Fact & Spin

Bannon guilty plea, Musk $97.4B OpenAI bid and shifting Earth’s core

A judge orders the Trump administration to restore frozen funding, Trump warns Hamas to release all Israeli hostages by Saturday, the UN halts operations in Yemen’s Saada, Steve Bannon pleads guilty in the New York border wall case, a South Korean teacher confesses to fatally stabbing a first grader, the UK’s assisted dying bill seeks to remove a High Court judge’s approval, Elon Musk makes a $97.4B bid to purchase OpenAI, the BBC finds that AI chatbots mislead users on current affairs, thousands of artists call on Christie's to cancel an AI art auction, and scientists discover that Earth's inner core Is changing shape.
Sources:  www.verity.news

More US Tariffs, New Lebanese Government and Record Asylum Deaths

Trump announces 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, In Ecuador, Noboa and González are set for a runoff rematch, Trump says Palestinians will not be able to return to Gaza under his plan, Lebanon forms a new government after two years of deadlock, New Zealand raises 'concern' over the Cook Islands-China deal, The UK’s health minister is sacked over WhatsApp messages, UK asylum deaths hit a record high, The trial begins for Salman Rushdie's attacker, A French surgeon faces trial for the alleged abuse of 299 children, and Trump orders a halt to penny production.
Sources:  www.verity.news

US-ICC Sanctions, India Rate Cut and Whale Song Discovery

The US sanctions the International Criminal Court, The US launches new embargoes on Iran’s oil network, The UN warns that sexual violence against Haitian children has surged 1,000%, Trump orders a taskforce to combat alleged anti-Christian bias, The UK reportedly requests access to Apple users’ encrypted data, Project 2025’s Russell Vought is confirmed as Trump’s budget chief, India cuts interest rates for the first time in five years, A third Al-Fayed brother faces sexual assault claims from former Harrods staff, Australia enacts mandatory jail terms for Nazi salutes, and a study found that whale songs share language patterns with humans.
Sources:  www.verity.news

Gaza cease-fire allegations, Trump buyout pause and IVF kangaroo embryo

Hamas claims Israel is breaching its cease-fire deal by limiting aid, protesters in Bangladesh torch the home of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, M23 seizes another town in the Eastern DRC, a US district judge pauses Trump’s Federal employee buyout plan, Democrats express alarm over Elon Musk's access to federal data, while Musk’s DOGE seeks to improve US air traffic control systems, a new bird flu strain is found in Nevada dairy cows, the Bank of England cuts rates, increases inflation and decreases growth predictions, January 2025 reportedly sets a global temperature record, and scientists create an IVF kangaroo embryo for the first time.
Sources: www.verity.news

Trump Gaza comments, Sara Duterte impeachment and Aga Khan IV passing

US Pres. Donald Trump declares his intent for US control of Gaza, the Philippine House impeaches Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, Syria’s al-Sharaa meets Turkey’s Erdoğan, Argentina withdraws from the World Health Organization, Australia bans PRC AI firm DeepSeek from government devices, Canada appeals the court ruling on 2022 Emergencies Act use, the CIA reportedly offers buyouts to its entire staff, Pam Bondi is confirmed and sworn in as the new US Attorney General, the US Postal Service resumes accepting parcels from China after a brief pause, and Aga Khan IV pas ses away at 88.
Sources: www.verity.news

Reform UK lead, US UNHRC withdrawal and deadly Swedish shooting

Reform UK takes the lead for the first time in a new poll, the US withdraws from the UN Human Rights Council, China announces retaliatory tariffs on the US, Trump offers Ukraine aid in exchange for access to its rare earths, a school shooting in Sweden leaves at least 10 dead, El Salvador offers to house US criminals, fighting across south and west Sudan kills at least 65, the White House prepares an executive order to diminish the Department of Education, OpenAI announces a partnership with South Korea’s Kakao,and air pollution is linked to a surge in lung cancer cases among non-smokers.
Sources:  www.verity.news

Trump Tariff Escalations, Softbank-OpenAI Partnership and Rubiales Kiss Trial

Trump warns of tariffs against the EU and UK, Donald Trump temporarily delays tariffs against Mexico and Canada, French PM François Bayrou faces a no-confidence vote after passing budgets using Article 49.3, Israel expands its northern West Bank offensive, Marco Rubio and José Raúl Mulino meet amid rising US-Panama tensions, The Republic of Georgia arrests opposition leaders amid EU membership protests, Trump moves to shut down USAID,The US president says Russia-Ukraine discussions are 'going pretty well,’ SoftBank and OpenAI partner to develop AI for Japanese firms, Chinese fashion giant Shein returns to India, and ex-Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales goes on trial over the World Cup kiss scandal.
Sources:  www.verity.news

WhatsApp Spyware Allegation, Trump Tariff Rollout and NBA Betting Probe

WhatsApp says Israeli spyware targeted journalists and civil service workers, Myanmar extends emergency rule for another six months, Italy blocks DeepSeek AI over privacy concerns, The UK marks the fifth anniversary of Brexit, Nicaragua approves constitutional reforms establishing a co-presidency, Black boxes are recovered from the tragic Washington DC aviation accident, President Donald Trump says that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico are imminent, In France, convicted rapist Dominique Pélicot is linked to cold cases from the 1990s, The US Food and Drug Administration approves a non-opioid painkiller, and NBA star Terry Rozier is the focus of a federal sports betting probe.
Sources: www.verity.news

Deadly DC air crash, $25M Trump-Meta settlement and lab-grown heart patch

67 die in the US’ deadliest air carrier crash since 2001, former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is announced as Syria’s interim president, eight Gaza hostages are released in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners, Germany’s parliament approves a motion to restrict migration, Meta agrees to pay Trump $25M for suspending his accounts, former US Sen. Bob Menendez is sentenced to 11 years in prison, OpenAI partners with US National Laboratories, as it accuses China’s Deepseek of stealing its data, global clean energy investment crosses $2T, and scientists develop lab-grown muscle patches to treat heart failure.
Sources: www.verity.news

Tragic India stampede, RFK Jr. hearings and ticking doomsday clock

Dozens are killed in India in a tragic stampede at a religious festival, RFK Jr. faces the Senate in a high-profile confirmation hearing, Israel says it will halt all contact with UNRWA, the DRC president snubs peace talks as M23 rebels seize Goma, a Canadian prime minister hopeful proposes a global summit to counter Trump tariffs, Pres. Trump offers 2M government employees eight months pay to resign, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announces a UK growth plan, 14 religious sect members in Australia are found guilty in a girl’s death, an ex-OpenAI safety lead warns of a 'risky' AI race, and the famed “doomsday clock” ticks to 89 seconds to midnight.
Sources: www.verity.news