LOUISIANA — Nature’s revenge — more than just a blocked driveway: Max Gonzales hugs his girlfriend, April Martin, while leaning against their car, taking in the surrounding tornado damage where his parents, Michael and Lilian Bray, live in Slidell, La., on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The neighborhood was picking up the pieces the day after a tornado swept through the area. The same weather system brought violent storms to the East Coast and as far inland as the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.

A tornado caused damage at the World Golf Village near St. Augustine and delayed the Masters golf tournament in Atlanta.

KANSAS CITY — Leaping to avoid collision, losing the tag: Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña, top, is unable to tag out Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., who steals second base during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, April 11, 2024. Kansas City won that game 13-3, with a season record thus far of 9-4.

The Houston Astros might hope that this season improves for them; Thursday’s game brought them to 4 wins and 10 losses.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pomp and circumstances, plus red carpet, for Japan: President Joe Biden, center right, and First Lady Jill Biden, right, welcome Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center left, and his wife Yuko Kishida for a State Dinner at the White House, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. The Japanese Prime Minister addressed Congress on Thursday, April 11, urging the lawmakers to consider the importance of global commitments at a time of tension in the Asia-Pacific — particularly a conflict between China and the Philippines over territorial rights in the South China Sea. He also addressed deep skepticism in Congress about U.S. involvement abroad.

Kishida is in Washington this week, visiting President Joe Biden as the White House completes hosting each leader of the Quad — an informal partnership between the U.S. Japan, Australia and India — to mitigate China’s expanding military strength.

ILLINOIS — A face tells the story of agonizing decisions: Deb Robertson sits for a portrait at her Lombard, IL. home, Thursday, March 21, 2024. She didn’t cry when she learned two months ago that the cancerous tumors in her liver were spreading, portending a tormented death. But later, she cried after receiving a call that a bill moving through the Illinois Legislature to allow certain terminally ill patients to end their own lives with a doctor’s help had made progress. The End-of-Life Options Act (SB 3499) “authorizes a qualified patient with a terminal disease to request that a physician prescribe aid-in-dying medication that will allow the patient to end the patient’s life in a peaceful manner.”

This bill has several provisions concerning “procedures and forms to be used to request aid-in-dying medication; the responsibilities of attending and consulting physicians; the referral of patients for determinations of mental capacity; and addresses the proper disposal of unused medication.

HUNGARY — Not your grandmother’s urban handball: Jenny Karlsson of Sweden, left, is challenged by Chikako Kasai of Japan for the ball at the goal during the Olympic qualification handball match between Sweden and Japan in Debrecen, Hungary, Thursday, April 11, 2024. The three Women’s Handball Qualification Tournaments for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are taking place through Sunday, April 14; in addition to the aforementioned tournament, others are being hosted in Spain and Germany.

Other teams in the qualifying rounds are Great Britain, the Netherlands, Czechia, Argentina, Paraguay, Montenegro and Slovenia.

GERMANY — ‘I’m carrying you across the threshold, dammit’: West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal, left, and Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah collide as they battle for the ball during the Europa League quarterfinals first-leg soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and West Ham United at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Leverkusen won that match 2-0, stretching its unbeaten winning streak to 42 games in a season.

Also winning its games were the Atalanta Club from Bergamo, Italy, which beat Liverpool (England), Roma (2-1) against Milan, and Sport Lisboa e Benfica (Portugal), which beat Marseilles 2-1.

AUGUSTA — The grass, the crowd, the caddies … the Masters: Sepp Straka of Austria, Phil Mickelson and Tony Finau walk on the first hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, GA. Bryson DeChambeau was the 18-hole leader after shooting an opening-round 65, according to The Athletic media company (NY Times), making this DeChambeau’s lowest round at Augusta in his career. And five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods shot an opening-round 73.

Severe weather hampered opening day in Atlanta; play was finally suspended at 7:51 p.m. local time because of “darkness.” Had the day been clear, sunset wouldn’t have been until 8:05 p.m. 

KANSAS CITY — ‘Aw shucks, now he’ll have to wash that shirt’: Kansas City Royals’ Salvador Perez (13) douses teammate Bobby Witt Jr., right, after a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Kansas City, MO, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Kansas City won that game 13-3.

The liquid in this unwritten baseball tradition is usually beer.

LOUISIANA — Nature’s revenge — still happening everywhere: Volunteers and staff of Scotty’s Performance Boat & Marine attempt to salvage boats on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Slidell, LA, after a tornado hit a day earlier. Another business was heavily damaged, in which employees had only seconds to get inside before the twister struck.
Originally categorized as an EF-1 tornado, it was upgraded to an EF-2 after officials surveyed the intensity of damage.

MEXICO — ‘These are my people, and here’s the proof’: Presidential candidate Xóchitl Galvez poses for a selfie photo with supporters during a campaign rally in Huixquilucan, Mexico, Thursday, April 11, 2024. A Mexican politician and businesswoman, Galvez has served as mayor of the Miguel Hidalgo borough of Mexico City. Until last year, she was a senator in the Mexican Congress. General elections are set for June 2.

Galvez has caucused with the center-right National Action Party but also committed to progressive stances on abortion, social spending and drug policies.

NEW YORK — “Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight …”: New York Islanders’ Adam Pelech, center, is squeezed by Montreal Canadiens’ Cole Caufield, left, and Jake Evans during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Elmont, NY. The Islanders went on to beat the Canadiens 3-2 in overtime play, giving up a high-danger goal in the second period.

The Montreal Canadiens, founded in 1909, are the world’s oldest professional hockey team and predate the Islanders by about six decades. The Islanders were established in 1972.