The Co-Pilot: Investigators say today that the co-pilot of the Germanwings jet that crashed in the French Alps had an illness he was hiding from his employers, possibly depression. Prosecutors say they found a note at the home of Andreas Lubitz, 27, excusing him from work the day of the crash.

The current theory is that Lubitz locked his pilot out of the cockpit and set the autopilot at 100 feet, resulting in an eight-minute descent before the plane smashed into a mountainside. Prosecutors say they’ve found no evidence of a religious or political motivation, “However, documents were secured containing medical information that indicates an illness and corresponding treatment by doctors,” according to a statement from the prosecutor’s office in Dusseldorf.

Lufthansa Airlines, which owns Germanwings, immediately changed its procedures to require a second crewmember on the flight deck any time one of the pilots has to leave. American air carriers already have that rule.

Manhattan Conflagration: An apparent gas explosion felt blocks away yesterday in an East Village apartment building caused the burning and collapse of three buildings. Today the buildings are a smoking pile of rubble. Two people are missing and at least 19 people were hurt, four of them critically.

Witnesses said the initial explosion ripped through a restaurant called Sushi Park while it was still serving lunch at about 3 pm. Representatives of the utility Consolidated Edison had been at one of the buildings just an hour before, inspecting construction work.

The incident turned into a seven-alarm fire that had to be fought by 250 firefighters from 50 New York Fire Department units. Smoke rose in a column out of lower Manhattan and clouded the streets.

High Noon: The Senate early today passed a budget bill to slash spending by $5 trillion over the next 10 years, setting up a confrontation with President Obama. The House has already passed a budget bill. The Senate bill is designed to “shrink” government and in particular would dismantle Obamacare.

Nation: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat, announced that he’s retiring at the end of next year. The 75-year-old Reid was first elected in 1986. Formerly the majority leader, Reid has so far held together the Democratic minority this year to defend President Obama’s immigration reforms from being gutted by the Republicans. Of his decision to leave, Reid told the NY Times, “I don’t want to be a 42-year-old trying to become a designated hitter.”

>Indiana Gov. Mike Pence yesterday signed a “religious freedom” law that some critics say is a vaguely worded permit for religious people to discriminate against gays, lesbians, and people who are not followers of their faith. The law says religious beliefs may not be “substantially burdened” by government without justification.

It seems to be very open to interpretation.

Permawar: Three Shiite militia groups pulled out of the Iraqi assault on Tikrit in protest of American-led airstrikes against the Islamic State. They represent about a third of the 30,000 fighters trying to re-take Tikrit. The militias insist they don’t need foreign help.

Measured Diagonally: It’s curtains at the end of next season for Lord Grantham, Lady Violet, Lady Mary and the whole upstairs/downstairs staff of Downton Abbey. The producers of the popular British television series that has appeared on public broadcasting say their sixth season will be the last. We’ll missy the pithy witticisms of Lady Violet played by Maggie Smith, who said the show can’t go on forever. “To my knowledge, I must be 110 by now. We’re into the late 1920s.”

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