Fact & Spin

Istanbul mayor detention, USAID shutdown ruling and AI-catalyzed organized crime

Istanbul’s mayor is detained over investigations into alleged corruption and terrorism support, Canada inks a $4.2B Arctic radar deal with Australia, Ukraine reports Russian strikes after Putin agreed to a partial truce in consultation with the Trump admin., Germany breaks its debt rules to finance its defense spending boost, the UK’s Kemi Badenoch drops her net zero emissions support, Jair Bolsonaro's son takes leave from Brazil’s Congress and seeks US political asylum, a US federal judge blocks the Trump admin.’s USAID shutdown, while a US federal judge moves Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation case to New Jersey, the US Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, and a Europol report claims that AI is becoming a powerful catalyst for organized crime.
Sources: www.verity.news

Gaza Cease-Fire End, JFK Files and Harvard Aid Expansion

Putin agrees to pause strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for 30 days, The Gaza cease-fire ends as Israel strikes the enclave, The suspect in the attempted assassination of Slovakia’s prime minister is indicted on terror charges, The Trump administration is set to release 80K pages of unredacted JFK files, The UK announces $6.5B in welfare cuts, Hungary moves to ban the Budapest Pride Parade, China's BYD announces a five-minute electric vehicle charging system, The White House rejects a call to return the Statue of Liberty to France, Global revenues in women’s sports is projected to reach a record $2.35B in 2025, and Harvard announces free tuition for families earning under $200K a year.
Sources: www.verity.news

Trump-Putin talks, North Macedonia fire and SpaceX ISS docking

Trump says he will speak with Putin on Tuesday, 59 people are killed in a nightclub fire in North Macedonia, US strikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels kill at least 53, Netanyahu moves to sack Israel's internal security chief, Trump defies a court order in a mass deportation to El Salvador, the EU hosts a Syria aid conference amid the post-Assad transition, the US Democratic Party hits a historic low in voter approval, SpaceX Crew-10 docks at the ISS to relieve two stranded astronauts, the UK’s health secretary claims mental health conditions are overdiagnosed, Pope Francis is seen for the first time since being hospitalized, and Telegram founder Pavel Durov is reportedly allowed to temporarily leave France.
Sources: www.verity.news

PRC-Hosted Iran Talks, Trump Tower Protest and Influencer’s Wombat Uproar

China hosts Iran nuclear talks amid Washington-Tehran tensions, Armenia and Azerbaijan agree on a draft peace deal, The EU pledges $5.1B to South Africa, Peru passes a law regulating NGO operations, A UK committee makes a key decision regarding an assisted dying bill, Chuck Schumer backs the GOP’s funding bill, Nearly 100 are arrested at Trump Tower in protests over the Mahmoud Khalil detention, The Trump administration takes its birthright citizenship case to the Supreme Court, Meta adopts X's fact-checking algorithm for its new “community notes” system, and A US influencer leaves Australia after a baby wombat uproar.
Sources: www.verity.news

New Syrian constitution, Argentina austerity protests and Amazon COP30 highway

Syria's al-Sharaa signs a new constitution, dozens are arrested amid protests against Argentina’s pension cuts, Trump considers a 200% tariff on EU alcohol, Russia’s Putin expresses openness to a US-proposed cease-fire, the UK’s Keir Starmer scraps NHS England, the White House pulls its nomination of David Weldon as CDC director, European measles cases hit a 25-year high, a US judge extends a ban on the deportation of pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil, the Trump administration flies all remaining Guantánamo migrants to the US, and Brazil cuts thousands of trees to build a highway for the COP30 climate summit.
Sources: www.verity.news

US education cuts, Greenland opposition victory and new Saturn moons

The US Dept. of Education slashes its workforce, Greenland’s opposition wins an unexpected victory, Pres. Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum come into effect, at least 190 hostages are rescued amid the Pakistan train hijacking incident, Nicola Sturgeon won’t seek re-election to the Scottish Parliament in 2026, Colombia's Gustavo Petro calls for a referendum on stalled reforms, the US House passes a stopgap funding bill, the US Dept. of Agriculture suspends $30M to the Univ. of Maine, Argentina kicks off its trial over the death of soccer legend Maradona, and astronomers discover 128 new moons orbiting Saturn.
Sources: www.verity.news

Duterte Arrest, US-Ukraine Talks and Pakistan Train Hijacking

Former Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is arrested, The US and Canada agree to renegotiate the USMCA trade agreement, The Syrian Democratic Forces agree to integrate with the government, The US resumes aid to Ukraine as Kyiv says its open to a 30-day ceasefire, A militant group claims to have taken 182 civilians hostage in an attack on a Pakistani train, A former Meta executive alleges that Facebook developed censorship tools for China, RFK Jr. seeks to end a ‘self-affirm’ rule for food ingredient safety, A report finds that only seven countries breathe clean air, Katie Porter announces a run for California governor, and doctors confirm that Pope Francis’ health is no longer in immediate danger.
Sources: www.verity.news

Deadly Syrian clashes, Trudeau replacement vote and eastern Australia storms

The Syrian government says it’s ended its military operation against Assad loyalists, Mark Carney is chosen to replace Canada’s Justin Trudeau, Israel cuts off electricity to Gaza ahead of talks in Qatar, Romania bars a right-wing candidate from the presidential election rerun, Reform UK suspends Rupert Lowe amid party infighting, Donald Trump declines to rule out a 2025 recession amid trade turmoil, an oil tanker-cargo ship collision sparks a major rescue operation in the North Sea, the Secret Service shoots an armed man outside the White House, the US Supreme Court agrees to review Colorado's 'conversion therapy' ban, and ex-Cyclone Alfred wreaks havoc across eastern Australia.
Sources: www.verity.news

Yoon Release Order, Trump Iran Outreach and SpaceX Rocket Explosion

A South Korean court orders the release of impeached President Yoon, Trump says he sent a letter to Iran's leader to seek a nuclear deal, Donald Trump limits Elon Musk's authority over federal workforce cuts, The US and Ukraine prepare to hold talks in Saudi Arabia, Clashes between Syrian forces and Assad loyalists kill dozens, A US House panel subpoenas Google over Biden-era content moderation policies, Three Bulgarian nationals are found guilty of spying for Russia in the UK, The world’s sea ice cover is found to have hit a historic low, A half-ton World War II bomb delayed hundreds of thousands of travelers in Paris, and SpaceX’s Starship explodes mid-flight for the second time this year.
Sources: www.verity.news

Greek political tensions, Trump tariff reversal and aspirin cancer benefits

the Greek Prime Minister faces a no-confidence vote after protests over the 2023 train disaster, Pres. Trump suspends Mexico tariffs until April, an Iranian singer is flogged for an anti-hijab protest, the White House denies that there is a current plan to revoke Ukrainian refugees' status, while Trump threatens Hamas over hostage release, new polling shows that Sir Keir Starmer's favorability is at a six month high, New Zealand sacks its UK envoy, the US House censures Rep. Al Green after his disruption of Trump’s speech, a report suggests that 36 firms are responsible for 50% of global CO2 emissions, and a study says aspirin may stop some cancers from spreading.
Sources: www.verity.news