A widely shared social media post on April 1 falsely announced the death of Jonathan, the Seychelles giant tortoise long resident at Plantation House on St Helena. An account on X impersonating Jonathan’s veterinarian, Joe Hollins, posted that the 193‑year‑old had died and solicited cryptocurrency donations; the message attracted nearly two million views and was picked up by multiple news outlets before being debunked. Hollins (who does not use X) and St Helena governor Nigel Phillips later confirmed Jonathan was alive and photographed on the governor’s grounds. Guinness World Records lists Jonathan as the oldest known living land animal; he was brought to St Helena in 1882 and is believed to be about 193–194 years old. Platform context notes have been added to the fake account, and several publishers updated or corrected initial reports as the story unfolded.

President Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court on April 1, appearing for a high-profile challenge to his 2025 executive order that sought to curtail birthright citizenship. Trump’s order — signed on the first day of his second term — would deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born on U.S. soil to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily. He sat through roughly the government’s argument by Solicitor General D. John Sauer and part of the ACLU presentation before leaving; eyewitnesses and the ACLU’s Anthony Romero said Trump appeared restless and was moved within the courtroom. Justices across the ideological spectrum pressed the government’s lawyers, with reporters and analysts noting sharp skepticism from figures including Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch. The court’s questioning drew on long-standing precedent such as United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898). Lower courts have blocked the order and a definitive Supreme Court ruling is expected by early summer, with political demonstrations outside the courthouse and renewed debate over immigration and constitutional text.

The BBC has dismissed long‑time presenter Scott Mills after obtaining “new information” linked to a historical police investigation. Mills’ contracts were terminated on March 27, the corporation said, and the decision was publicly addressed by outgoing director‑general Tim Davie during an all‑staff call on April 2. Davie said recently revealed details — including that the complainant in a police probe dating back to the late 1990s was under 16 — made the action “very clear.” Police records show an allegation was first referred in 2016, Mills was interviewed under caution in 2018 and the Crown Prosecution Service concluded in 2019 there was insufficient evidence to charge. Mills has said he “fully cooperated” with the inquiry and issued a statement via lawyers. The BBC has begun reviewing what senior staff knew about the earlier investigation. The fallout has seen Mills removed from upcoming projects, a charity ending a partnership and the removal of a commemorative plaque at Fleet Services on April 2. The broadcaster has named replacements for affected programmes and says it acted in line with its culture and values.

On April 1, 2026 a post on X impersonating Jonathan the tortoise’s veterinarian falsely announced the death of Jonathan, the Seychelles giant tortoise long resident at Plantation House, St Helena. The message amassed nearly two million views and was picked up by major outlets including the BBC and USA Today before being debunked. St Helena’s government published a recent photo of Jonathan and officials — plus the real vet, Joe Hollins, who said he does not use X — confirmed the 193‑year‑old tortoise is alive. Investigations by reporters traced the fake account to Brazil and noted it included or solicited a cryptocurrency wallet address, leading Hollins and officials to call the episode a likely crypto scam rather than an April Fools’ joke. Media organisations issued corrections after publishing the false reports. The incident fed wider concerns about social platforms’ handling of impersonation, rapid spread of misinformation and the use of emotional stories to solicit crypto donations; law‑enforcement statistics show cryptocurrency fraud remains a significant and growing problem.

A seven-month-old girl, identified by multiple local outlets as Kaori Patterson-Moore, was fatally struck by a stray bullet on April 1, 2026, in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, police said. The infant was in a double stroller near the corner of Humboldt and Moore streets with her mother and two-year-old brother when two men on a moped opened fire, according to surveillance video and NYPD briefings. The mother, who rushed her daughter to Woodhull Hospital, was unable to save her; the child’s brother suffered a graze wound and was treated and released. Authorities say they have identified the alleged shooter as 21‑year‑old Amuri Greene, who was injured when the moped crashed a few blocks away and was later taken to hospital; police said Greene will be charged with murder and attempted murder. The moped driver remains the subject of an active manhunt. NYPD officials and Mayor Zohran Mamdani said investigators believe the shooting was gang-related and that the infant was not the intended target. Public appeals for tips and a reward from community leaders were reported as the investigation and pursuit of the second suspect continued.

Investigators announced on April 1, 2026 that advanced DNA testing has conclusively tied serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17‑year‑old Laura Ann Aime. Aime disappeared after a Halloween party on Oct. 31, 1974; hikers found her bound, beaten and unclothed near State Route 92 in American Fork Canyon on Thanksgiving Day that year. Evidence preserved from the original investigation was re‑examined using forensic technology acquired by Utah’s crime laboratory in 2023 that can extract profiles from small, degraded or mixed samples. Analysts isolated a single male DNA profile from bodily fluids and matched it to Bundy’s genetic record in national databases. Bundy, executed in Florida in 1989, had previously given a vague confession that Utah prosecutors declined to accept without physical proof. Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith said the case is now officially closed; the new profile will be available to other agencies investigating unsolved killings suspected to be Bundy’s work. Family members, including Aime’s sister Michelle Impala, expressed relief at long‑awaited answers after more than five decades.