A 4.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Mountains region at approximately 1:40 AM PT on Thursday, April 2, 2026, with its epicenter near Boulder Creek, California, prompting residents to report shaking and minor property damage across nearby communities. The tremor was felt strongly in surrounding areas, including Felton, located about five miles from the epicenter. Surveillance footage captured inside a residence in Felton shows the sudden jolt as objects shifted and fell du

Iowa State women’s basketball standout Audi Crooks has announced she will enter the transfer portal, marking one of the most significant moves of the college basketball offseason. The decision was shared on Thursday, April 3, 2026, as Crooks confirmed she will explore new opportunities for her final year of eligibility. Crooks, a 6-foot-3 junior from Algona, Iowa, emerged this season as one of the nation’s most dominant players. She finished second nationally in scoring, averagi

WASHINGTON — The National Capital Planning Commission approved plans for a new White House ballroom on Thursday, April 2, 2026, moving forward with a major expansion proposal despite an ongoing legal dispute that could delay construction. The decision came just days after a federal judge ordered a temporary halt to certain construction activities unless Congress grants authorization for the project. According to commission officials, the approval process continued because the ruling

The Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to terms with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, marking a significant move as the team reshapes its roster ahead of the upcoming NFL season. The deal was confirmed on Thursday, April 3, 2026, with Cousins set to receive $20 million in guaranteed money for the 2026 season. The agreement continues Cousins’ streak of fully guaranteed contracts, now extending into his 11th consecutive season. The deal also includes a two-year club option worth up to $

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas’ first statewide school voucher-style initiative has drawn overwhelming interest, with more than 274,000 applications submitted for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program by the deadline of Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The volume of applications significantly exceeds the program’s initial capacity of approximately 90,000 students, setting the stage for a highly competitive selection process. The TEFA program, established by the Texas Legislature in 2025,

A once-thriving retail hub in Santa Clara, California, is rapidly emptying as redevelopment plans move forward, prompting legal action from displaced business owners who allege unfair treatment by the property’s former landlord. Two tenants from the Homestead Shopping Center — Tous les Jours bakery and Fuheng Herbs — have filed separate lawsuits against former property owner David Bider and Cypress Investments, claiming they were misled and pressured into leaving prior to the si

A warship lost during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 has been discovered off the coast of Denmark, marking a significant archaeological breakthrough more than two centuries after it sank. Maritime archaeologists confirmed the find on Thursday, April 3, 2026, following months of underwater excavation in Copenhagen Harbor. The vessel, identified as the Dannebroge, was located about 15 meters below the seabed during surveys conducted ahead of a planned infrastructure project. The shi

A 2,500-year-old golden helmet, regarded as one of Romania’s most valuable cultural treasures, has been recovered more than a year after it was stolen from a museum in the Netherlands. The artifact, along with two gold bracelets dating to around 450 BC, was officially unveiled on Thursday, April 3, 2026, at the Drents Museum in Assen, where it is now displayed under tight security. The items had been taken during a high-profile armed robbery while on loan from Romania’s National

A 19th-century painting by renowned Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma has set a new benchmark in the global art market, selling for 1.67 billion rupees ($17.9 million) at an auction in New Delhi on Wednesday, April 2, 2026. The sale marks the highest price ever achieved for an Indian artwork, surpassing the previous record held by a work from modernist painter MF Husain. The painting, titled Yashoda and Krishna, is an oil-on-canvas masterpiece created in the 1890s, during the peak of Va

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said on Thursday, April 2, 2026, that he plans to sign an executive order to compensate Department of Homeland Security employees who have gone without pay during a partial federal government shutdown that has now stretched to 48 days. The announcement was made in a social media post, where the president criticized Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing impasse while thanking Republican leaders for efforts to resolve the standoff. The proposed actio

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken a major step toward becoming a publicly traded company, filing confidentially for an initial public offering on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The move could position the aerospace and technology firm among the most valuable companies globally, with an expected valuation exceeding $1 trillion. The IPO filing allows SpaceX to begin discussions with regulators while keeping detailed financial disclosures private during the early stages. Reports indicate the c

India’s government on Thursday, April 2, 2026 (IST), said there have been no discussions with Iran regarding the imposition of tolls on Indian ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, dismissing recent reports circulating amid heightened tensions in West Asia. Speaking at a media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that no such proposal has been discussed between the two countries, countering speculation that had raised concerns over shipping c

The first open sale of tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has revealed sharply increased prices, with some seats for the final reaching as high as $10,990, making them among the most expensive in football history. The tournament, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is already drawing attention not only for its expanded format but also for rising costs faced by fans. Initial projections in the tournament bid suggested final tickets would peak at around $1,

The United States has lifted sanctions on Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, signaling a significant shift in diplomatic relations between the two countries. The decision follows a series of developments after US forces removed former leader Nicolás Maduro from power in a military operation in Caracas and brought him to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Rodríguez, a longtime ally of Maduro and former vice president, had been under US sanctions since 2018 ov

Gulf nations are accelerating discussions on building alternative oil and gas pipelines after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted a critical global energy corridor, halting exports from most countries in the region and cutting off roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supply. The blockade has exposed the region’s heavy dependence on the narrow maritime route, prompting officials and industry leaders to reconsider long-term infrastructure strategies. Saudi Arabia ha

LONDON — The United Kingdom on Thursday, April 2, 2026, convened a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from roughly 35 nations to address escalating disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper sharply criticizing Iran’s actions as a threat to global economic stability. Speaking in opening remarks broadcast before the closed-door session, Cooper accused Iran of “hijacking an international shipping route” and warned that such actions were effectively h

FIFA has come under heavy criticism after ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup final surged to over Rs 10 lakh in the latest sales phase, sparking widespread backlash among fans. The tournament, scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has seen rising ticket costs amid FIFA’s dynamic pricing model. Premium tickets for the final have reportedly climbed to $10,990, up from around $8,700 in an earlier phase, raising concerns over affordability for regu