Today is Saturday, April 26, the 116th day of 2025. There are 249 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 26, 1986, in the worst nuclear disaster in history, an explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine caused radioactive fallout to begin spewing into the atmosphere. Dozens of people were killed in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, while the long-term death toll from radiation poisoning is believed to number in the thousands.

Also on this date:

In 1607, English colonists went ashore at present-day Cape Henry, Virginia, on an expedition to establish the first permanent English settlement in the Western Hemisphere.

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In 1865, John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, was surrounded by federal troops near Port Royal, Virginia, and killed.

In 1913, Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old worker at a Georgia pencil factory, was strangled; Leo Frank, the factory superintendent, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to death. (Frank’s death sentence was commuted, but he was lynched by an antisemitic mob in 1915.)

In 1964, the African nations of Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form what is now known as Tanzania.

In 1977, the legendary nightclub Studio 54 had its opening night in New York.

In 1994, voting began in South Africa’s first all-race elections, which resulted in victory for the African National Congress and the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as president.

In 2000, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean signed the nation’s first bill allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.

In 2012, former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first head of state since World War II to be convicted by an international war crimes court as he was found guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and the use of child soldiers. (Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison.)

In 2018, comedian Bill Cosby was convicted of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand at Cosby’s suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004. (Cosby was later sentenced to three to 10 years in prison, but Pennsylvania’s highest court threw out the conviction and released him from prison in June 2021, ruling that the prosecutor in the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby.)

Today’s Birthdays:

Actor-comedian Carol Burnett is 92.
Composer-producer Giorgio Moroder is 85.
Olympic swimming gold medalist Donna de Varona is 78.
Actor Giancarlo Esposito is 67.
Actor Joan Chen is 64.
Actor Jet Li is 62.
Actor-comedian Kevin James is 60.
Former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey is 59.
Actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste is 58.
First lady Melania Trump is 55.
Singer Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins (TLC) is 55.
Country musician Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) is 54.
Actor Tom Welling is 48.
Actor Pablo Schreiber is 47.
Actor Jordana Brewster is 45.
Actor Channing Tatum is 45.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is 33.

It’s become something of a rallying cry for the diehards of the Timberwolves fan base, born organically a couple of years ago during an interview with Anthony Edwards on SiriusXM NBA Radio.

Asked about the Phoenix Suns trading for his childhood idol Kevin Durant, Edwards earnestly delivered a rebuttal that might’ve seemed farfetched at the time, saying, “You know, they got KD, but we got Jaden McDaniels.”

To put both players in the same sentence was a bit of a stretch a couple of years ago, when Durant was still very much at the peak of his powers, and when McDaniels was still working to find his footing in the NBA.

Not anymore. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers.

To say that McDaniels proved his worth on Friday night at Target Center would be an understatement. He was a star on both ends of the floor in the playoff matchup, propelling the Timberwolves to a 116-104 win over the Lakers.

Not only did McDaniels serve as the primary defender for Luka Doncic, he was a force on the other end, as well, tying a career high with 30 points.

Asked about the way McDaniels dominated, Chris Finch summed it up perfectly with his response.

“Just a monster,” Finch said. “It couldn’t have come at a better time.”

It’s not surprising that McDaniels was locked in on the defensive end considering that’s been his calling card throughout his career. The success that he had on the offensive end was rather unexpected.

“Just trying to stay in the flow of the offense,” McDaniels said. “Just playing with confidence, make or miss, and continuing to attack.”

The aggressiveness from McDaniels was on display as he got most of his buckets in and around the paint. Whether he was finishing strong at the rim, slashing through the lane, or nailing the little midrange jumper that he’s slowly starting to perfect, he consistently took advantage of his matchups against the lesser defenders being thrown at him.

The production from McDaniels was necessary as LeBron James tried his best to put the team on his back with Doncic battling a stomach bug. After looking every bit of 40 years old earlier in the series, James poured in 38 points with relative ease like he was still in his prime.

It wasn’t enough because McDaniels essentially matching him shot for shot throughout the game.

That wasn’t lost on Mike Conley as he talked about McDaniels in the locker room.

“We need more of it,” Conley said. “I don’t think he even understands how good he is.”

The win in Game 3 put the Timberwolves firmly in the driver’s seat with a 2-1 lead in in the series heading into Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Target Center. The rest of the series could hinge on whether McDaniels can continue to play at such a high level.

It’s not a coincidence that McDaniels has been arguably the best player on the court for the Timberwolves in both of their wins. That’s because the Lakers don’t seem to have a good counter for him.

After an masterclass by Edwards in the clutch time, a 116-104 win, he started his press conference by immediately deferring credit elsewhere.

“I got two words: Jaden McDaniels,” Edwards said. “Just that simple.”

As impressive as Edwards was down the stretch, McDaniels actually hit the final shot of the game.

Maybe it was fitting given the circumstance.

It was a reminder that, yes, the Timberwolves got Jaden McDaniels, and that’s a problem for the Lakers.

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By LUIS ANDRES HENAO, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His death set off mourning across the Catholic world and days of ritual at the Vatican. Here are the key things to know about the funeral of the first Latin American pontiff in the church’s history:

When and where is his funeral being held?

His funeral is being held on Saturday in St. Peter’s Square. Francis will then be buried, according to his will: in a simple underground tomb at St. Mary Major Basilica. The church is home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, to whom he was particularly devoted.

The sealing of the coffin

The night before the funeral, the camerlengo presided over the closing and sealing of the coffin, in the presence of other senior cardinals. A white cloth was placed over Francis’ face.

A bag containing coins minted during his papacy was placed in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy — known in Italian as a “rogito,” a word indicating an official deed. It was read aloud by the master of liturgical ceremonies and then rolled up and slipped inside a cylindrical tube that was placed inside the coffin. Another copy is kept in the Vatican archives. The covers of both the zinc coffin and the wooden one bear a cross and Francis’ papal coat of arms.

Why not at the Vatican?

Francis had said he wanted to be buried not in St. Peter’s Basilica or its grottoes, where most popes are buried, but in the St. Mary Major Basilica across town. His choice reflects his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the people of Rome).

The bell tower of St. Mary Major Basilica, where the burial ceremony of Pope Francis will take place, in Rome, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.

Which dignitaries are expected to attend?

Heads of state, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron, are among those expected for the funeral. Others dignitaries include: Prince William, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Council President António Costa.

How long did the pope serve?

Pope Francis had a 12-year papacy during which he charmed the world with his humility and concern for the poor. But the Argentina-born pope also alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change.

So, how do they choose a new pope?

The death of a pope starts a centuries-old ritual to elect a new one, involving sacred oaths by the cardinals, the piercing of ballots with a needle and thread after they’re counted, and then burning them to produce either the white or black smoke to signal if there’s a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

With the burial, the Catholic Church begins nine days of official mourning, known as the “novemdiales”. The date of the conclave to elect a new pope has not yet been announced.

People queue trying to reach St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

In the conclave, the cardinals will vote in secret sessions, and the ballots will be burned in a special stove after each session. Black smoke indicates no pope has been elected; white smoke says the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

Any baptized Catholic male is eligible, though only cardinals have been selected since 1378. The winner must receive at least two-thirds of the vote from those cardinals under age 80 who are eligible to participate.

Francis appointed the vast majority of electors, often tapping men who share his pastoral priorities, which suggests continuity rather than rupture.

While it’s impossible to predict who the next pope will be, some cardinals are considered to have better chances than others.

Is it like the movie?

Yes and no. “Conclave” the 2024 film, introduced many laypeople to the ancient selection process with its arcane rules and grand ceremony, albeit with a silver screen twist packed full of palace intrigue and surprise.

Vatican experts say the movie excels at re-creating the look and feel of a conclave. But there are discrepancies, errors and some outlandish storylines in the Hollywood version. And while the voting process was depicted accurately, the ballots are burned not after each vote, but after each session.

The legacy of Francis

Francis was known for his personal simplicity, from the choice of his name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who renounced wealth to help the poor, to the outward symbols and priorities of his papacy.

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He chose to live in the Vatican’s Domus Santa Marta hotel instead of the Apostolic Palace and wore his old orthotic shoes and not the red loafers of the papacy.

In his teachings, he focused on concern for refugees and other marginalized people. His first trip outside Rome as pope in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to meet with newly arrived migrants. His plea for welcome put him at odds with U.S. and European policies.

He also also signaled a more welcoming stance toward LGBTQ+ people, while also making the fight against climate change a priority. Francis became the first pope to use scientific data in a major teaching document and made care for God’s creation a hallmark of his papacy.

He eschewed the grandiose even in his departure, lying in state in a simple coffin made of wood.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — From some of the world’s most powerful leaders to those on society’s margins whom Pope Francis always made a point to minister to, hundreds of thousands of people were expected at the Vatican Saturday for the funeral rites for the late pontiff.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and some 60 other heads of state and reigning sovereigns announced their plans to travel to Rome from around the globe. The Vatican said that “a group of the poor and the needy” would be on the steps of St. Mary Major Basilica to pay homage to the first Jesuit and first Latin American pope before his burial in the church.

The Holy See press office added that the poor had a special place in Francis’ heart. He had chosen for his papacy the name of the medieval Italian saint who famously renounced his family’s wealth when he joined the church.

Already, long lines of the faithful have paid their homage to Francis, who died Monday at age 88, over the three days that his body was lying in state in a simple wooden coffin inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

From the beginning of his papacy in 2013, Francis won over many around the world, Catholic or not, with his advocacy for migrants and the environment. His legacy was more mixed on the topics of clergy sexual abuse and LGBTQ+ outreach, which made waves for increasing inclusion but some criticized for not going far enough.

A nun smiles as she waits ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Faithful, one holding a placard with the Ukrainian flag and reading Francis, pray for us, arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Nuns and other pilgrims look for their seats in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Police officers speak in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
A faithful wearing a flag from Argentina arrives for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Nuns and pilgrims make their way to St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Faithful and Swiss Guards are backdropped by St. Peter’s Basilica ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Faithful rest on the ground ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
A man yawns as people arrive in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
A nun waits in St. Peter’s Square as people arrive ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)