The Brief: May 1, 2024

Facts & Spins for May 18, 2024 Top Stories: Michael Cohen admits that he lied under oath, Texas pardons a man convicted of killing a Black Lives Matter protester, The International Criminal Court hears arguments in the genocide case against Israel, Spain says it would recognize a Palestinian state in joint action with other countries, OpenAI grants Reddit access to ChatGPT, The Vatican tightens its rule on probing alleged miracles, The US moves to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, French police kill a man suspected of setting fire to a synagogue, Golf champion Scottie Scheffler is arrested, and scientists appear to solve the mystery behind Egypt’s pyramids. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 17, 2024 Top Stories: The Gaza aid pier is completed by the US military, Presidents Putin and Xi make a joint statement in Beijing about their global ties, Italy’s League Party works to remove the EU flag from public offices, YouTube blocks access to a banned protest anthem in Hong Kong, Pres. Joe Biden claims executive privilege in his classified docs probe, Mitt Romney suggests that Biden should have pardoned Donald Trump, the US government suspends funding for the EcoHealth Alliance, the US Supreme Court orders Louisiana to use maps with two majority-Black districts, Chinese electric vehicle company Nio launches a cheaper rival to Telsa’s Model Y and the Dow Jones briefly eclipses 40,000 for the first time ever. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 16, 2024 Top Stories: Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is shot and seriously wounded, Donald Trump agrees to two debates with Joe Biden, The Biden admin. reportedly is proceeding with $1B in weapons sales to Israel, Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy cancels international travels amid Russia’s offensive, Unrest simmers in the Republic of Georgia after the ‘foreign influence’ bill is passed, Protests over voting rights in New Caledonia prompts a French emergency declaration, Michael Cohen is challenged in Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial, Larry Hogan and Jim Justice win respective GOP primaries in Maryland and W. Va, A study suggests that obese children may have a significantly reduced life expectancy, and North Korea reportedly laundered $147.5M in stolen cryptocurrency. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 15, 2024 Top Stories: An Australian military whistleblower is jailed, Mike Johnson defends Trump outside his New York trial, the US backs Saudi Arabia's effort to revive a Houthi peace deal, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis meets with Turkey’s Recep Erdoğan, Biden announces tariffs on Chinese EVs and solar panels, a report estimates nearly 76M people are internally displaced worldwide, the jail sentence of an imprisoned citizen journalist in China concludes, Arizona’s supreme court delays the enforcement of the 1864 abortion law, the UNC-Chapel Hill board slashes its diversity funding, and a weight loss drug is found to reduce heart attack risk by 20%.  Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 14, 2024 Top Stories: Russia’s defense minister is replaced in a cabinet reshuffle, Michael Cohen testifies in Trump’s hush-money trial, A new poll shows Trump leading in 5 swing states, Egypt joins South Africa's ICJ genocide case against Israel, Cold lava and flash floods kill over 40 people in Indonesia, The Socialist Party wins Spain’s Catalonia election, US Senator Robert Menendez's corruption trial gets underway, OpenAI reveals a new version of GPT-4.0, Vatican Museums workers file a labor complaint, The first genetically altered pig kidney transplant recipient dies, and a study finds that internet access can boost well-being. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 11, 2024 Top Stories: The UN General Assembly calls on the Security Council to reconsider Palestinian UN membership, Russia launches an offensive in Kharkiv, Stormy Daniels testifies for a second time in Trump’s New York trial, India's top court grants bail to opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal, Xi Jinping finishes his European tour in Hungary, Florida police release footage of the fatal shooting of a US Airman, Argentines strike against spending cuts, A Boeing 737 plane skids off the runway in Senegal while a tyre bursts in Turkey, OpenAI is reportedly set to launch a Google search rival, and a study links ultra-processed foods to a risk of early death. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 10, 2024 Top Stories: Biden says the US will not supply offensive weapons for a Rafah assault, Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces are accused of ethnic cleansing in West Darfur, the US House tables a motion to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, RFK Jr.’s campaign says he’s in robust health despite a brain worm scare, Putin says he has “no doubt” that Russia will be victorious in Ukraine, the EU ends its military training mission in Mali, a whistleblower claims Boeing plane parts had serious defects, Saudi forces are allegedly told to use lethal force to clear land for an eco-city, Spain's ex-soccer chief will stand trial for the Hermoso kiss and a deaf toddler hears after gene therapy. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 9, 2024 Top Stories: The US pauses arms delivery to Israel over the Rafah operation, The EU agrees to send $3.2B of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, As Russia launches renewed strikes on Ukraine’s energy sector, South African Pres. Ramaphosa condemns a flag-burning political ad, A highly influential former North Korean official passes at 94, Gaza takes center stage at the Eurovision song contest, The start of Donald Trump’s classified docs case is delayed indefinitely, Stormy Daniels testifies in Trump’s hush money trial, Pres. Joe Biden touts a new AI data center in Wisconsin, and a report suggests that Earth has endured the warmest April since records began in 1940. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 8, 2024 Top Stories: Israel captures Gaza's Rafah crossing, House Republicans schedule a contempt vote against AG Merrick Garland, Putin is sworn in for a fifth presidential term, the personal data of British military personnel is hacked, the IAEA chief seeks more oversight of Iran’s nuclear program, Modi votes in the third phase of India's national election, Chad holds presidential elections after years of military rule, Bernie Sanders announces a reelection bid, TikTok sues the US government, and scientists claim to have found a new genetic form of Alzheimer’s. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 7, 2024 Top Stories: Israel warns Palestinians to leave eastern Rafah, John Swinney is elected leader of Scotland’s SNP party, China's Xi Xinping visits France, Russia announces nuclear drills, Trump is fined again for violating a gag order, Panama elects a new president, Columbia University cancels its campus-wide graduation ceremony amid Gaza protests, Israel shuts down Al Jazeera, Qantas settles a “ghost flights” lawsuit, and the US is reported to have shared COVID lab leak evidence with the UK in 2020. Sources: https://www.verity.news/