WTOP | Washington’s Top News | DC, MD & VA News, Traffic & Weather

APTOPIX Kennedy Center

Kennedy Center board votes to inscribe Trump’s name to facade of performing arts building

Trump Reflecting Pool Park Service

Reflecting Pool's botched repairs threaten to tarnish the National Park Service's reputation

Carolina Molina

'This guy's really pointing a gun at my head': Virginia woman speaks out after viral ICE video

Fauquier County Sheriff's Office official next to vehicle.

17-year-old arrested in connection with deadly shooting at Fauquier County quinceañera

Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

Before the 'carnage', Montgomery County fair makes the midway a little calmer

Bryan Betancur

Man accused of filming himself stroking women’s hair on Metro train found guilty

How AI is starting to influence political campaigns

Jayden Daniels sends LSU cease-and-desist letter regarding decision to give No. 5 jersey to current player

Things to do in the DC area: African Diaspora Film Festival, Tomato Party … and more!

Metro union calls for policy reversal involving fare announcement on buses following recent assault

Sex toy outside DC fire station prompts bomb squad response

Pentagon wants to spend millions on Palantir with few details

Elevated view of students writing their GCSE exam

Why is enrollment across DC-area school districts falling?

Row of yellow school buses parked with blue sky in the background

Back to school: Hear from Stafford County Public Schools superintendent

Three young adult university students are sitting on steps, using smartphones and studying, with backpacks beside them

How ‘popcorn brain’ can create challenges in the classroom

children’s boutique Rue & Row

Local boutique says kids are calling the shots on back-to-school fashion

yellow school buses

Back to school: Hear from Spotsylvania County Public Schools superintendent

PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA - APRIL 19: A school bus is shown parked at a depot on April 19, 2023 in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The Florida Board of Education today approved banning discussion in the classroom of sexual orientation and gender identity for all grades through 12th grade, an expansion of what critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” law. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Back-to-school guide: Changes coming to DC-area schools this fall

01:28

Virginia woman speaks out after viral ICE video

02:58

Step into a vault of centuries-old books at this DC library

00:58

Mongtomery Co. 'court camp' gives teens a front-row seat to the justice system

01:14

Why Fairfax Co. students are reading to shelter animals

02:15

Takeaways from the Commanders-Dolphins joint practice

01:29

Mott's Market reopens on Capitol Hill after 4 years

00:43

Why school enrollment is falling across the DC area

01:34

Six arrested for series of retail store robberies around the DC region

00:49

Protesters call to ‘Free DC’ 1 year after Trump deployed National Guard

01:19

Your next DC food delivery could arrive via a robot

00:51

Meet Earl, a dog full of potential and a ton of fun

01:21

Local boutique owner: Kids are rocking bright colors and rhinestones this year

02:58

Step into a vault of centuries-old books at this DC library

01:12

Arlington graduate earns spot on USA Para Hockey World Cup team

01:09

A salute to service includes some serious drilling — NFL style

01:04

Washington-area native Stefon Diggs returns home to the Commanders

00:56

DC brewer wins opportunity to learn from craft beer legend

00:44

NPS notice blames previous administrations for Reflecting Pool issues

×

Trump Press Secretary

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving the Trump administration

Fairfax County student reads to adoptable pets as part of its Paws & Read initiative

Fairfax County's 'Paws & Read' program boosts kids' reading skills, pets' adoptability

Trump Truth Social

Lawsuit seeks to ban Trump Media from charging for early access to president's posts on US policy

Montgomery County teen court academy

Montgomery Co. teens act as judge, jury and attorneys in unique summer academy

folger shakespeare library

Step into a vault of rare texts from Shakespeare and beyond at DC's Folger Library

A stolen snake

Man hoarding cache of stolen reptiles in Capitol Heights home arrested, police say

FEHB and Medicare: Understanding how they work together in retirement

Insight by FEBA

Jayden Daniels

Commanders' Jayden Daniels shines in joint practice vs. Dolphins in front of a star-studded audience

Maximus earns ‘top workplace’ award by investing in employee growth, training and AI skills

Insight by Maximus

Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook (4) dribbles the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Russell Westbrook retires from the NBA with a farewell video narrated by Michael B. Jordan

A parent holds a child ready for vaccination

Virginia’s vaccine recommendations, requirements won’t change after Trump order, officials say

Neal Augenstein has been a general assignment reporter with WTOP since 1997.

New test searches for tiniest remnants of Neal Augenstein's lung cancer in his blood

Matthew Mahl, a 23-year veteran with the D.C. police was arrested in April.

DC police lieutenant pleads guilty in child sex abuse sting

In this photo illustration a virtual friend is seen on the screen of an iPhone on April 30, 2020, in Arlington, Virginia. - "It's so good to hear your voice." "I was worried about you." "What would you like to do today?"
This might sound like ordinary banter between friends. But in these cases, the "friend" speaking was a chatbot created with artificial intelligence. The custom-designed chatbots -- male, female or other -- in this case come from California-based startup Replika and are designed to be companions for people needing a connection. The AI chatbots have drawn increased interest during the global virus pandemic, which has led to a sharp rise in isolation and anxiety. (Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

What two studies say about teens and AI usage, and what it means for parents

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue vehicles on the scene of a deadly crash

Police identify Frederick man, 67, killed in crash near Damascus

DC police cruiser

Neighborhood commissioner sues DC police over reward money allegedly promised in crime cases

Germany Solar Eclipse

TOTAL ECLIPSE: Spain sees country's 1st total solar eclipse in over a century

Car Review: The Subaru Crosstrek Sport Hybrid is desert ready and Beltway friendly

Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader announces arrests in a series of retail robberies

'This was their profession': 6 arrests in series of DC-area retail robberies totaling $500,000

The E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse, for the US District Court and US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, is seen in Washington, DC, November 3, 2025.

A DC trial was wrapping up when jurors made a discovery that shocked the courtroom

County News

Kennedy Center board moves forward with a two-year closure to allow for renovations, AP sources say

Reflecting Pool’s botched repairs threaten to tarnish the National Park Service’s reputation

Before the ‘carnage’, Montgomery County fair makes the midway a little calmer

17-year-old arrested in connection with deadly shooting at Fauquier County quinceañera

Step into a vault of rare texts from Shakespeare and beyond at DC’s Folger Library

NATIONAL

A 'share the trail' sign on the W&OD trail.

Man convicted of first 'stranger rape' in Herndon in more than a decade, according to then-police chief

Maryland

Immigration Detention Expansion

Federal judge says proposed immigration facility in Howard County can move forward, for now

Sports

Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers

A blockbuster $12.5B deal as Josh Kushner and Bob Iger agree to buy the Lakers, AP source says

Sponsored

At SOME, food is everything

At SOME, food is everything

Insight by Kaiser Permanente

VIDEOS

1UP: 'Absolutely pristine' copies of Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt found

APTOPIX Trump Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

WATCH: 'Apology would be nice.' Judge tosses ex-Olympian's Reflecting Pool vandalism case

Maryland State House

WATCH: Maryland General Assembly advances redistricting amendment

PHOTO GALLERIES

APTOPIX Spain Solar Eclipse

PHOTOS: Total solar eclipse awes millions in Spain, Iceland

Car Review: Subaru Crosstrek Sport Hybrid

Meet Earl and Toppy, WTOP's Pets of the Week.

WTOP's Pets of the Week

22 Hours: A Second Look

American Nightmares Season 6 Primer: From The Garden to The Canal

#17, Justin Baer: Building a $75M men's lifestyle brand from 1 shirt

Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley

Eli Roth

WTOP's DC Sports Huddle

How the Commanders 'win' NFL free agency

493 | Denmark Confronts Trump Administration over Greenland

thERINpy with Erin Washington

Marni Battista, life design coach and author of Your Radical Living Challenge

From Our Partners

WTOP News Welcomes Kristin Diaz as New AM Drive Anchor

WTOP News Welcomes John Wordock as New Business Reporter 2026

Crosswords, Sudoku, Puzzles, Solitaire and more! Play FREE games from WTOP!

Click here to learn more about the WTOP App!

Enter for your chance to win the WTOP Free Lunch Friday Contest for friends and family!

Listen live to WTOP so you never miss a moment

Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.