Visitors lined up Saturday to tour the southern New Mexico site where the world’s first atomic bomb was detonated in what officials believe could be a record turnout amid ongoing fanfare surrounding Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film, “Oppenheimer.”

Thousands of visitors are expected at the Trinity Site, a designated National Historic Landmark that’s usually closed to the public because of its proximity to the impact zone for missiles fired at White Sands Missile Range. But twice a year, in April and October, the site opens to spectators. No attendance numbers were immediately available Saturday. In a social media post, the missile range said vehicles were lined up for more than 2 miles before the tours started Saturday.

No more than 5,000 visitors were expected to make it within the window between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

While the lore surrounding the atomic bomb has become pop culture fodder, it was part of a painful reality for residents who lived downwind of Trinity Site. The Tularosa Basin Downwinders plan to protest outside the gates to remind visitors about a side of history they say the movie failed to acknowledge.

The group says the U.S. government never warned residents about the testing. Radioactive ash contaminated soil and water. Rates of infant mortality, cancer and other illnesses increased.

Russia renews push in eastern Ukraine

At least three civilians were killed and others wounded in Ukraine on Friday and Saturday, as Russian forces continued to shell areas across the country and pushed forward near an embattled eastern city, local Ukrainian officials reported Saturday.

A man died as Russian forces shelled the Ukrainian-held town of Nikopol from their stronghold at Ukraine’s largest nuclear plant, according to Ukrainian local Gov. Serhii Lysak.

Russian troops took over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant early in the war, sparking intermittent fears of a radiation incident as shelling persisted near the site, often targeting Ukrainian-controlled settlements across the Dnieper River.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov later told reporters that Russian forces destroyed the Ukrainian military’s fuel and ammunition depots near Kryvyi Rih’s local airport.

There was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials to Konashenkov’s claim.

Man who ambushed N.Y. police sentence

A shooter who ambushed New York City police twice in 12 hours, wounding two officers, has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison.

Robert Williams, 47, pleaded guilty last month to two counts of attempted murder of a police officer in the February 2020 shootings in the Bronx.

On the night of Feb. 8, 2020, Williams walked up to a marked police van on a Bronx street, asked officers for directions and then fired into the van at them, wounding Sgt. Paul Stroffolino in the chin and neck, prosecutors said. Williams then ran off.

The next morning, Williams went into a Bronx police station and started shooting, hitting Lt. Jose Gautreaux in the arm and narrowly missing other police personnel before running out of bullets, according to prosecutors. They said police shot at Williams, who then laid down and tossed his pistol.

Suspect’s vehicle found in judge slaying

Authorities found the vehicle used by the suspect in the fatal shooting of a Maryland judge but asked the public to remain vigilant Saturday as they continued searching for the man.

Pedro Argote, 49, is suspected of gunning down the judge in his driveway hours after he ruled against him in a divorce case. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted on Facebook that the silver Mercedes SUV that Argote was believed to be driving has been located in Williamsport, about 8 miles southwest of Hagerstown, where the judge was shot outside his home. The sheriff’s office planned a news conference late Saturday afternoon.

Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, was shot Thursday night, just hours after he awarded custody of Argote’s children to his wife. Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said it was a “targeted attack.”

Ex-officer sentenced in sex assault cases

A former Philadelphia police officer has been sentenced to 15 to 40 years in state prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting women and girls — often while in uniform and in the back of his police vehicle.

Patrick Heron, 54, entered the pleas Friday after reaching an agreement with prosecutors in advance of a trial on more than 200 counts that included child sex assault, child pornography, kidnapping and related offenses, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Jane Roh, spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, said victims who are now spared the trauma of a trial welcomed the guilty plea. Defense attorney Anthony List also said he hoped the plea would spare the victims the anguish of having to testify, and added “hopefully everyone can move on.”

Venezuelans largest for illegal crossings

Venezuelans became the largest nationality arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border, replacing Mexicans for the first time on record, according to figures released Saturday that show September was the second-highest month for arrests of all nationalities.

Venezuelans were arrested 54,833 times by the Border Patrol after entering from Mexico in September, more than double from 22,090 arrests in August and well above the previous monthly high of 33,749 arrests in September 2022.

Arrests of all nationalities entering from Mexico totaled 218,763 in September, up 21% from 181,084 in August and approaching an all-time high of 222,018 in December 2022, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Arrests for the government’s budget year that ended Sept. 30 topped 2 million for the second year in a row, down 7% from an all-time high of more than 2.2 million arrests in the same period a year earlier.

Detroit synagogue leader stabbed to death

A Detroit synagogue president was found stabbed to death outside her home Saturday, police said. The motive wasn’t known.

Emergency medical personnel declared the woman, identified in a statement from Mayor Mike Duggan as Samantha Woll, dead at the scene, Cpl. Dan Donakowski said.

Woll, 40, had led the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue since 2022 and was a former aide to Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin and campaign staffer for Attorney General Dana Nessel, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Police have not identified a possible motive and are investigating, the Free Press reported.

Police found Woll around 6:30 a.m. after someone called to alert them of a person lying on the ground unresponsive, the Free Press reported.

In a statement, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Woll’s death was heartbreaking.

“She was a source of light, a beacon in her community who worked hard to make Michigan a better place,” the governor said.

— From news services