referendum quest...
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Powerful winds and reported tornadoes rip through the Midwest, leaving heavy damage but no deaths
Apr 18, 2026 6:24 pm - A trail of damaged homes and buildings dotted a wide swath of the U.S. on Saturday after a burst of destructive winds and reported tornadoes tore off roofs, uprooted trees and rendered rural roads impassable with debris.
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A mass shooting in Ukraine’s capital leaves 6 dead before police shot and killed the gunman
Apr 18, 2026 5:31 pm - A gunman wielding an automatic weapon killed six people and barricaded himself inside a supermarket with hostages in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday, before he was shot and killed by police, authorities said.
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Pope Leo XIV challenges Angola’s leaders while delivering a message of encouragement for its people
Apr 18, 2026 5:22 pm - Pope Leo XIV challenged Angola’s leaders to break the “cycle of interests” that have plundered and exploited Africa for centuries, as he arrived in the southern African country on Saturday with a message of encouragement for its long-suffering people.
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Trump orders more access to psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin and ibogaine
Apr 18, 2026 5:09 pm - President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered new efforts to boost federal research into psychedelics and make the drugs available in controlled therapeutic settings, flanked by military veterans who said the move would save lives.
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Fight over Illinois’ swipe fee law heats up as implementation deadline nearsApr 18, 2026 4:00 pm - A unique-to-Illinois law prohibiting banks and credit card companies from charging swipe fees on tips and taxes is set to take effect July 1, but opponents are challenging its legality in federal appeals court and blitzing the airwaves with ads calling for its repeal.
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Is Illinois nearing finish line for statewide regulation of e-bikes?Apr 18, 2026 4:00 pm - As the weather warms, high-speed e-bikes, e-motos and other electric transportation devices are becoming more prevalent on suburban streets once again. And so are calls from communities for statewide regulation of the devices.