10 things you need to know today: June 5, 2012

1. BODY-PARTS SUSPECT TO FACE GERMAN JUDGE

Luka Rocco Magnotta, the suspect in the gruesome murder and dismemberment of a man whose body parts were mailed to Canadian political parties, will appear before a German judge Tuesday and be advised on his detention and extradition. After leaving Canada and spurring an international manhunt, Magnotta, 29, was nabbed at an internet cafe in Berlin on Monday. He is wanted by authorities in Montreal for first-degree murder and other charges. German officials are said to be waiting for more information and instructions from Canada on extradition procedures. [CBC News]

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2. WISCONSIN VOTES IN RECALL ELECTION

Wisconsin voters head to the polls Tuesday to vote on recalling Gov. Scott Walker. The Republican governor came under fire last year when he stripped unions of collective-bargaining rights in an effort to balance the state's budget. To hang on to his job, he must defeat Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat, in the recall election. Wisconsin is a key battleground state in the race for the presidency, and its recall has attracted national attention. [ABC News]

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3. OFFICIALS FIND BLACK BOX IN NIGERIA CRASH

Authorities in Nigeria have found the flight-data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from Sunday's plane crash in Nigeria. The recovery of the devices should help investigators determine the cause of the crash. All 153 people aboard the plane and a least 10 on the ground were killed when the plane hit a residential building in a heavily populated area of Lagos. [CNN]

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4. CIA PLANS IRAQ PULLBACK

According to U.S. officials familiar with the matter, the Central Intelligence Agency plans to dramatically reduce its presence in Iraq, cutting its presence to 40 percent of wartime levels. The move is part of a larger change in U.S.-Iraq relations, as Washington reduces training missions and diplomatic operations in Iraq. Those in favor of the drawdown say the CIA can make better use of its personnel elsewhere, but detractors say al Qaeda is still a serious threat in Iraq. [Wall Street Journal]

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5. PUTIN AND HU MEET IN BEIJING

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao met in Beijing Tuesday. They were expected to discuss their mutual opposition to foreign intervention in Syria, as well as trade and energy. Last week, Russia and China voted against a U.N. resolution condemning the Houla massacre, and the two countries have previously vetoed resolutions threatening sanctions against Syria. [Associated Press]

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6. QUEEN'S JUBILEE COMES TO A CLOSE

The four-day celebration of Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the throne winds down Tuesday. The finale features a service at St. Paul's Cathedral, a procession through the streets of London, and the entire royal family making an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. However, the queen will not be accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, as he was hospitalized Monday with a bladder infection. [Reuters]

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7. N.Y. GOVERNOR WANTS TO CHANGE MARIJUANA LAW

New York's Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, introduced a measure Monday that would decriminalize public possession of small (less than 25 grams) amounts of marijuana. Under the new legislation, such possession would be a noncriminal offense rather than a misdemeanor. In recent years, misdemeanor marijuana arrests in New York City have risen sharply, to more than 50,000 in 2011. [Reuters]

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8. APPLE TO DITCH GOOGLE MAPS

Current and former Apple employees tell The Wall Street Journal that the company is planning to evict Google Maps as its default, preloaded maps app on the iPad and iPhone. Apple is reportedly planning to release its own mapping app, as mobile maps become the latest battleground in the smartphone wars between Google and Apple. Apple has recently acquired no less than three high-tech mapping companies. [Wall Street Journal]

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9. VENUS MAKES RARE, HISTORIC TRANSIT

On Tuesday, Venus will pass across the face of the sun. It will be only the sixth time the planet has made such a transit since 1639, when English astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks first noted and observed it. [Washington Post]

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10. STUDIES FIND COUPLES SLEEP BETTER

Counter to previous studies that show people sleep better alone, scientists are finding that there may be health benefits associated with sharing a bed with a partner. The burgeoning field of study has found that sleeping together could help promote feelings of safety and security, lowering stress hormones and increasing overall health and longevity. [Wall Street Journal]