REI

Qualifying for the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku produced early eliminations for several drivers and a large gap at the front of the timesheets. The street circuit's tight walls and demanding layout again punished small mistakes, and fans are debating the surprise exit and the pace difference between the leading teams ahead of the race.

The US Senate has passed a college sports bill that would place new limits on athlete payments and transfers, according to AP News and NBC News. The legislation targets the name, image and likeness system that has allowed college athletes to earn money, and could reshape recruitment and player movement. Details of the vote margin and next steps in the House have not been specified in initial reports.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino spoke at the World Leaders Forum, addressing Panama's sovereignty, migration, and climate change. His appearance comes as Panama faces pressure over the migration route through the Darién Gap and global scrutiny of canal and territorial issues. The event drew attention from students and regional observers, with Mulino defending his government's positions on all three fronts.

Indian space regulator IN-SPACe has introduced a 'Satellite-as-a-Service' framework governing how Indian satellite operators can host payloads from Indian and foreign customers. The rules are expected to open the door for overseas agencies and companies to fly instruments on Indian spacecraft, expanding commercial opportunities for the country's growing private space sector.

Estonia has announced a partnership with French AI biotech company Owkin to advance sovereign AI capabilities in biology and life sciences. The collaboration aims to strengthen Estonia's control over its biological data and AI infrastructure. Further details about the scope and funding of the agreement have not yet been made public.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a foreign actor was 'clearly' behind the suspected plot at RAF Fairford, offering no evidence for the claim. He added that many people were 'disturbed' that five suspects in the case have been released on bail. The remarks have drawn attention to the unproven nature of the assertion and the bail decision.

Italian ministers have reached agreement on measures that would ban the burqa and niqab in schools and cap the number of foreign students in classrooms. The plan, reported by BBC World, is drawing attention both in Italy and internationally, with supporters framing it as an integration measure and critics likely to see it as restrictive of religious freedom and migrant rights.

The German-French channel ARTE is airing a documentary tonight at 22:20 on the environmental price of Elon Musk's Mars ambitions. It argues the space industry fuels dangerous illusions about escaping to other worlds while cluttering Earth's orbit with thousands of satellites. Viewers are sharing the broadcast as part of ARTE's environment programming.

A giant hexagon-shaped storm at Saturn's north pole, roughly 29,000 kilometres across, is again drawing attention. The phenomenon has fascinated researchers since the Voyager missions first spotted it, and its exact origin remains unexplained. A German science outlet revisits the mysterious six-sided jet stream, laying out the key figures behind one of the solar system's most puzzling weather features.