Fact & Spin

UK-Ukraine partnership, $145M Epstein estate and Blue Origin launch

Georgia’s ruling party is accused of assaulting opposition leader Giorgi Gakharia,  Israel’s cabinet delays its approval of a Gaza cease-fire, the UK inks a 100-year partnership deal with Ukraine, a Stacey Abrams-founded voting rights group is fined for violating campaign laws, Canada deploys Black Hawk choppers along the US border, TikTok reportedly readies a US blackout amid an expected ban, Meta announces plans to cut 5% of its workforce, Jeffrey Epstein’s estate reportedly grows to $145M after a $111.6M tax refund, an Australian TikTok influencer is accused of poisoning her baby for views, and Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin successfully launches its New Glenn rocket.
Sources: www.verity.news

Gaza cease-fire deal, Biden-Cuba announcement and red dye ban

A landmark Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal is reached, South Korea's impeached Pres. Yoon is arrested, the UN says that over 1M people are internally displaced in Haiti, UK Treasury Minister Tulip Siddiq resigns, Pres. Biden bolsters Indo-Pacific ties in the final days of his presidency, while Biden moves to drop Cuba from the US terrorism list, Pres.-elect Trump says he’ll create an “External Revenue Service” for tariffs, the US Securities and Exchange Commission sues Elon Musk over his Twitter acquisition, a newly-proposed definition of obesity would de-emphasize Body Mass Index, and the US Food and Drug Administration bans Red Dye No. 3 from food and ingested drugs.
Sources: www.verity.news

Hegseth confirmation hearing, Trump Jan. 6 report and TikTok-Musk rumors

Pete Hegseth testifies at his defense secretary confirmation hearing, France’s François Bayrou delivers his first policy speech to parliament, The Haaretz claims that Trump pressured Israel’s Netanyahu into accepting a Gaza deal, the final special counsel report claims Trump would have been convicted in the election case, the UK’s MI5 declassifies over 100 top secret files, NATO launches a Baltic Sea mission to guard undersea infrastructure, Spain plans a 100% tax on non-EU property buyers, Sierra Leone declares a health emergency over an outbreak of mpox, TikTok denies reports of a potential Elon Musk takeover, and Starbucks decides to end its open-door policy.
Sources: www.verity.news

North Korean POWs Exchange, UK AI Turbocharging and Maha Kumbh Festival

Zelenskyy says Ukraine is prepared to exchange North Korean prisoners of war, The EU considers sanctions relief for Syria, The death toll from LA wildfires climbs as Santa Ana winds return, Keir Starmer announces plans to 'turbocharge' AI, ICJ President Nawaf Salam is set to become Lebanon's next prime minister, Croatia's Milanovic wins the presidential race, Thailand's cabinet approves a casino legalization bill, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launch is delayed, The UK reportedly plans reforms to its COVID vaccine injury compensation scheme, The US Supreme Court allows a Honolulu climate lawsuit to proceed and the world's largest religious festival begins in India.
Sources: www.verity.news

Maduro Swearing-In, Trump No-Penalty Sentence and Airport Noise Risk

Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro is sworn in while the US raises its bounty for him, Pres.-elect Donald Trump receives a no-penalty sentence in New York, Donald Trump is reportedly planning a meeting with Vladamir Putin, A new study suggests that Gaza’s death toll is significantly underreported, The UN claims that Australia violated refugees’ rights in the Nauru detention center, A teen's death reportedly sparks mass protests in China, A poll finds that 73% of Americans think democracy is under serious threat, The US Supreme Court will decide the fate of TikTok, Earth reportedly breached the +1.5°C warming mark for the first time in 2024, and a study finds a link between airport noise and heart disease risk.
Sources: www.verity.news

Lebanon president pick, $919M Tesla pay settlement and endangered freshwater species

Army Chief Joseph Aoun is elected president of Lebanon, Venezuela's Edmundo González presents alleged original vote counts from the presidential election, Joe Biden says he could have defeated Donald Trump in the November election, a phone call between Justice Samuel Alito and Trump sparks controversy, UK Conservative MP David Davis calls for a retrial for convicted baby killer Lucy Letby, Robert F Kennedy Jr. is accused of voter fraud, Idaho GOP legislators ask SCOTUS to revisit its same-sex marriage decision, the global market is predicted to expand despite risks of AI-driven job cuts, a judge approves a $919M settlement over the Tesla directors’ excess pay case, and a study warns that 24% of freshwater species are at risk of extinction.
Sources: www.verity.news

Explosive LA wildfires, Italian journalist release and alleged rogue robotaxi

Los Angeles experiences explosive, catastrophic wildfires, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala is released from an Iranian prison, media reports allege that a Palestinian used as a human shield was killed by an Israeli commander, an inquiry accuses UK Special Forces of Afghan war crimes, North Korea touts its recent hypersonic missile test, the US declares genocide in Sudan and sanctions the RSF leader, OpenAI Chief Sam Altman is accused of abuse by his sister, Tesla's “smart summon” is being probed after multiple crashes, a study analyzes 'toxic male technique' to help curb mosquito spread, and a circling robotaxi briefly traps a tech entrepreneur in Phoenix.
Sources: www.verity.news

Deadly China quake, Meta fact-checking end and new Nvidia chips

France’s Jean-Marie Le Pen passes away, the report on Donald Trump’s classified docs probe is temporarily blocked, the UK’s anti-corruption minister refers herself to an ethics probe, the UN estimates that 900 executions took place in Iran last year, Israel launches raids across the West Bank, a powerful earthquake in China kills over 100, Meta decides to end its fact-checking program, Joe Biden names two new national monuments in California, sugary drinks are attributed to over 3M diabetes and heart disease cases in 2020, and Nvidia unveils its new AI-powered gaming chips.
Sources: www.verity.news

Trudeau Resignation, Trump Victory Certification and Major US Winter Storms

Justin Trudeau resigns as Canada’s prime minister, Congress certifies Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, Over 60M Americans face weather alerts amid major winter storms, South Korea seeks to extend the arrest warrant for its impeached president, Joe Biden proposes an $8B arms sale to Israel, President Biden bans offshore drilling on 625M acres of US waters, Former French Pres. Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial over Libya cash allegations, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer feuds with Elon Musk, New Zealand overhauls work visa rules amid a labor shortage, A study suggests climate change is affecting the global water cycle, and a UK health official warns that antimicrobial-resistant bacteria could kill 40M people by 2050.
Sources: www.verity.news

Venezuela Candidate Bounty, Biden-Iran Plans and Siri ‘Eavesdropping’ Case

Venezuela sets a $100K bounty on an opposition candidate, German and French foreign ministers meet with Syria’s new leadership, Anti-corruption officials quit their bid to arrest South Korea’s impeached president, Slovakia threatens to cut benefits to Ukrainian refugees, The Biden admin. reportedly discussed Iran strike options, While a $20K diamond from India's Modi tops Biden's 2023 gift list, A plane crash at a California factory claims two lives and injures 19, China is reportedly experiencing an outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV), A mother killer whale near Seattle is observed mourning after the passing of her second calf, and Apple proposes a $95M payout to settle a Siri 'eavesdropping' case.
Sources: www.verity.news