Circuit de Monaco, April 1, 2018 SkySat (cropped) — Planet Labs, Inc., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ferrari Sweeps Monaco FP2: Hamilton Leads Leclerc by 0.111s as Mercedes Struggles
Lewis Hamilton set the benchmark in Monaco FP2 for Ferrari with a lap of 1m13.026s, edging team-mate Charles Leclerc by 0.111 seconds and Max Verstappen by 0.168 seconds. It marked a second consecutive Ferrari 1-2 across the Monaco practice sessions, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli fifth and George Russell fourth as Mercedes endured its worst FP2 result of the 2026 season. Lando Norris stopped early in the session after his McLaren switched off on track, with the team subsequently summoned to stewards over a clutch disengagement system issue. Ferrari heads into qualifying as the clear favourite on the Circuit de Monaco.
Ferrari Boss Vasseur Hospitalized, to Miss Monaco Qualifying Saturday
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur will miss Monaco qualifying Saturday after being placed under observation at a local medical facility, the team confirmed. Ferrari issued a statement on Saturday morning ahead of qualifying indicating Vasseur required medical attention but gave no further detail about his condition. The French team boss, who joined Ferrari in January 2023 and has led the squad throughout its 2026 campaign, will be absent as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton prepare for a critical qualifying session. Ferrari did not indicate whether his absence would extend to Sunday’s race day.
Hadjar Crashes at Swimming Pool in Twice-Red-Flagged Monaco FP1, Ferrari Leads 1-2
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar crashed heavily at the Swimming Pool section during Monaco FP1, one of two red flags that interrupted the 60-minute session. Fernando Alonso also brought out an earlier red flag with an Aston Martin incident. Despite the disruption, Ferrari dominated, with Charles Leclerc setting the fastest time of 1m13.978s ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 0.226 seconds and Max Verstappen third. Mercedes trailed throughout, with Kimi Antonelli fourth and George Russell fifth, 0.559 and 1.005 seconds off the pace respectively, as Ferrari’s Monaco advantage became clear from the opening session of the weekend.
Monaco Practice Signals Potential First Mercedes Defeat of the 2026 Season
Monaco practice delivered the strongest evidence yet of a potential first defeat for Mercedes in the 2026 Formula 1 season, with Ferrari dominant across both sessions. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finished no higher than fourth and fifth, with Antonelli’s 0.503-second deficit to Hamilton in FP2 representing Mercedes’ widest gap to the front all season. The Silver Arrows have won all five races to open 2026, but Ferrari’s consistent pace advantage on the streets of Monte Carlo marks the most significant threat to that record. Qualifying on Saturday afternoon at 4pm local time will be the crucial test for the championship leader.
Verstappen Says He Would Have ‘Signed by Now’ If Certain of F1 Future
Max Verstappen indicated he is still undecided on his Formula 1 future, telling reporters at the Monaco Grand Prix that he would have already made a commitment if he were certain of continuing. The four-time world champion, currently seventh in the 2026 drivers’ standings with 43 points, has not confirmed a long-term deal with Red Bull Racing. Verstappen secured his first podium of 2026 by finishing third in Canada last weekend, but questions over his future in the sport continue to circulate. No resolution to the contract situation has been announced heading into qualifying day at the Circuit de Monaco.
Sources: GPFans
McLaren Summoned to Stewards After Norris FP2 Clutch Failure Breaches FIA Rules
McLaren and Lando Norris were summoned to the Monaco Grand Prix stewards on Friday evening after Norris’s car came to a halt in second practice with the engine stopped and a failed clutch disengagement system. FIA Article C9.3 requires all cars to maintain a working clutch disengagement system for at least fifteen minutes after the engine stops, with the system also required to shut down the ERS. McLaren confirmed they would break the Friday curfew overnight to investigate the issue. Ferrari also received a formal warning at the same stewards session for Charles Leclerc impeding Liam Lawson during FP1.
Sources: The Race
Audi CEO Demands Turbos Retained as FIA Pushes for V8 Return in 2031
Audi CEO Gernot Dollner pushed back against FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s drive to introduce normally aspirated V8 engines for 2031, insisting turbos must be retained in Formula 1’s next power unit regulations. Speaking at a Monaco event marking Audi’s Nuvolari hypercar launch, Dollner said efficiency must take priority over cylinder configuration, adding the issue was not a deal-breaker for Audi’s F1 involvement. Manufacturer discussions on a potential 2027 change to the combustion-electrical power split were also scheduled for the Monaco weekend, with Mercedes and Red Bull supporting a shift towards 60 per cent internal combustion, while Ferrari, Cadillac and Audi oppose it.
Sources: The Race
Hamilton Credits Ferrari’s ‘Italian Bono’ Engineering Partnership for 2026 Improvement
Lewis Hamilton attributed his improved Ferrari performances in 2026 to a closer working relationship with new race engineer Carlo Santi, describing him as his “Italian Bono” — a reference to long-standing Mercedes engineer Peter Bonnington. Hamilton switched engineers over the winter after a difficult first Ferrari season in 2025, with Santi now established as his permanent race engineer. Hamilton said Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur played a key role in reconfiguring his engineering support, and that suspension development work together had begun bearing results on track. The 41-year-old has secured two podiums in 2026, finishing second in Canada behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Sources: The Race
Russell Fined as Mercedes Car Clocks 60.3 km/h in Monaco Pit Lane
Mercedes and George Russell received a €100 fine from FIA stewards after Russell exceeded the Monaco Grand Prix pit lane speed limit of 60 km/h during the first practice session on Friday. The FIA documented Russell’s recorded speed at 60.3 km/h, constituting a breach of Article B1.6.3a of the FIA F1 Regulations. The fine is a nominal penalty at a venue where the pit lane speed limit is strictly enforced given the narrow facilities. Russell finished fifth in FP1 and fourth in FP2 as Mercedes endured a difficult opening practice day trailing Ferrari by nearly half a second in both sessions.
Sources: GPFans
McLaren Fined €30,000 for Placing Transparent Tape Over Steering Wheel Button
McLaren received a €30,000 fine from Monaco Grand Prix stewards for placing transparent tape over a button on Lando Norris’s steering wheel, adding to a difficult Friday at the principality. Stewards determined the tape, applied by the team over a steering wheel button, constituted a breach of F1 technical regulations. The penalty adds to a challenging Monaco weekend for McLaren, which also saw Norris retire from FP2 with a car systems failure and the team subsequently summoned to stewards over a clutch disengagement system breach. McLaren currently sit third in the 2026 constructors’ standings with 106 points.
Sources: The Race
Grosjean Cleared to Race at Gateway After Detroit Hand Surgery
Romain Grosjean underwent hand surgery Monday in Indianapolis following a crash at the Detroit Grand Prix, then confirmed Thursday he has been cleared to race this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. The 40-year-old suffered a broken bone in his right hand when his No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda was punted by Alexander Rossi entering Turn 3, with his finger struck by the spinning steering wheel. Grosjean had a pin inserted before completing simulator work at Tony Kanaan’s facility. He currently sits 21st in the IndyCar championship through eight of 18 rounds.
Sources: RACER
Hybrid Failures Leave IndyCar Teams Short on Spare Units Heading to Gateway
A mounting wave of hybrid system failures across the 2026 IndyCar season has left the field facing a genuine shortage of spare motor generator units and energy storage system packs heading into this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. Marshall Pruett of RACER reports that one team was directed to donate its spare MGU to Chip Ganassi Racing to replace Scott Dixon’s failed unit in Detroit, and excessive wear was subsequently found on Alex Palou’s race-winning car post-race, requiring another team to give up its spare. IndyCar says the two-week break before Road America will allow supplier Ilmor Engineering to rebuild inventory.
Sources: RACER
IndyCar Officiating Launches Public Post-Event Reports for Greater Transparency
IndyCar Officiating announced it will launch public post-event reports beginning with this weekend’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500. The reports, accessible at noticeboard.indycarofficiating.org, will summarize officiating activity from each event, listing penalties imposed under the NTT IndyCar Series rulebook alongside findings from technical inspections before and after qualifying and the race. Post-event reports will also include summaries of technical and procedural distinctions intended to improve consistency across events. The initiative follows the formal establishment of IndyCar Officiating as a not-for-profit organization in December 2025, governed by a three-person Independent Officiating Board chaired by Raj Nair.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Kevin ‘Rocket’ Blanch Retires as IndyCar Technical Director After 36 Years
Kevin ‘Rocket’ Blanch has retired as technical director of IndyCar Officiating after 36 years with the series and an unbroken run of 555 consecutive events. Blanch began as a crew chief with Panther Racing before joining series officiating in 2003. When IndyCar Officiating was restructured last winter, he agreed to continue through the Indianapolis 500. IOB chairman Raj Nair said he was ‘hoping’ Blanch would delay his exit. Nick Allen, who joined the officiating team in January after 20 years as a team mechanic in the IndyCar paddock, will succeed him as technical director.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Palou Leads by 62 Points at Gateway but Rivals See an Opening
Alex Palou arrives at World Wide Technology Raceway holding a 62-point championship advantage over Kyle Kirkwood after four wins in eight races, but analysts identify this 1.25-mile oval as one of the best opportunities for rivals to close ground. Defending race winner Kirkwood insists the title fight is ‘not done and lost by any means.’ Third-placed David Malukas, who has previously led more laps at Gateway than anyone without a win there, is considered a prime breakout candidate by Frontstretch. Palou has not won at Gateway previously but has improved steadily on ovals in 2026 following his Indianapolis 500 victory last year.
Sources: IndyCar.com
Newgarden Hopes Smooth Gateway Oval Will Ease Foot Injury Recovery
Josef Newgarden is racing through 2026 with a foot injury sustained in a crash at the Indianapolis 500 and is hoping the smooth 1.25-mile oval at World Wide Technology Raceway will be easier than Detroit’s bumpy street circuit, where he finished 10th wearing a walking boot between sessions. Newgarden has five career victories at Gateway and is considered a contender whenever he runs cleanly there. However, he has ended two of his last three Gateway races on the DNF list, including a spectacular flip while leading in 2025. Staying healthy and finishing cleanly is as important as outright pace for the two-time champion this weekend.
Sources: Frontstretch
Team Penske Reveals Marlboro Throwback Livery for McLaughlin at Gateway
Team Penske has unveiled the special livery Scott McLaughlin will carry in the No. 3 Chevrolet at this weekend’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500, paying tribute to Helio Castroneves’ car that won the 2009 Indianapolis 500. The design is the latest in a series of throwback liveries Penske is running across its multi-car 2026 IndyCar lineup to mark the organization’s 60th anniversary season in motorsport. The Marlboro-inspired red and white scheme has drawn attention in the paddock this week. McLaughlin finished seventh in the championship standings last season and is looking to build on three podium finishes already in the 2026 campaign.
Sources: IndyCar.com
Rain Threat Adds Drama to Sunday’s Primetime Gateway 500 Night Race
The IndyCar Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday for its third oval race of 2026, with the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 set for a 9 p.m. ET primetime broadcast on FOX. The 260-lap race around the 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval in Madison, Illinois, has produced some of the season’s most competitive racing since the hybrid package arrived, with aggressive overtaking on both lines. Weather forecasts showing possible rain add uncertainty to Saturday’s practice and qualifying schedule, potentially compressing preparation time ahead of the night race. The event is the ninth round of 18 in the 2026 championship season.
Sources: Frontstretch
2023 24 Hours of Le Mans – Ferrari 499P number 51 — Wolkenjaeger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Le Mans Race Week Opens as 39 Cars Clear First Day of Scrutineering
Race week for the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans officially began Friday 5 June as 39 of the 62 entered cars passed through administrative and technical inspection at the Place de la République in downtown Le Mans. Spectators watched for free as Hypercar newcomers Genesis Magma Racing made their first public appearance alongside BMW M Team WRT, Cadillac, Alpine and Peugeot. The remaining 23 cars, including the Ferrari AF-Corse and Toyota Racing Hypercars, are scheduled for Saturday morning. One notable absence: Ben Keating, set for his racing comeback after a broken elbow, missed his appointment following two cancelled flights en route to Le Mans.
Sources: 24 Hours of Le Mans
Hypercar Preview: Eight Manufacturers and 18 Cars Enter Battle for 94th Le Mans
The Hypercar field for the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans on 13–14 June numbers 18 cars from eight manufacturers: Aston Martin, Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Genesis, Peugeot and Toyota. Three fewer than the 21 entries in 2025, following Porsche’s factory withdrawal and Action Express Racing’s departure. BMW M Team WRT arrives as FIA WEC Hypercar Manufacturers’ championship leader after winning the 6 Hours of Spa, while Ferrari — winner of the last three consecutive Le Mans — returns with a largely unchanged 499P. Toyota’s revised TR010 HYBRID targets a sixth victory; Heart of Racing fields the only non-hybrid cars: two Aston Martin Valkyries.
Sources: 24 Hours of Le Mans
Genesis Magma Racing Prepares for Korea’s Historic First Le Mans Attempt
Genesis Magma Racing has arrived in Le Mans ahead of the Korean manufacturer’s debut at the 94th 24 Hours, fielding two GMR-001 LMDh Hypercars. The Hyundai Group luxury brand entered the full FIA World Endurance Championship this season before targeting Le Mans as its headline event. The No. 17 is driven by Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer; the No. 19 by Paul-Loup Chatin, Daniel Juncadella and Mathieu Jaminet. Official reserve Jamie Chadwick has been added to both car entries for Sunday’s test day, the sole opportunity for track time on the Circuit de la Sarthe before race week.
Sources: Genesis Newsroom
Peugeot Marks 100 Years at Le Mans with Centenary Badge on 9X8 Hypercars
Peugeot TotalEnergies appeared at Friday scrutineering carrying a special centenary badge on both 9X8 Hypercars, marking 100 years since the French manufacturer first competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two Peugeot 174S entered the 1926 race — then called the Grand Prix of Endurance of 24 Hours — launching a history spanning 44 Le Mans starts and three victories: 1992, a 1-2-3 finish in 1993, and 2009. Peugeot aims to convert recent development progress into race results at the 94th edition. The No. 93 is for Paul di Resta, Stoffel Vandoorne and Nick Cassidy; the No. 94 for Loïc Duval, Malthe Jakobsen and Théo Pourchaire.
Sources: 24 Hours of Le Mans
Alpine Arrives at Le Mans Energised for Final WEC Hypercar Season
Alpine’s Hypercar campaign ends after 2026, but the French squad arrives at Le Mans in a positive frame of mind. Team principal Philippe Sinault told media: “We have never been better prepared. We really understand the car.” Driver Ferdinand Habsburg noted a shift in atmosphere: “I was more motivated this year, simply because of the energy the team gave me.” Co-driver Frédéric Makowiecki added: “We are here to give our best. We can count on a whole team supporting us.” Alpine enters two A424 Hypercars, seeking a strong performance at Le Mans after a frustrated result at the 6 Hours of Spa.
Sources: Sportscar365
Sargeant Calls Le Mans Debut “Super Important” in Build-Up to Ford Hypercar Role
Logan Sargeant is making his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Proton Competition’s No. 88 Ford Mustang GT3 EVO alongside Stefano Gattuso and Giammarco Levorato — and the former Formula 1 driver has one eye on 2027. Ford’s Hypercar programme will debut that year with a car built by Oreca and powered by a naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8. Sargeant, named alongside Seb Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller as one of Ford’s first confirmed Hypercar drivers, described Le Mans as “super important” preparation for the step up. Sargeant and his co-drivers are competing in LMGT3 as part of the full 2026 FIA WEC season.
Sources: Sportscar365
LMGT3 Preview: 25 Cars Across Nine Manufacturers Line Up for Le Mans
The LMGT3 class at the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans features 25 cars from nine manufacturers: Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG, McLaren and Porsche. Among the entries is Logan Sargeant, making his Le Mans debut in Proton Competition’s No. 88 Ford Mustang GT3 EVO alongside Stefano Gattuso and Giammarco Levorato, treating the race as preparation for Ford’s Hypercar programme in 2027. Doriane Pin, 22, is one of two female drivers at the start of the 2026 24 Hours, competing in the LMP2 class. Team WRT’s No. 69 BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo was the final car through Saturday scrutineering at 12:40 local time.
Sources: 24 Hours of Le Mans
Michelin’s New Eco-Friendly Hypercar Tyre Faces Crucial Le Mans Test
Michelin’s new 2026 Hypercar tyre, incorporating 50 percent renewable and recycled materials, arrives at Le Mans for its most significant test yet ahead of the June 13 race start. The French manufacturer, exclusive tyre supplier to the FIA WEC Hypercar class, is beginning a new era this season with the Pilot Sport Endurance slick. Key ingredients include recycled carbon black, silica derived from rice husks, sunflower oil and natural rubber. All three compounds will be available at Sunday’s Le Mans test day. Michelin managed up to three stints per set at Imola and is targeting at least the same consistency at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
Verizon Center (NHL Playoffs – April 25, 2009) (3472748988) — Gary McCabe from D.C., USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Jarvis Scores Power-Play OT Winner as Hurricanes Even Stanley Cup Final at 1-1
Seth Jarvis scored a power-play goal 3:56 into overtime Thursday, lifting the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. Carolina erased a 2-0 third-period deficit with three straight goals in 5:05, only to surrender the tying goal to Mark Stone with 1:21 remaining in regulation. Tomas Hertl was whistled for tripping at 3:17 of overtime, and Jarvis blasted a one-timer from the left faceoff circle off a Shayne Gostisbehere feed past Carter Hart. The best-of-7 series is tied 1-1, with Game 3 set for Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Sources: TSN
Golden Knights Dispute Disallowed Barbashev Goal, Vow to Bounce Back in Game 3
The Vegas Golden Knights entered Friday’s off-day seething over a disallowed goal they believe cost them Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Ivan Barbashev batted a loose puck under a prone Frederik Andersen late in the third period, but officials ruled goaltender interference on the play. Coach John Tortorella challenged the call, but the NHL Situation Room upheld the no-goal, ruling Barbashev impaired Andersen’s ability to play his position. Jordan Staal scored on the ensuing power play 25 seconds later, giving Carolina a 3-2 lead. The Hurricanes held on to win 4-3 in overtime. Tortorella said he would challenge the play “10 out of 10 times.”
Sources: ESPN
McNabb’s Status Uncertain for Remainder of Stanley Cup Final After Puck to Face
Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb left Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at 10:52 of the first period after taking a puck to the face. The veteran blueliner did not return, and coach John Tortorella provided little clarity Friday, saying there was “no update” but that McNabb would travel with the team to Las Vegas. With McNabb’s status unknown, Vegas’s remaining defensemen—Shea Theodore, Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, Jeremy Lauzon, and Dylan Coghlan—absorbed the extra workload in Game 2. The injury adds another significant subplot heading into Game 3 of the tied 1-1 series at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
Sources: NHL.com
Red Wings Captain Dylan Larkin Requests Trade After 11 Seasons in Detroit
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has formally requested a trade, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, in a development that sent shockwaves through the NHL on Thursday. Larkin, who spent his entire career with Detroit, played just five playoff games in 11 seasons, a frustration that reportedly contributed to the decision. His agent Pat Brisson and Red Wings management declined to comment. The trade request opens one of the most significant markets of the 2026 offseason, with multiple teams—including the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, and New York Islanders—already reported as potential destinations for the two-way center.
Sources: TSN
Hurricanes Enter Game 3 With Perfect 6-0 Road Record, Ready for Toughest Test Yet
The Carolina Hurricanes enter Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena with a perfect 6-0 road record in the 2026 playoffs. Forward Andrei Svechnikov acknowledged the challenge: “It’s going to be hard. We’re going to be playing in a different atmosphere.” Goaltender Frederik Andersen said staying composed in hostile road environments is key. “The louder it gets, the more quiet you get in your own little bubble,” Andersen said. “If we weren’t enjoying it, as well, it would be a big shame.” The Golden Knights are 6-2 in these playoffs, including wins in their past three home games.
Sources: NHL.com
Bedard and Gauthier Headline Summer’s Top RFA Class as NHL Offseason Nears
Connor Bedard and Cutter Gauthier headline what The Hockey News describes as the top restricted free agent class heading into the 2026 offseason. Bedard, 20, set career highs with 30 goals, 45 assists, and 75 points in 69 games for the Chicago Blackhawks. Gauthier posted 41 goals and 69 points in 76 games for the Anaheim Ducks, nearly doubling his 2024-25 totals of 20 goals and 44 points. Anaheim projects $38.7 million in cap space, giving GM Pat Verbeek room to retain Gauthier alongside other pending free agents. Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson faces the key choice of offering Bedard a shorter bridge deal or a long-term commitment.
Sources: The Hockey News
Thin UFA Market Means Busy Trade Summer as Top NHL Trade Candidates Take Shape
NHL offseason trade activity is poised to surge, with ESPN ranking the league’s top trade candidates heading into the summer of 2026. Dylan Larkin’s shock trade request from Detroit tops the list, but other names are in play. Rangers center Vincent Trocheck drew trade deadline interest but remained in New York after no team met the asking price of a first-round pick, a roster player, and a prospect. ESPN notes the 2026 free agent pool is a thin one, as high-profile players largely chose to remain with their teams through new contracts rather than test the open market, keeping the trade market active.
Sources: ESPN
Is artificial intelligence our future — Elekes Andor, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Generalist AI Raises $400 Million to Scale Robot Foundation Models
Generalist AI, a startup building foundation models for robotics, raised $400 million in new funding on Friday, pushing its valuation to $2 billion and total capital raised above $500 million. The round, led by Radical Ventures, also drew participation from 8VC, Union Square Ventures, Hanabi Capital, Norwest, and Nvidia’s NVentures, along with angel investors including AI researcher Fei-Fei Li, Xiaomi co-founder Bin Lin, and entrepreneur Naval Ravikant. The company’s GEN-1 model, released in April, achieved 99 percent reliability across dexterous manipulation tasks and executed tasks up to three times faster than previous state-of-the-art systems. Capital will be used to expand robot-learning models, physical data infrastructure, and commercial deployments.
Sources: Robotics & Automation News
Anthropic’s Daniela Amodei Says IPO Is About Capital, Not Hype
Anthropic co-founder and President Daniela Amodei said Thursday at the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco that the company’s decision to file confidentially for an IPO came down to capital access. “It’s a really big upfront cost to train the models and to serve inference on them,” she said. Anthropic’s annualized revenue crossed $47 billion in May, up sharply from roughly $9 billion at the end of 2025. The filing came less than a week after the company closed a $65 billion Series H round at a $965 billion valuation. Anthropic currently pays xAI $1.25 billion per month for compute capacity.
Sources: TechCrunch
Mira Murati Breaks 18-Month Silence, Previews “Interaction Models” at Thinking Machines
Mira Murati, former OpenAI CTO and founder of Thinking Machines Lab, made her first major public appearance in roughly 18 months at a Bloomberg interview in San Francisco on Thursday. Murati previewed what Thinking Machines calls “interaction models” — AI systems designed to process continuous streams of audio, text, and video in 200-millisecond intervals, moving away from turn-based, prompt-and-response interactions. She declined to provide a release date. Murati also said she believes OpenAI would have “imploded” without her involvement during the board-firing crisis in November 2023, and warned about an industry-wide absence of structural checks on concentrated AI decision-making power.
Sources: TechCrunch
FBI and MI5 Warn That Chinese Spies Are Using LinkedIn to Recruit Western Sources
The FBI, the UK’s MI5, and the national intelligence services of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand issued a joint advisory Thursday warning that Chinese spies are using LinkedIn and other job search platforms to recruit Westerners with access to sensitive information. According to the advisory, Chinese intelligence operatives pose as recruiters for fake companies based outside China, targeting security clearance holders, military personnel, journalists, academics, and think-tank employees — particularly those with knowledge related to the Indo-Pacific region. LinkedIn responded that creating fake accounts “is a clear violation of our terms of service.” The advisory is part of an ongoing effort to counter Chinese espionage across Five Eyes nations.
Sources: TechCrunch
Poke Becomes the First AI Agent Approved for Apple’s iMessage Platform
Poke, an AI agent startup that operates via text message, has become the first AI agent approved to run on Apple’s Messages for Business platform, adding iMessage to its existing support for SMS, Telegram, and WhatsApp. Founded by Marvin von Hagen, Poke has relayed roughly 100 million messages and helps users with scheduling, health tracking, smart home control, and photo editing. Gaining Apple’s approval took several months of verifying live support capacity and adapting Poke’s interface to Apple design guidelines. The news comes ahead of WWDC on Monday, where Apple is expected to announce major updates to Siri and AI developer tools.
Sources: TechCrunch
UK Startup Kirisense Wins Funding to Build Robotic Fingertips That Sense Touch and Slip
UK robotics startup Kirisense has secured funding from the Henry Royce Institute to develop tactile sensing technology that gives robots a more human-like sense of touch. The project, delivered in partnership with the University of Sheffield, will focus on building robotic fingertips that can detect shear forces and slip in real time using a compact optical sensing platform — a simpler hardware architecture than the camera-based systems most rival developers are pursuing. Founder and CEO Kangsheng Bretherton-Liu said tactile sensing will become “a critical enabling technology for the next wave of robotics.” The project, titled The Development of a Shear-Sensing Fingertip Prototype Demonstrator, is scheduled to begin in July 2026.
Sources: Robotics & Automation News
Columbia Professor and SceniX Co-Founder: Manipulation, Not Locomotion, Is the Unsolved Problem in Robotics
Columbia University professor and SceniX co-founder Yunzhu Li told Robotics & Automation News that robotic manipulation — not locomotion — remains the most critical unsolved challenge in robotics, and that realistic simulation is the key to closing the gap. “A robot may know exactly what an object is and where it is located,” Li said. “The harder challenge is handling it reliably when conditions are less predictable.” SceniX builds simulation environments from real-world inputs so robots can be trained and evaluated before deployment. Li said manipulation progress will come first in structured settings such as warehouses and factories, with home environments much harder to crack.
Sources: Robotics & Automation News
MODULE 2 DATAFICATION, DATA PRIVACY AND DIGITAL HEALTH RECORDS — Stiftung Digitale Chancen : Dörte Stahl, Nenja Wolbers Asociacija “Viešieji interneto prieigos taškai”: Monika Arlauskaitė , Laura Grinevičiūtė IASIS NGO : Athanasios Loules , Theodora Alexopoulou, Ilias Michael Rafail Ynte rne t.org : Leonor Afonso , Thanasis Priftis Simbioza Genesis, socialno podjetje : Brigita Dane, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ohio and Indiana Sign Data-Sharing Agreements with DOJ and CMS to Combat Medicaid Fraud
Ohio and Indiana have signed data-sharing agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to combat Medicaid fraud, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and FBI Director Kash Patel announced at a press conference in Columbus, Ohio, on June 5. Indiana is participating in a pilot program with Oracle Health to exchange revenue cycle data for statewide provider audits. Ohio suspended 49 home health providers from Medicaid and is investigating nine Applied Behavior Analysis providers. Federal and state agencies announced 14 Ohioans face charges for alleged fraud that netted more than $50 million.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Trump AI Executive Order Draws Cautious Optimism from Healthcare Cybersecurity Experts
President Trump’s June 2 executive order on artificial intelligence cybersecurity is drawing cautious optimism from healthcare IT leaders who see limited but potentially meaningful benefits for the sector, according to analysis by GovInfoSecurity. The directive creates a voluntary framework for testing frontier AI models and establishes an AI cybersecurity clearinghouse managed jointly by the Treasury Department, the National Security Agency and CISA. Rural hospitals are explicitly named as beneficiaries, gaining facilitated access to cybersecurity tools. HIMSS Senior Vice President Tom Leary cautioned that the order is cybersecurity-focused and unlikely to substitute for sector-specific AI governance or vendor due diligence.
Sources: GovInfoSecurity
WellSpan Health and Philips Sign 7-Year Alliance to Co-Develop AI and Imaging Tech
York, Pennsylvania-based WellSpan Health and Philips announced a seven-year strategic alliance on June 5 to deploy advanced imaging technology and co-develop new AI and health tech tools across WellSpan’s 12 hospitals in Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland. The commercial agreement establishes Philips as WellSpan’s preferred vendor across patient monitoring, enterprise informatics, CT, MR, digital X-ray, ultrasound and image-guided therapy. The partnership marks Philips’s first research and innovation collaboration with a U.S. community health system and will produce new products drawing on Philips’s R&D pipeline, with WellSpan targeting recovery of more than 450,000 workforce hours in 2026.
Sources: Fierce Healthcare
Clarify Health Acquires Patient Activation Platform Loyal Health Holdings
San Francisco-based Clarify Health announced June 5 that it has acquired patient activation platform Loyal Health Holdings, creating a closed-loop network intelligence platform. Clarify partners with health systems to optimize referrals by identifying patient care needs and network performance gaps, while Loyal builds provider data management and customer relationship management tools. CEO Todd Gottula, who will lead the combined company, said health systems have lacked a platform that connects clinical intelligence with patient activation. Loyal will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Clarify secured $150 million in Series D funding in 2022, and Loyal raised a $33.5 million Series B round in 2024.
Sources: MobiHealthNews
Pope Leo’s AI Encyclical Could Reshape Catholic Health System Technology Governance
Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, could reshape how Catholic health systems evaluate and govern artificial intelligence tools, healthcare attorneys told Healthcare IT News on June 5. The 45,000-word document, released May 25, warns against discrimination hidden behind a "veneer of neutrality and objectivity" and could prompt major Catholic health systems — four of the nation’s 10 largest by bed count — to require greater algorithmic transparency and bias auditing from AI vendors. Attorneys Jim Flynn and Greg Krabacher of EBG said the encyclical carries no legal force but may reframe technology procurement and data governance expectations at systems including Providence, Ascension and Mercy.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Fullspan Health Launches Healthline AI Companion to Guide Patients from Questions to Care
Healthcare platform Fullspan Health launched Healthline AI on June 5, a conversational artificial intelligence agent connecting consumers to medically reviewed health information and provider resources. Unlike general-purpose chatbots, the tool draws exclusively from Fullspan’s vetted properties — Healthline, Healthgrades, Medical News Today and Psych Central — and aims to guide users from confusion to confidence. The platform currently covers Type 2 diabetes and will expand to additional conditions, reaching Fullspan’s 63 million monthly unique users. OpenAI reports 1 in 4 of its 800 million ChatGPT users submit healthcare-related prompts weekly, and a 2026 Rock Health survey found 32% of respondents using chatbots for health questions, up from 16% in 2024.
Sources: Fierce Healthcare
ixlayer and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Launch Telehealth Platform for Acute Pain Patients
Digital health company ixlayer launched Informed Pain Care on June 5, a telehealth platform developed in collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to expand patient access to acute pain evaluation and treatment. The cloud-based platform connects patients virtually with licensed independent clinicians who provide symptom-based intake, eligibility screening, and access to non-opioid prescription options including pharmacy fulfillment. The platform offers both insurance and self-pay pathways. Vertex, which launched the non-opioid pain reliever Journavx in 2025, called the platform a reflection of its "commitment to ensuring access to innovative non-opioid medicines." CEO Pouria Sanae said the platform aims to close gaps in what he described as a "very fragmented" acute pain care journey.
Sources: Fierce Healthcare
ATtiny85 Hosts an Intel 8080 Emulator to Boot CP/M
A resourceful hardware hacker has squeezed an Intel 8080 emulator onto an ATtiny85 microcontroller — a chip with just 8KB of flash and 512 bytes of SRAM — to successfully boot and run the CP/M operating system. Physical connections are reduced to a minimal SPI bus, with all heavier support functions offloaded to a Teensy microcontroller acting as a co-processor peripheral. Despite the ATtiny85’s extreme resource constraints, the emulation reportedly runs only marginally slower than a real 8080 booting CP/M. The project demonstrates how much of a classic computing environment can be recreated with careful code optimization and hardware partitioning across two low-cost microcontrollers.
Sources: Hackaday
Vintage Sansui Linear-Tracking Turntable Gets ESP32 Brain and Home Assistant Integration
Maker [Marsupial] has rescued a vintage Sansui P-L45 linear-tracking turntable whose original electronics were completely fried, converting it into a modern smart home device. A custom daughter-board was designed featuring an ESP32 microcontroller, level-shifting circuitry to translate the turntable’s legacy voltages to the ESP32’s 3.3V logic, and hardware debounce on mechanical inputs. The result is reportedly the world’s only ESP32-driven, Home Assistant-integrated linear-tracking turntable. Unlike conventional pivot-arm decks, the P-L45 slides its stylus along a linear track to follow the record groove precisely. Full firmware and PCB design files are publicly available on the WeAreAllGeeks blog for anyone with a similar machine needing repair.
Sources: Hackaday
Pi Pico 2W Becomes a Bit-Banged 10BaseT Ethernet-to-WiFi Router Written in Rust
Developer Matt Deeds has created a functional Ethernet-to-WiFi router using a Raspberry Pi Pico 2W, demonstrating that bit-banging 10BaseT Ethernet entirely in software is feasible on the RP2350 chip. Written in Rust and partly ported from an earlier project, the firmware uses Ethernet magnetics for the physical layer while all protocol handling runs in software on the Pico 2W’s dual-core processor. Transmit operates at full 10 Mbit/s speed; receive runs at reduced speed, though at classic 10BaseT rates that trade-off is largely inconsequential. The result is possibly the lowest-cost Ethernet-to-wireless bridging solution available, combining a wired RJ-45 port with the Pico 2W’s built-in 2.4 GHz 802.11n radio.
Sources: Hackaday
Over-Engineered 3D-Printed Spool Holder Rises from Prusa Mk4S Conversion Remnants
When maker [3D Maker Noob] converted a Prusa Mk4S to a Core One using Prusa’s official conversion kit, the upgrade relocated the filament spool and left a collection of leftover Mk4S hardware. Rather than discard the parts, the maker designed a bespoke top-mounted spool holder incorporating the salvaged components into a box-shaped enclosure. The project became an exercise in parametric CAD design and 3D-printed structural engineering, with multiple design iterations refining bearing placement and spool tension. The published files are compatible with the Prusa Core One and other top-mount configurations, offering a practical reuse path for makers upgrading their own Mk4S printers to the CoreXY platform.
Sources: Hackaday
Brand-New NiMH Cells Stored 12 Years Recover Surprisingly Well
YouTuber [DiodeGoneWild] uncovered a pack of Activ Energy brand NiMH rechargeable AA cells purchased in 2014 and never used, then subjected them to a charge-discharge evaluation. Three of the four cells still showed residual voltage and recharged to their rated 2,000 mAh capacity on the first cycle. The fourth cell registered 0V but was revived using bench power supply trickle charging — a standard approach for deeply discharged NiMH chemistry. After several cycles, only the previously dead cell showed measurable capacity degradation; internal resistance readings remained healthy across all four cells. The results contrast sharply with Tronic-brand cells tested previously, which degraded significantly after just a few years of use.
Sources: Hackaday
Hands-On Benchmarks Finally Settle the S3 Virge ‘3D Decelerator’ Debate
The S3 Virge GPU has carried the “decelerator” label for thirty years, accused of performing worse than CPU software rendering on 1990s titles. Retro hardware channel Bits und Bolts finally ran controlled benchmarks on an S3 Virge/DX. At the card’s optimal 512×384 resolution with bilinear filtering enabled, the Virge achieved a capped 30 FPS — clearly outperforming a Pentium 166 doing software rendering at 640×480. Stepping to 640×480 drops output to 15 FPS with filtering. The investigation concludes the decelerator reputation largely stems from driver quality variation across different Virge-based cards and gamers running resolutions that bypassed the chip’s hardware acceleration paths entirely.
Sources: Hackaday
Teardowns Reveal Multiple Cassette Tape Mechanisms Still in Active Production
The tape revival community has long assumed only one cassette mechanism — manufactured by China’s Tanishin — remains in current production, raising concerns about long-term serviceability of new cassette players. YouTuber [VWestlife] challenged this by conducting systematic teardowns of recently purchased new players, identifying multiple distinct internal mechanisms and confirming that at least two manufacturers currently supply tape transports to the market. The specific mechanism matters primarily for transport reliability; the motor, preamp, and analog circuit quality ultimately determine audio fidelity. The discovery offers reassurance to the enthusiast community, though [VWestlife] notes mechanism origin alone should not be the deciding factor when selecting a cassette deck.
Sources: Hackaday
Wikipedia Edit-a-thon Anthropology and Community Connections — Ariel Cetrone (WMDC), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The New Counterterrorism State: How the 2026 U.S. Strategy Targets Civil Society
The Trump administration’s 2026 U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy integrates domestic and global counterterrorism into a unified governing framework under an “America First” doctrine, according to an analysis published June 3 in Nonprofit Quarterly by Darakshan Raja of Muslims for Just Futures. The strategy categorizes anti-fascists, anarchists, transgender advocates, and broadly defined “far-left” organizers as priority domestic threats, subjecting them to surveillance, financial targeting, and immigration enforcement alongside designated foreign terrorist organizations. Raja argues the strategy normalizes a two-tiered structure in which movements aligned with the administration face no scrutiny while those challenging state authority face the full weight of the national security apparatus. The approach deepens what Raja calls structural Islamophobia within counterterrorism policy. She warns that confronting this apparatus requires long-term philanthropic investment at a scale commensurate with the $48.5 billion in private venture capital flowing into defense technology in 2025 alone.
Sources: Nonprofit Quarterly
May Day Marchers Modeled the Intersectional Solidarity Philanthropy Has Long Avoided
On May 1, 2026, tens of thousands of workers, immigrant families, and community organizers took to the streets across California in what Women’s Foundation California CEO Bia Vieira describes as a demonstration philanthropy must take seriously. In Nonprofit Quarterly, Vieira argues that May Day marchers—representing domestic workers, immigrant rights coalitions, youth organizers, and labor unions—modeled the intersectional solidarity that philanthropic institutions have long compartmentalized. The Supreme Court’s recent gutting of Voting Rights Act provisions, new ICE detention centers in California, and ongoing conflict in the Middle East represent, Vieira writes, one crisis moving through different doorways. She calls on foundations to fund general operating support for worker centers and immigrant rights organizations, follow the intersections across issues, name explicitly what they fund and why, and commit to multi-year grantmaking cycles of five to ten years. “Philanthropy’s answer cannot be silence,” she writes.
Sources: Nonprofit Quarterly
The Boardroom Belongs to the Community, Not to Donors or Institutional Habit
Nonprofit boards risk drifting toward serving institutional interests rather than the communities they exist to serve, argues Kristin Lincoln, executive director of the Washington Idaho Symphony, in a June 4 essay for Nonprofit Quarterly. Lincoln contends that board training focuses overwhelmingly on mechanics—compliance, oversight, fundraising—while the community disappears into the background. Familiar voices fill the vacuum: major donors whose priorities may diverge from community need, and the comfort of doing what has always been done. Lincoln calls for a reorientation grounded in two questions: “Who does this serve?” and “How does serving the organization or donor serve the community?” She argues that boards built primarily around wealth and credentials produce structurally less accurate decisions. Community representation, she writes, is governance itself—not a diversity initiative layered atop existing structures. Boards that reflect the communities they serve catch blind spots that homogeneous boards miss every time.
Sources: Nonprofit Quarterly
How American Independence 250 Years Ago Transformed the Practice of Philanthropy
As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, Smithsonian curator Amanda Moniz argues in Nonprofit Quarterly that American independence also transformed the practice of philanthropy. Moniz, the David M. Rubenstein Curator of Philanthropy at the National Museum of American History, traces how charitable organizations proliferated after 1783 as Americans applied revolutionary ideals to civic life. Colonial charity had been controlled by elite white men; the post-Revolution decades saw women found major charitable societies, Black Americans create mutual aid organizations and independent churches, and donors give across ethnic and denominational lines for the first time. Humane societies rescued drowning strangers regardless of race or nationality; Benjamin Rush promoted antislavery; Isabella Graham and Eliza Hamilton led women-run orphan asylums. These innovations, Moniz argues—not Carnegie’s later mega-philanthropy—established the defining features of American giving: civic engagement, organizational invention, and love of humanity as a founding value.
Sources: Nonprofit Quarterly
Lisa, Jessica Origliasso (7400842786) — Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Scary Movie Opens to $52.7M Franchise Record as Wayans Brothers Return
Scary Movie opened to an estimated $52.7 million this weekend, setting a franchise record for the spoof series and marking the Wayans Brothers’ first return to the IP they created since 2001’s Scary Movie 2. The opening surpasses the prior franchise best of $49.7 million earned by 2006’s Scary Movie 4. Social analytics firm RelishMix reported an online reach of 653 million across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X — 2.7 times above horror franchise norms. Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe landed at No. 2 with an estimated $31.1 million from 3,677 theaters, boosted by an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and strong family turnout on Saturday.
Sources: Deadline
Obsession Sets All-Time Horror Record With $24.8M Fourth-Weekend Hold
Focus Features’ Obsession earned an estimated $24.8 million in its fourth weekend — a -9% drop from the previous frame — setting a record as the best fourth-weekend hold for a horror film, ahead of The Blair Witch Project’s $24.3 million mark. The domestic cumulative has reached $151.3 million, the studio’s highest-ever domestic total, while global has climbed above $196 million, surpassing 2019’s Downton Abbey as Focus Features’ best worldwide theatrical release. Director Curry Barker’s original romantic horror film continues to defy expectations in a weekend otherwise dominated by big studio franchise tentpoles.
Sources: Deadline
Love Island USA Season 8 Shatters Peacock Streaming Record With 824M Minutes in 3 Days
Love Island USA Season 8 has broken Peacock’s streaming record with 824 million minutes viewed in its first three days since the June 2 premiere — up 74% from Season 7 and the highest-ever launch for a Peacock original, per NBCUniversal internal data. Phone and tablet usage accounted for 23% of viewership, the highest mobile share at launch for any Peacock original series. The series’ debut generated over 43 million video views across social platforms. Hosted by Ariana Madix and narrated by Iain Stirling, the reality competition streams exclusively on Peacock. Season 7 had put Peacock atop Nielsen’s streaming rankings for the first time.
Sources: Deadline
Supergirl Enters Tracking With $55M-Plus Opening Projection for June 26
Supergirl, the DC Studios and Warner Bros. film starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, has entered box office tracking with a $55 million-plus opening weekend projection for its June 26 release. Unaided awareness already exceeds several successful superhero tentpoles including Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu ($81.6M domestic opening), Thunderbolts* ($74.3M) and Shazam! ($53.5M). Advance tickets went on sale this week after DC co-chief James Gunn announced the milestone on Instagram. The Craig Gillespie-directed film, based on Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s graphic novel Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, cost $175 million net before global P&A, with a breakeven threshold of approximately $315 million worldwide.
Sources: Deadline
Paramount+ Wins Cop Land Series From James Mangold in Competitive Situation
Paramount+ has won a four-way competitive bidding situation to develop a series adaptation of the 1997 crime drama Cop Land, with director James Mangold attached to co-write, direct and executive produce. Robert Levine, co-creator of FX’s The Old Man, will co-write and serve as showrunner on the Paramount Television Studios and Miramax Television project. The original film starred Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro, grossing $63.7 million on a $15 million budget. The series was among Miramax CEO Jonathan Glickman’s first priorities upon joining the studio and marks Mangold’s return to TV after nearly a decade away.
Sources: Deadline
Power Ballad Goes Wide on 1,200 Screens as Lionsgate Bets on Counterprogramming
Power Ballad, the music comedy from director John Carney (Once, Sing Street), expands to 1,200 theaters today through Lionsgate as counterprogramming against summer’s tentpole competition. Starring Paul Rudd as a wedding singer and Nick Jonas as a washed-up boy-band star, the film won rapturous responses at SXSW and the Sands Film Festival. Lionsgate, which also released Michael — the Michael Jackson biopic on course for $1 billion in worldwide grosses — is betting on word-of-mouth and strong reviews to sustain a film without a YouTube phenom or pre-existing franchise at its center. An original song, “How to Write a Song Without You,” by composer Gary Clark, anchors the film.
Sources: Deadline