JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 855

Los Angeles. Federal authorities arrested 44-year-old Shamim Mafi at Los Angeles International Airport Saturday night on suspicion of brokering sales of Iranian-manufactured drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition to the Sudanese Armed Forces, prosecutors said in a post by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli on Sunday.

She is a lawful permanent resident since 2016 and is expected to be produced in U.S. District Court on Monday; prosecutors cited 50 U.S.C. §1705 in the charging notice and said a conviction could carry up to 20 years in prison, while reporting noted Sudan is in its fourth year of a civil war and facing a humanitarian crisis.

Pittsburgh — The 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 23, taking place across Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium and continuing through Saturday, April 25, as all 32 NFL teams select college players during the 91st edition. Teams will have eight minutes per first-round pick, a change from the previous ten-minute allowance, accelerating opening-night pacing.

This week broadcasters will carry draft coverage on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes, with streaming available via network apps. Day 2 starts Friday, April 24, at 6 p.m. Local programming includes WRTV-ABC's All ACcess: The Draft airing April 23 at 7:30 p.m., highlighting Indiana prospects and Colts-related coverage.

Washington — On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. naval forces intercepted and seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel ignored warnings to stop; the USS Spruance reportedly fired on the ship and U.S. Marines took custody. He posted the account on Truth Social on April 19 and 20.

The seizure occurred amid a U.S. naval blockade affecting Strait of Hormuz traffic and followed reports that Iran had fired on commercial vessels earlier that day; U.S. officials reported the TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury sanctions. Negotiators were reported to plan travel to Pakistan on Monday as a fragile ceasefire approached expiry this week.

Indianapolis — Caitlin Clark returned to on-court activity at the Indiana Fever’s training camp Sunday after an injury-limited 2025 season that restricted her to 13 games. The guard, described by reporters as 100 percent cleared, participated in practice at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after an offseason of adjusted rehab and load-management work with trainer Maria Witte.

The immediate effect is that the Fever enter camp with Clark available, altering roster usage and practice plans; team officials and medical staff have emphasized monitoring during camp and the early season. This week coaches confirmed the organization intends to manage minutes and recovery protocols while assessing Clark’s response to on-court work ahead of regular-season play.

ATHENS, Ga. — Former University of Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch was arrested early Sunday, April 19, in Athens and charged with obstructing public sidewalks or streets and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, according to Athens-Clarke County jail records; he was booked at about 1:26 a.m. and released on $39 bond.

Atlanta-area and national outlets report the arrest this week as Branch, 22, who declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in January after a season with 81 receptions, 811 yards and six touchdowns, faces misdemeanor charges; police have not released further details and the incident occurred days before the draft scheduled later this week.

Shreveport, La. — Early Sunday on April 19, 2036, a gunman opened fire at multiple homes south of downtown, killing eight children and wounding two others, police said. Officers first responded around 6:00 a.m. to the 300 block of West 79th Street; investigators later identified two homes on West 79th Street and a related residence on Harrison Street.

Police said the suspect fled, carjacked a vehicle near West 79th and Linwood, and led officers on a pursuit into Bossier City where officers fired and the suspect was pronounced dead; Louisiana State Police have assumed the officer-involved-shooting investigation. Governor Jeff Landry, Attorney General Liz Murrill, and local leaders issued statements and investigators requested public tips and evidence.

Cincinnati — The Bengals traded the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants on Saturday, acquiring three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence ahead of next week's 2026 NFL draft. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the deal as unprecedented for the franchise, and Lawrence completed a physical before both teams finalized the transaction on Sunday.

Cincinnati officials said on Sunday that Lawrence signed a one-year contract extension after the trade. Director of player personnel Duke Tobin and coach Zac Taylor stated the team will pursue additional defensive upgrades in the draft, noting last season's defensive rankings and the need to address run defense and pressure generation.

PITTSBURGH. The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled right-hander Wilber Dotel from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned Cam Sanders on April 19, 2026, ahead of the Rays series finale. Dotel, the organization's No. 12 prospect, is expected to make his major-league debut after mixed Triple-A results, while the roster move addresses immediate bullpen needs.

The change follows Sanders' April 18 appearance, when he allowed four earned runs in a comeback inning, and the club's April 17 transaction placing outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia on a seven-day injured list with lower back tightness. General manager Ben Cherington said on April 19 the team will prioritize internal options while monitoring trade and free-agency possibilities.

DENVER — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed first baseman Freddie Freeman on the paternity list on Sunday and recalled outfielder/first baseman Ryan Ward to the major-league roster, officially promoting the 28-year-old after seven seasons in the minors and a late-Friday announcement of his call-up.

Ward, hitting .324 with a reported 1.020 OPS at Triple-A Oklahoma City, is scheduled to start at first base and bat seventh against the Colorado Rockies this weekend; Freeman may miss between one and three games under MLB paternity-list rules, prompting temporary lineup adjustments and evaluation of the Dodgers' depth.

Washington — Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday on CNN that U.S. gasoline prices likely peaked in the week following a surge tied to the Iran conflict but could remain above $3 per gallon until next year; officials attributed recent increases to shipping restrictions near the Strait of Hormuz and related regional incidents.

This week, officials and market trackers reported national averages around $4.00–$4.11 per gallon, with state-level year-over-year increases as high as 42.5% in Kentucky; President Trump publicly disputed Wright's timeline on Monday, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered a quicker summer decline estimate, and analysts said prices should fall once the conflict resolves.