April 6, 2026 5:12 am
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff, urging peace through dialogue and calling for an end to conflicts worldwide. He departed from tradition by not listing global woes in his Urbi et Orbi blessing. Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, emphasized Easter’s message of hope and transformation. With ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, he acknowledges indifference to the suffering caused by wars. Leo announced a prayer vigil for peace on April 11. In the Holy Land, Easter celebrations are subdued due to restrictions on public gatherings, while Gazan Christians celebrated the first Easter since a ceasefire. Armenian Christians gathered in the Iranian capital during the fifth week of war.
April 6, 2026 5:10 am
HOUSTON (AP) — The Artemis II astronauts are more than halfway to the moon. The three Americans and one Canadian will reach their destination Monday, performing a lunar flyby and then coming straight back home. They are the first moonbound crew in more than half a century, picking up where NASA’s Apollo program left off. On the downside, their toilet is on the blink again. Until it is fixed, Mission Control has instructed the astronauts to break out more of the backup urine collection bags. The toilet malfunctioned following Wednesday’s liftoff and has been hit and miss ever since.
April 6, 2026 5:02 am
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — Two firefighters have died in a head-on vehicle collision in Pennsylvania. The crash happened Saturday evening when their utility vehicle collided with a Toyota Camry on Route 222. Fire Chief Jeff Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Shick Jr. were traveling north when the sedan reportedly swerved off the road. NBC Philadelphia reported that the utility vehicle was riding on the shoulder. Police said the Camry’s occupants fled but were later arrested. The fire company expressed condolences to the families on Facebook.
April 5, 2026 7:29 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. service member who had been missing since Iran shot down a fighter jet has been rescued, President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post early Sunday. The crew member had been missing since Friday, when Iran downed a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle. A second crew member was rescued earlier. Trump wrote that the aviator is injured but “will be just fine,” and that the rescue involved “dozens of aircraft.” A frantic search and rescue operation unfolded after the jet crashed, as Iran promised a reward for anyone turning the aviator in. In the United Arab Emirates, authorities responded to multiple fires at the Borouge petrochemicals plant following an attack. (Photo: AP)
April 5, 2026 7:51 am
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — A smoky wildfire in Southern California that broke out Friday morning was mostly under control Saturday afternoon. The Springs Fire in Riverside County, about 64 miles east of Los Angeles, was 75% contained by Saturday. Strong Santa Ana winds that were predicted to gust up to 45 mph on Saturday had “dissipated a bit” since Friday, helping firefighters. About 260 personnel are battling the blaze, and no structures have been damaged. Most evacuation orders have been lifted, and officials expected the rest to be removed by the end of the day. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
April 5, 2026 8:20 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Screenwriters and Hollywood studios have reached a tentative deal after a few weeks of negotiation. The Writers Guild of America and The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced the deal late Saturday. The four-year agreement is longer than a typical contract. It still needs approval from the guild’s board and members. The terms of the deal are not immediately announced. But it is expected to include several union priorities such as better health care plans and more protection against artificial intelligence. The tentative deal comes three years after writers went on a historic strike that partially brought Hollywood to a standstill. Actors and directors are still negotiating new contracts with the studios.
April 5, 2026 7:50 am
HOUSTON (AP) — The Artemis II astronauts are more than halfway to the moon. The three Americans and one Canadian will reach their destination Monday, performing a lunar flyby and then coming straight back home. They are the first moonbound crew in more than half a century, picking up where NASA’s Apollo program left off. On the downside, their toilet is on the blink again. Until it is fixed, Mission Control has instructed the astronauts to break out more of the backup urine collection bags. The toilet malfunctioned following Wednesday’s liftoff and has been hit and miss ever since.
April 4, 2026 8:24 am
MARSHALL COUNTY, WV — A worker Friday morning died after being crushed at a coal mine in Marshall County, prompting a multi-agency emergency response. Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s office identified the miner as Darin Reece, as Morrisey gave his condolences, “We extend our condolences to his family, his fellow miners, and all those who knew him. He served as a Continuous Miner Section Supervisor and was part of a workforce that takes on difficult and dangerous work every day.” According to authorities, Marshall County 911 received a call just after 10:30 Friday morning requesting EMS for Reece at the Ohio County Mine Golden Ridge Portal who had been crushed and suffered head and neck injuries. Dallas EMS, Marshall County EMS, Ohio County EMS, Stone Church VFD, West Finley VFD, and air medical were all requested for aid.
