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Trump plans to ease access to psychedelics like psilocybin, ibogaine – The Washington Post– news.google.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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EXCERPT:

  1. Trump plans to ease access to psychedelics like psilocybin, ibogaine  The Washington Post
  2. Trump Loosens Restrictions on Psychedelic Drugs  The New York Times
  3. Trump signs order to speed up review of psychedelic drugs for mental health treatment  NBC News
  4. Trump announces reforms to accelerate access to psychedelic drug treatments  The Guardian
  5. President Trump orders faster review of psychedelic drugs for mental health treatment  10tv.com

Scientists Map Alien Planet Climates for the First Time Using JWST– www.techexplorist.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Using JWST data, an international team has, for the first time, successfully mapped the climates of two rocky exoplanets with masses similar to Earth’s. These two planets, TRAPPIST-1b and TRAPPIST-1c, belong to the iconic TRAPPIST-1 planetary system, discovered ten years ago.

The TRAPPIST-1 system, located about 40 light-years away, contains seven rocky planets orbiting a small, cool red dwarf star known as TRAPPIST-1

The two planets are likely devoid of atmospheres, as the temperature difference between day and night exceeds 500°C. TRAPPIST‑1b has a very hot dayside (about 490 K) but no detectable glow from its nightside, suggesting it’s a dark, airless world. TRAPPIST‑1c is cooler (about 369 K) with a similarly cold nightside, which could mean it either has a thin, oxygen‑rich atmosphere or a shiny, airless surface.

Japan’s defense budget to reach 1.9% of GDP in fiscal 2026– japantoday.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Japan’s initial budget for defense spending and related costs for fiscal 2026 totaled about 10.6 trillion yen ($66.5 billion), equivalent to roughly 1.9 percent of its 2022 gross domestic product, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Friday.

Japan has set a goal of raising defense spending and related costs to 2 percent of GDP by fiscal 2027 in a notable shift from its long-standing practice of keeping defense spending around 1 percent of GDP amid growing security challenges from countries such as China and North Korea.

Using projected GDP for fiscal 2026, the ratio would stand at around 1.5 percent, Koizumi added while speaking to reporters.

Under its three key security documents adopted in late 2022, the Japanese government outlined plans to spend about 43 trillion yen on defense over the five years through 2027.

Homeland Security’s New Task Force Website Sanitizes Trump’s Deportation Agenda – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com

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The Department of Homeland Security just rolled out a new website for its city-occupying task forces that looks, more than anything, like a vibe-coded pitch deck. Launched on Friday, HSTF.gov was first announced on the FBI’s X account.

We don’t negotiate. We dismantle. The site’s slogan is displayed in the same sans-serif font stylings as direct-to-consumer deodorant companies and AI-powered lease abstraction platforms. The main page is largely consumed by a macho image, presumably AI-generated, of gas-masked officers with AR-15 style weapons advancing in formation through a cloud of tear gas.

Democrat Senator Announces The Death Of His 36-Year-Old Daughter– wltreport.com

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One of the most painful experiences any parent can have is outliving their child.

On Monday, U.S. Senator Mark Warner announced his 36-year-old daughter had died.

Warner made the announcement on X and shared that his daughter, Madison, died after suffering a decades-long health battle.

The Hill reported on the cause of the death:

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Monday announced the death of his 36-year-old daughter, who had suffered from juvenile diabetes.

“We are heartbroken beyond words by the passing of our beloved daughter, Madison, 36, after a decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues. She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” Warner and his wife, Lisa Collins, posted in a statement on X.

“We are grateful for the loving support of friends and family during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we navigate this profound loss,” he added.

Madison is survived by two younger sisters. The three were introduced to the political spotlight in 2001 when Warner was elected governor of Virginia.

Here’s Warner’s post on X:

Oil prices jump after U.S. seizes Iranian vessel, imperiling ceasefire – The Washington Post– news.google.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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EXCERPT:

  1. Oil prices jump after U.S. seizes Iranian vessel, imperiling ceasefire  The Washington Post
  2. Iran War Live Updates: Tehran Sends Mixed Signals on Talks After U.S. Seizes Ship  The New York Times
  3. U.S. seizes Iranian-flagged ship, Warsh’s big week, Cursor funding and more in Morning Squawk  CNBC
  4. Live updates: Pakistan prepares for upcoming peace talks despite US seizure of Iranian cargo ship  AP News
  5. Oil and Gas Prices Surge After U.S. Navy Seizes Iranian-Flagged Cargo Ship  Democracy Now!

Russian Oil Is Too Big to Ignore, Kremlin Says– www.themoscowtimes.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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The Kremlin said Monday that a new U.S. sanctions waiver on Russian oil exports proves that the commodity is too vital to the global economy to be sidelined.

“Russia remains a responsible and very important player in global energy markets,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “The market is going through tough times and, of course, Russian volumes are difficult not to take into account and ignore.”

The U.S. Treasury Department issued the extension on Friday, allowing for the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products loaded onto ships between April 17 and May 16. The move is part of an ongoing effort to stabilize global energy prices, which have surged following the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

Several Asian countries had lobbied Washington for an extension as they looked for alternatives to Middle Eastern supplies disrupted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. On Thursday, Indonesia announced a new agreement to receive Russian crude, while Malaysia said its state energy firm, Petronas, is negotiating its own purchases.

We might finally know how to use quantum computers to boost AI– www.newscientist.com

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Quantum computers might eventually be able to handle some AI applications that currently require huge amounts of conventional computing power. Such a development would be a major boost to machine learning and similar artificial intelligence algorithms.

Quantum computers hold the promise of eventually being able to complete certain calculations that are impossible for conventional computers. For years, researchers have been debating whether these advantages over conventional computers extend to tasks that involve lots of data, and the algorithms that learn from them – in other words, the machine learning that underlies many AI programs.

Now, Hsin-Yuan Huang at the quantum computing firm Oratomic and his colleagues argue that the answer ought to be “yes”. Their mathematical work aims to lay the foundations for a future where quantum computers offer a broad boost to AI.

“Machine learning is really utilised everywhere in science and technology and also everyday life. In a world where we can build this [quantum computing] architecture, I feel like it can be applied whenever there’s massive datasets available,” he says.

Why Journalists Are Going Indie (with Maddy Myers)– www.404media.co

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This week, Sam is joined by Maddy Myers, editor-in-chief of Mothership. She’s also a co-host of the video games podcast Triple Click.

Maddy launched Mothership with co-founder Zoë Hannah in January. It’s a queer and women-owned independent publication that focuses on gender and games. They discuss Maddy’s early days of games journalism at a (print!) alt-weekly in Boston and then at the Mary Sue, how she and Zoë decided it was time to quit their jobs and launch their own indie outlet, and the importance of owning your own work as a journalist.

Listen to the weekly podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Become a paid subscriber for access to this episode’s bonus content and to power our journalism.

Trump Threatens War Crimes in Iran Again – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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President Donald Trump departs after speaking with reporters about the war in Iran during a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Monday, April 6, 2026.Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

In a Truth Social tirade on Sunday morning, President Donald Trump claimed that Iran violated their ceasefire agreement with the US by firing shots at ships in the Strait of Hormuz and again threatened to commit war crimes by taking out the country’s energy infrastructure.

“Many of [the bullets] were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom,” Trump contended about Iran’s targeting of the ships, without evidence. “That wasn’t nice, was it?”

Trump, Iran cite progress in talks as uncertainty hangs over Strait of Hormuz– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Trump defended the US blockade and threatened “to start dropping bombs again” unless the countries reached a long-term deal before the ceasefire expires on Wednesday.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said Tehran’s control over the strait included demanding the payment of costs related to security, safety and environmental protection services, state media said.

Concern remained after at least two vessels reported being attacked on Saturday while trying to transit the waterway. India summoned the Iranian ambassador in New Delhi and expressed deep concern that two Indian-flagged ships had come under fire in the strait, the government said.

Trump reaffirms US-Israel support after Netanyahu ‘alarmed’ by Lebanon comments– www.mirror.co.uk

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Donald Trump posted on social media to reaffirm the US’s support for Israel, calling it a ‘great ally’, just hours after sources told Axios that Benjamin Netanyahu had been left ‘personally stunned and alarmed’ by an earlier post in which Trump said Israel was ‘prohibited’ from bombing Lebanon

President Trump Meets With Visiting Israeli PM Netanyahu At The White House(Image: Getty)

Donald Trump reaffirmed his backing for Israel in a Truth Social message on Saturday evening, merely hours after reports suggested Benjamin Netanyahu had been unsettled by an earlier comment he made.

Writing around 9pm ET, the US president described Israel as a “great ally” of Washington while taking aim at European nations that refused to take part in the Iran conflict.

SETH ORANBURG: Local Municipalities Weaponize Bureaucracy Against Prayer– dailycaller.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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As Congress debates antisemitism legislation and the Religious Liberty Commission holds hearings on rising hate, a case pending before the Supreme Court reveals a more mundane threat: city officials who use zoning bureaucracy to shut down Jewish prayer in a private home.

Daniel Grand invited a handful of neighbors to his house on a Saturday morning to pray. The City of University Heights, Ohio, served him with a cease-and-desist order, calling his home an “illegal house of worship.” Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan then encouraged Grand’s neighbors to surveil his home and report any religious activity for punishment.

When a city criminalizes home worship, you’d figure the homeowner has recourse. On paper, yes. In practice, no. In reality, municipalities across the country destroy faith communities not through action but through something more sinister: selective inaction.

Kash Patel Announces Lawsuit Against ‘The Atlantic’ Over Latest Hit Piece– trendingpoliticsnews.com

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FBI Director Kash Patel announced Sunday that he intends to take legal action against The Atlantic over a recent attack piece that accused him of frequent drinking on the job and unexplained absences. The director has thoroughly denied the allegations, calling them “fake news.”

The article, titled “The FBI Director Is MIA,” claimed to be based on interviews with more than two dozen anonymous sources, including current and former FBI officials, staff from law-enforcement and intelligence agencies, hospitality workers, members of Congress, political operatives, lobbyists, and former advisers.

Among the claims were episodes of excessive drinking that allegedly affected his leadership. Sources reported that Patel had been observed drinking to the point of obvious intoxication at venues including the private club Ned’s in Washington, D.C., and the Poodle Room in Las Vegas. According to “six current and former officials,” meetings and briefings were sometimes rescheduled because of alcohol-fueled nights early in his tenure.

Pope Leo warns African youth against emigration, urges battle against ‘scourge of corruption’– www.lifesitenews.com

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Pope Leo XIV called on young people in Africa to resist emigration and corruption, and to work for the good of their own countries.

On April 17, Pope Leo XIV addressed students and faculty at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé and later celebrated Mass in Douala, urging African youth to remain in their homeland, combat corruption through moral integrity, and contribute to national development, during the midpoint of his pastoral journey to four African nations.

“Do not give in to distrust and discouragement,” the Pope said during the Mass in Douala. “Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality, and work.”

Why game theory could be critical in a nuclear war– www.scientificamerican.com

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“The half-life of humanity is currently around 35 years,” said Nobel laureate in physics David Gross as he concluded an evening lecture at the German Physical Society’s conference in Erlangen in March. Put another way, the physicist believes that in a little more than three decades, there is a 50 percent chance that our species will be extinct.

The alarming statement followed Gross’s estimation that the risk of a nuclear war was increasing from 1 percent per year to about 2 percent annually. After the lecture, the audience was visibly pensive. The current world situation and the award-winning speaker’s warnings hung over attendees like a dark cloud.

“I’m still hoping game theory will come to the rescue,” another physicist later told me at the conference. The rules of logic—provided everyone follows them—would prohibit a nuclear first strike, this reasoning goes.

Moonshot AI and Tsinghua Researchers Propose PrfaaS: A Cross-Datacenter KVCache Architecture that Rethinks How LLMs are Served at Scale– www.marktechpost.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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For years, the way large language models handle inference has been stuck inside a box — literally. The high-bandwidth RDMA networks that make modern LLM serving work have confined both prefill and decode to the same datacenter, sometimes even the same rack. A team of researchers at Moonshot AI and Tsinghua University is making the case that this constraint is about to break down — and that the right architecture can already exploit that shift.

The research team introduces Prefill-as-a-Service (PrfaaS), a cross-datacenter serving architecture that selectively offloads long-context prefill to standalone, compute-dense prefill clusters and transfers the resulting KVCache over commodity Ethernet to local PD clusters for decode. The result, in a case study using an internal 1T-parameter hybrid model, is 54% higher serving throughput than a homogeneous PD baseline and 32% higher than a naive heterogeneous setup — while consuming only a fraction of available cross-datacenter bandwidth. The research team note that when compared at equal hardware cost, the throughput gain is approximately 15%, reflecting that the full 54% advantage comes partly from pairing higher-compute H200 GPUs for prefill with H20 GPUs for decode.