Today is May 4, unofficially known as Star Wars Day — seemingly for the lone reason that it presents an opportunity for people to tell one another, "May the Fourth be with you." Fans of the George Lucas films are breaking out costumes and photos, and generally letting their Jedi flag fly.

It's Derby Day in Kentucky, where days and weeks of anticipation will culminate in a race that lasts just over two minutes. When the starting gates open at 6:24 p.m. EDT, 19 horses will race on a wet Kentucky Derby track.

A roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan killed five members of the U.S. Army Saturday, according to military officials. In a separate incident, a member of the Afghan National Army turned his weapon on coalition troops, killing two Americans.

Firefighters in Southern California are welcoming the latest weather forecast, as lower temperatures and higher humidity could help them control the Camarillo Springs Fire. So far, only 15 structures have reportedly been damaged, in an area where rugged wilderness provides plentiful fuel for fires.

It's been 70 years since the letters of John Pryor were understood in their full meaning. That's because as a British prisoner of war in Nazi Germany, Pryor's letters home to his family also included intricate codes that were recently deciphered by codebreakers for the first time since the 1940s.

The final seconds of a 747 civilian cargo jet's disastrous takeoff from an airfield in Afghanistan Monday — resulting in a crash that killed all seven aboard — were apparently captured by a dashboard camera. In the video, the aircraft is seen in a steep climb, until it fails to gain altitude and plummets into the earth.

After sustaining what seemed to be minor injuries, the official later lost consciousness. The teenager was arrested Monday on suspicion of aggravated assault.

The Neskantaga First Nation is grappling with mental health and other issues in Canada's northern Ontario, where a high suicide rate prompted officials to declare a state of emergency earlier this month. The community has a population of around 400.

NASA is calling it "The Rose." By any other name, it's a mammoth storm on Saturn, spanning an estimated 1,250 miles with winds swirling at hundreds of miles per hour. The "false-color" image is among the first batch of high-resolution pictures of Saturn's north pole.

Three popular pesticides are being banned in the European Union, where officials are hoping the change helps restore populations of honey bees, vital to crop production, to healthy levels.

An argument between three climbers and Sherpa guides on Mount Everest reportedly devolved into a fistfight on the mountain, close to Camp III, at 24,500 feet. The Nepali Times calls it "the highest brawl in world history," as well as evidence of a culture clash.

Queen Beatrix plans to abdicate on April 30, a national holiday known as Queen's Day. When Crown Prince Willem-Alexander is sworn in, he'll become the first Dutch king in 122 years.

Cellist Janos Starker has died at 88, ending a life and career that saw him renowned for his skills as a soloist, his prodigious work with orchestras, and his commitment to teaching. Starker was born in Budapest in 1924; his path to international stardom included surviving a Nazi labor camp.

Iraqi officials have suspended the right of several TV broadcasters to operate in the country, as media regulators say the stations' coverage of sectarian conflicts incites more violence.

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, the passenger jet that was grounded around the world after flaws in its battery compartment were found to pose a fire risk, is back in the skies. Airlines in Japan and Ethiopia reported no problems after sending the 787 into the sky this weekend.

For one night, President Obama joined members of the media in making fun of themselves and each other, as Washington's players in politics and journalism gathered for the 2013 White House Correspondents' Dinner. Comedian Conan O'Brien was the headline speaker.

Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev "vaguely discussed" jihad during a 2011 phone conversation with his mother, a U.S. official tells the Associated Press. The call, taped by the Russian government, reportedly did not include any mention of a plot in the U.S.

The Federal Aviation Administration has ended its furlough program, which was blamed for creating or worsening travel delays this week. The move comes after Congress voted at the end of this week to let the FAA move money around in its budget.

Faced with sharp losses after the Boston Marathon bombing attack, businesses in the affected Copley Square area can apply for federal help, the Small Business Administration says. People flocked to Boylston Street on Saturday, its first weekend the street's been fully open since the bombing attack.

Sectarian tensions are fueling violence and protests in Iraq, where more than 170 people have been killed since Tuesday, when government forces clashed with Sunni Muslim protesters. "Sectarianism is evil," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says on Iraqi TV, after 10 Iraqi military and militia members were killed in separate attacks Saturday.