Australia’s Bureau of Statistics reported on June 3, 2026 that an estimated 80% of tobacco and nicotine products consumed in 2025 came from illicit sources, up from about 12% in 2017. The ABS’s experimental estimate combined nicotine metabolite levels in wastewater with sales and spending data and found overall nicotine consumption rose nearly 40% between 2017 and 2025 while household spending on legal tobacco fell to around 2016 levels. Steep excise rises on legal products — prices for some legal packs have roughly tripled since 2016 — are seen as a key driver pushing smokers toward cheaper illegal supplies. The shift has hit tax revenue: Treasury recently downgraded excise receipts (reports cite an approximate A$8 billion reduction over five years and a revision of expected 2025–30 excise receipts to about A$15.4 billion from A$27.3 billion). Authorities report large seizures and state enforcement actions, and jurisdictions have introduced tougher penalties for sellers and landlords. The findings have intensified debate over whether to cut excise, boost enforcement, or reform nicotine policy to reduce the black market.

Champion Foods LLC on May 29 voluntarily recalled certain batches of Motor City Pizza Co. 5 Cheese Bread after a milk powder supplier, California Dairies Inc., issued a salmonella-related recall that affected a seasoning blend used in the product. The frozen single-pack (UPC 8 70375 00511 1) and two-pack (UPC 8 70375 00509 8) lots carry sell-by dates ranging into early-to-mid 2027 (notably February–April 2027) and were distributed nationwide through major retailers including Walmart, Costco, Target, Kroger, Publix, Meijer and others, as well as wholesalers and distributors. Routine testing of the seasoning blend before production returned negative for salmonella, and Champion said no illnesses have been reported. The recall is being conducted in coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Consumers who purchased affected products are urged not to eat them; they should return them to the place of purchase for a refund or dispose of them and may contact Champion Foods at info@motorcitypizzacompany.com for more information.

A long-term observational analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine finds that doing 90 to 120 minutes of strength (resistance) training per week is associated with lower mortality. Researchers pooled data from three US cohorts—the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and Health Professionals Follow-up Study—tracking 147,374 adults over about 30 years. After adjustment for confounders, 90–119 minutes weekly of resistance training was linked to a 13% lower risk of death from any cause, a 19% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 27% lower risk of death from neurological disease. Combining high levels of aerobic activity with strength training yielded the largest reductions in mortality (up to about 58%). The study also found no additional mortality benefit above roughly two hours per week of strength training. Authors note the analysis is observational, relies on self-reported activity and lacks precise data on session intensity or duration, so causality cannot be established.

Alphabet's Debug programme has applied to the US Environmental Protection Agency for an experimental use permit to release Wolbachia-infected male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Florida and California. The application requests permission for up to 16 million males in each state in a given year—a deployment that could total up to 32 million in year one and, if repeated, as many as 64 million over two years. Debug's approach uses the naturally occurring bacterium Wolbachia to render eggs non-viable when infected males mate with wild females; released males do not bite or transmit disease. Verily/Debug point to prior field results — including strong suppression in Fresno and trials in Singapore and Australia — showing large reductions in biting females and, in some cases, dengue incidence. The EPA review follows a public comment period and has prompted debate: public-health advocates and researchers highlight potential to cut dengue, Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases, while critics warn of ecological risks, the optics of corporate-led biological interventions, and the need for community consent and tight regulatory oversight.

The White House released a memo late Friday saying President Donald J. Trump is in “excellent health” following a medical examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier in the week. White House physician Capt. Sean Barbabella reported the 79‑year‑old underwent CT and cardiac imaging, cancer screenings and assessments by 22 specialists; he was judged “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander‑in‑Chief.” The report recorded a weight of 238 lb (108 kg), a body‑mass index of 29.7 (up 14 lb since April 2025), a resting heart rate of 73 bpm and blood pressure of 105/71. Trump scored 30/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and his “cardiac age” was estimated about 14 years younger than his chronological age. The memo noted slight lower‑leg swelling linked to chronic venous insufficiency (improved from last year) and hand bruising attributed to frequent handshakes and aspirin use. Doctors recommended continued weight loss, increased activity and a switch to low‑dose aspirin; he remains on rosuvastatin and ezetimibe for cholesterol control.