May 7, 2026 4:51 am
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Officials and experts in Argentina are scrambling to figure out if their country is the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has gripped an Atlantic cruise. Argentina is consistently ranked by the World Health Organization as having the highest incidence of the rare, rat-borne disease in Latin America. And it’s seeing a surge of hantavirus cases that many local public health researchers attribute to the accelerating effects of climate change. The Argentine Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 101 hantavirus infections since June 2025. That’s roughly double the caseload recorded over the same period the previous year.
May 6, 2026 6:23 pm
Two people are dead after a multi-vehicle crash near the Fort Duquesne Bridge caused a vehicle to go off the deck and onto the street below. The crash happened at the split of Route 28 and Route 65 near the Fort Duquesne Bridge at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Pittsburgh Police Chief Jason Lando said five vehicles were involved in that initial crash. One of those vehicles went over the side and crashed onto Reedsdale Street below. The driver and sole occupant of that vehicle died. At 5:30 p.m., Pittsburgh Public Safety officials said that driver was a man.
May 6, 2026 4:14 pm
Recent federal Medicaid funding cuts are threatening the stability of some Pennsylvania hospitals, with reports indicating that dozens of facilities are at risk of closure or service reductions, particularly those in rural areas and safety-net institutions. New Medicaid work requirements, eligibility changes for immigrants, and reduced federal funding matches are expected to impact 310,000 to 600,000 state residents. A report by Public Citizen identified over 400 U.S. hospitals vulnerable to closure, with multiple reports highlighting twelve to forty-seven hospitals in Pennsylvania at risk, including UPMC Mercy, UPMC McKeesport, UPMC Greene, and Highlands Hospital in Connellsville. The spending legislation slashes federal contributions to Medicaid and CHIP by over $900 billion over a decade.
May 6, 2026 8:41 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Iran appear to be moving closer to an initial agreement to end the war, and U.S. President Donald Trump is pressuring Tehran with threats of a new wave of bombing if a deal is not reached. Trump posted Wednesday on social media that the two-month war could soon end and that oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict could restart. But he said that depends on Iran accepting a reported agreement that the president did not detail. Trump made his latest comments after he suspended a short-lived U.S. effort to force open a safe passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
May 6, 2026 10:43 am
NEW YORK (AP) — CNN founder Ted Turner, an outspoken and often outrageous television pioneer, has died at age 87. The network says Turner died Wednesday, citing a news release from Turner Enterprises. Turner transformed an obscure Atlanta television station into the first satellite-based “superstation” and founded Cable News Network, the first 24-hour, all news TV network. The brash southerner owned sports teams, was a champion yacht racer and was married to actress Jane Fonda for 10 years. He was one of America’s most extensive landowners, and became a prolific philanthropist, donating $1 billion to the United Nations.
May 6, 2026 2:36 am
Last fall, Washington County Commissioners embarked on the idea of building a miniature golf course in the Mingo Creek County Park. On Thursday, commissioners will vote on granting a proposal to Adventure Golf and Sports to build the venue. During their agenda meeting, Commissioner Larry Maggi questioned the spending of $318,595 to build the golf course. If commissioners wish, an additional $131,121 could be spent on an add on package that includes water features. He said that that is nearly a half million dollars that could be better spent elsewhere. He feels that adding a miniature golf course would take away from the “pristine natural atmosphere” that current park visitors enjoy. Commissioner Nick Sherman feels that it is a good idea. He says that the county should be doing more to add entertainment options for the younger generations. Sherman said that earlier questions about whether the original guidelines under which the park was founded would disallow the venture are not applicable. If approved, Sherman says that construction on the project could begin in June.
May 6, 2026 2:32 am
Washington County Commissioners will consider a Washington County Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council (WCSORAC). The council would be made up of 11-15 members. Some of the positions could come from the Parks and Recreation Department, The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Boat Commission, a watershed conservation expert and possible at large members. The mission of the organization would be to promote and enhance outdoor recreation, conservation and sportsmanship. They want to protect natural habitats and expand public access to fishing, hunting, hiking and other outdoor activities. In addition to the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commissions, the county would like to connect with local outdoor clubs and school districts and youth groups. In the first two years, the council would like to hold events like a family fishing and boating day. A County Sportsmen’s Weekend is proposed featuring hunting safety and fly casting demonstrations. It would also hold a year round “Explore Washington County” education series in schools and camps. Commissioners will vote on the measure on Thursday.
May 5, 2026 4:53 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania has sued an artificial intelligence chatbot maker, saying its chatbots illegally hold themselves out as doctors and deceive the system’s users into thinking they’re getting medical advice from a licensed professional. The lawsuit was filed Friday and asks a state court to order Character Technologies Inc. to stop its Character.AI chatbots “from engaging in the unlawful practice of medicine and surgery.” The lawsuit says an investigator from a state agency found a character that described itself as a “doctor of psychiatry” who’s licensed in Pennsylvania. Character.AI says it posts disclaimers to inform users that characters on its website aren’t real people and that everything they say “should be treated as fiction.”
May 6, 2026 5:02 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of a gallon of regular gasoline climbed 31 cents in the past week, spiking to an average of $4.48 per gallon Tuesday, according to AAA. That’s up 50% since the war with Iran began. Many drivers were hopeful in mid-April, amid signs that the conflict could be winding down, and gasoline prices fell daily for almost two weeks. But as the war continued, gasoline prices reversed course and began increasing again. And energy experts say that even once the war ends, it will take months for gasoline prices to return to pre-war levels.
May 6, 2026 4:57 am
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republicans are rapidly pursuing redistricting efforts across the South following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affects majority-Black congressional districts. South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana are all considering changes. In South Carolina, Republican leaders are targeting a district held by a longtime Black Democratic lawmaker. Alabama is debating legislation for a special congressional primary. Tennessee lawmakers are in a special session to consider a plan that could divide Memphis, a majority-Black city. Louisiana has postponed its congressional primary to allow time for a new redistricting plan. Democrats and civil rights groups are challenging these moves.
