May 3, 2026 7:25 am
(AP) – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins this week attributed a multimillion-person drop in the number of participants receiving food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to the tamping down of fraud and an improved economy. It is true that SNAP beneficiaries decreased by nearly 4.3 million from January 2025 to January 2026, according to preliminary government data released by the Agriculture Department. However, experts say fraud detection and economic upturns are not the primary reasons. Instead they say the key drivers are new requirements mandated by a massive tax and spending cut bill Republicans pushed through Congress last summer.
May 3, 2026 7:22 am
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war but expressed skepticism it would be acceptable. He mentioned this on Saturday before boarding Air Force One. Iran reportedly shared a 14-point proposal via Pakistan. Trump rejected a previous proposal this week, but conversations continue, and a three-week ceasefire is holding. Meanwhile, the health of imprisoned Iranian rights lawyer Narges Mohammadi is at high risk, according to her family. The U.S. has warned shipping companies about possible sanctions for paying Iran to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has also hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel.
May 3, 2026 7:30 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has launched a wave of strikes against Russia’s oil export infrastructure, hitting a key loading port on the Baltic Sea and two tankers that Ukraine alleges were illegally used to transport Russian crude. A nighttime drone strike sparked a blaze at Russia’s largest oil exporting port on the Baltic Sea, according to Russian regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko. The port of Primorsk lies over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine. Elsewhere, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had hit two tankers in the Black Sea that had been used to transport Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions.
May 3, 2026 7:27 am
BERLIN (AP) — A rescue team has released from a barge in the North Sea a humpback whale that had been stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, witnesses said. Nicknamed Timmy by German media, the whale was spotted swimming near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3, far from its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean. The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts were made to coax it toward deeper seas. The environment minister for Germany’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state gave the green light for the attempt to save the whale, despite some warnings from the scientific community that it may be too much for the animal.
May 3, 2026 7:21 am
PITTSBURGH — Travelers who were supposed to fly to or from Pittsburgh on a Spirit flight have options after the budget airline ceased operations. On Saturday morning, Spirit Airlines announced it was going out of business after 34 years and immediately cancelled flights, including three departing from and one arriving at Pittsburgh International Airport. The markets Spirit served from Pittsburgh were Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and Myrtle Beach, all of which are served nonstop by other carriers — Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant, JetBlue and Breeze. Even more carriers serve the markets via connections. Per the Pittsburgh International Airport website, Spirit customers should not come to the airport. Instead, customers should contact to other carriers for alternative booking options to their destinations. Spirit customers can also seek information about refunds and other traveler options on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Aviation Industry Bankruptcy and Service Cessations webpage.
May 3, 2026 7:15 am
A woman was shot multiple times at a state park in Western Pennsylvania early Saturday morning. According to a Pennsylvania State Police report, a man and woman from New Jersey were visiting the area and got into an argument while at Moraine State Park after 3 a.m. During that argument, police say Jevonn Brown, 31, shot the 29-year-old woman multiple times while she was seated inside a vehicle. First responders rendered aid on scene, then took the woman to a Pittsburgh hospital for further treatment. Troopers did not specify her current condition. Investigators took Brown into custody and later charged him with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. He’s being held in the Butler County Jail.
May 2, 2026 5:06 am
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Spirit Airlines has announced it is going out of business after 34 years. The ultra-low-cost airline known for its bright yellow planes and deep discount fares said Saturday it has started winding down operations. It said all its flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available. The airline had been struggling financially since the COVID-19 pandemic, weighed down by rising costs and debt. Efforts to secure a government bailout failed, leaving about 17,000 jobs at risk. Spirit’s closure could impact budget-conscious travelers, especially in areas like Las Vegas and Florida, where the airline had a significant presence.
May 2, 2026 4:53 am
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — A family is displaced after a fire broke at a home in Fayette County. Dispatchers said firefighters were called to the 90 block of Connellsville Street in Uniontown just before 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Uniontown Fire Department Assistant Chief Rick Lint said the first arriving units saw heavy smoke when they arrived. “As soon as we pulled in, we had bystanders state that there were possibly two kids in the upstairs of the house. We did a very aggressive attack and search right off the get-go for that,” Lint said. Lint said the back of the house sustained most of the damage. The Red Cross has been notified and they will give the family shelter and clothing. No injuries were reported.
May 2, 2026 7:00 am
A Bethel Park school bus driver is charged with driving students while drunk. Police say the Bethel Park High School boys’ volleyball team was on the bus last Friday when the driver started driving erratically. A motorist who had been following the bus noticed it was swerving and called police. Officers met the bus at the high school where they say the volleyball coach told them the driver smelled of alcohol and ignored pleas to pull over. Police say they found an empty water bottle in driver Jeanne Bennett’s purse that smelled of alcohol. The 68-year-old admitted she’d been drinking. The district is taking action. The administration sent a message to parents saying the driver was immediately removed from service. All students were safely transported and accounted for, and each affected family was contacted. Bennett faces more than 50 charges, including 17 felonies for endangering the welfare of children. She was released after posting bond and is due in court on May 14th.
May 2, 2026 5:04 am
A Supreme Court decision striking down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana has amplified an already intense national redistricting battle. The court’s ruling Wednesday limits the use of race in drawing voting districts. In response, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has suspended the state’s May 16 congressional primary to allow time for state lawmakers to draw new House districts. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has called a special session to start Monday in case the Supreme Court allows the state to change its U.S. House districts, and Tennessee’s Republican governor is calling a session starting Tuesday to do the same there.
