“US President Donald Trump says a leak to the media about the existence of a second shot-down airman shortly after American troops rescued the first one threatened to upend the entire operation. The rescue of the F-15E pilot on Friday evening was first reported by Israeli media …. ‘We didn’t talk about the first [rescue] for an hour, and then somebody leaked something, which we’ll hopefully find that leaker,’ Trump says during a White House press conference on the weekend rescue mission. … ‘We’re going to go to the media company that released it, and we’re going to say, ‘National security. Give it up or go to jail,” he continues.” (04/06/26)
“Meta is preparing to release the first new AI models developed under Alexandr Wang, with plans to eventually offer versions of those models via an open source license, Axios has learned. Meta has been the largest U.S. player to let others modify its frontier models, and there has been growing speculation the company might retreat from that strategy altogether. Before openly releasing versions of the new models, Meta wants to keep some pieces proprietary and to ensure they don’t add new levels of safety risk, according to sources.” (04/06/26)
“Your birth weight may be more important than your current adult weight when it comes to your risk of stroke later in life. A new study hints that people who were born with a low birthweight may face a higher risk of stroke in young adulthood, even if they are not overweight or underweight as adults. This suggests that what happens in the womb and during early birth can leave a long-term mark on the brain’s blood-supply system, which may show up as higher stroke risk several years later. The study is set to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May). Dr Lina Lilja and Dr Maria Bygdell of the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, who are study authors and colleagues say that low birthweight can be included in stroke risk assessment for adults.” (04/06/26)
“Almost immediately after an immigration agent shot and wounded a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis this winter, the federal government cast the injured man as an attempted murderer and the agent as the victim of a brutal beating. … video footage of the shooting, newly obtained by The New York Times, raises questions about why it took weeks for the government’s case to fall apart. The video contradicts the agent’s claim that three assailants had beaten him with a shovel and broom for roughly three minutes before he opened fire. Instead, the confrontation depicted in the video lasts about 12 seconds and shows two men struggling with the agent. It shows no sustained attack with a shovel.” (04/06/26)
“Scientists have identified a hallmark signature produced by psychedelic drugs in the human brain when users experience their mind-altering effects. The ‘neural fingerprint’ of the psychedelic trip was spotted among hundreds of brain scans of people on LSD, psilocybin, DMT, mescaline and ayahuasca, pointing to a shared impact on the brain’s behaviour. The finding emerged from a major study that combined 11 brain imaging datasets from around the world in an effort to build a reliable picture of how the substances temporarily rewire the brain. The insights are increasingly important as researchers investigate the drugs in clinical trials as potential therapies for severe mental health and neurological conditions such as depression, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.” (04/06/26)
“The Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to accept migrants deported from the US who are not themselves Congolese under a deal effective from this month, officials said. The Ministry of Communication said a temporary reception system had been set up, while facilities to accommodate arrivals had been selected in the capital, Kinshasa. ‘Logistical and technical support’ will be provided by the US, the statement on Sunday said, adding that the Congolese government would bear no financial cost for the scheme. The government did not say how many deportees they would accept. The US has already sent deportees to several other countries in Africa as part of Washington’s crackdown on immigration. Amid concerns that migrants could be returned to their home countries – where some fear persecution – Congolese officials said no such transfers are being planned.” (04/06/26)
“The Supreme Court on Monday paved the way for the Trump administration to dismiss the criminal case against Trump ally Steve Bannon over his failure to respond to congressional subpoenas. Although Bannon was convicted and served jail time, he and the Trump administration are now seeking to have the case thrown out after the fact, in what would be a mostly symbolic outcome. … Bannon was convicted in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress over his refusal to comply with the subpoenas, which sought documents and testimony related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters.” (04/06/26)
“Israel has launched renewed strikes on southern Lebanon as it continues to press forward with a ground invasion, while also waging new attacks on Beirut shortly after striking areas around the capital that had been so far removed from the conflict. … Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported a string of attacks in the Jabal Amel region, south of the Litani River, including in the towns of Arzoun, Jouya, Hadatha, Jmeijmeh, Dbeibine and Haris. An Israeli drone struck near Ghandour Hospital in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, killing one person and injuring a second, local media reported. Israel’s military has targeted bridges in southern Lebanon, in what observers say is an attempt to cut the area off from the rest of the country.” (04/06/26)
“The Nigerian military said Sunday it had rescued 31 worshippers seized from Easter celebrations in northwestern Kaduna state, though at least five others were killed, as the country’s security comes increasingly under international scrutiny. Gunmen raided a Catholic and an evangelical church, the Christian Association of Nigeria chairman for Kaduna state Caleb Bawa Ma’aji told AFP. The kidnapping at a village located around 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of the capital, Abuja, occurred despite the police chief ordering a ‘massive security deployment’ including at places of worship during the Easter festival.” (04/06/26)
“The government is reviewing whether Kanye West should be allowed to enter the UK after a planned appearance by the US rapper at a London festival prompted criticism over his prior antisemitic comments. The star, now known as Ye, released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’ and sold swastika T-shirts last year. He later apologised and blamed his bipolar disorder’s episodes of manic behaviour. Brands have withdrawn their sponsorships of Wireless Festival, and critics are calling on its organisers to cancel his appearance and for his visa to be denied. Ministers have the power to ban foreign nationals from the UK if their presence is not considered ‘conducive to the public good.’ It is understood that ministers are considering West’s permission to enter the UK.” (04/06/26)
