Starmer resignation, US-Iran talks, Trump-Meloni spat and UAE social media guardrails

Earthquakes rock Venezuela, the U.N. launches an operation to evacuate 11,000 sailors stranded in Hormuz, Mamdani-backed candidates sweep New York City Democratic primaries, the EU hosts Taliban officials for the first time, Niger becomes the third country to leave the International Criminal Court, a study suggests that sperm whales have developed distinct dialects in the Mediterranean, the EU is accused of complicity in alleged Libyan migrant abuses, a Chilean judge sentences three former secret police agents over a 1976 Washington, D.C. murder, President Trump blocks a housing bill, demanding his Voter ID law first, while Trump signs orders to target the construction of a quantum computer by 2028, and an independent review ties Nottingham, U.K. maternity failures to hundreds of avoidable deaths and injuries. Sources: Verity.News

The U.S. waives sanctions on Iranian oil, the U.K.'s outgoing Starmer government pauses all "major" policy announcements, Trump’s acting intelligence director begins firing staff, a Montreal shooting leaves three people dead,  a note claims that Nancy Guthrie died shortly after her abduction, the U.K. considers requiring social media to prioritize trusted news, a child under 12 is euthanized in the Netherlands, dozens of climate-vulnerable countries launch a new global financing framework, Kenya halts a U.S. Ebola facility, and the Five Eyes alliance warns that AI could devastate governments within months. Sources: Verity.News

Abelardo de la Espriella wins the presidential runoff in Colombia, China announces sanctions on 10 American military-related companies, Alan Greenspan, a former Fed chair, dies at age 100, Czech broadcasters strike over a state funding takeover, at least five people are arrested for alleged vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Pool, the Spanish prime minster’s wife is ordered to stand trial on corruption charges, fifty-four are injured and 18 are missing in an explosion at a Qatar gas terminal, Australia makes a record cocaine bust, and Japan raises visa fees fivefold in the first hike since 1978. Sources: Verity.News

Keir Starmer resigns, US and Iran diplomats work on nuclear deal, Italy's foreign minister cancels a planned trip to the U.S. amid a dispute between Trump and Meloni, D.C. Democratic Socialist Janeese Lewis George wins the Democratic mayoral primary, the UAE bans social media for users under the age of 15, the parents of a Serbian school shooter are sentenced in a re-trial, the CDC activates $107 million to fight Africa's deadly Ebola outbreak, Gabbard releases documents allegedly tying Fauci to gain-of-function research funding at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Meta seeks immunity in the Kids Online Safety Act, and a study finds that the world's top 10% consumers cause up to $5.7 trillion in damages annually. Sources: Verity.News

Israel releases a new map of a security zone in southern Lebanon, the EU greenlights offshore migrant "return hubs," the U.S. and Bolivia ink a $20 million anti-drug trafficking deal, Ukrainian drones target Moscow, Apple warns that price hikes are unavoidable amid an AI chip surge, Gunmen attack an airport in Niger's capital, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that marijuana users can't be banned from gun access, the California billionaire tax hits the ballot, a Canada panel urges a permanent "medical assistance in dying" ban for mental illness, and Bernie Sanders introduces $7 trillion AI wealth fund bill. Sources: Verity.News

President Trump suggests that an Iran deal could be inked by Thursday or Friday, while AI, Ukraine and children's online safety are also discussed at the G7 summit in France, Brazil's top court convicts Eduardo Bolsonaro for coercion, Israel and Somaliland reveal secret ties, authorities in Vietnam bust a large-scale cat theft ring, Trump-Backed Mike Collins wins Georgia's GOP runoff, Luigi Mangione's defense cites emotional disturbance in the CEO murder case, the U.S. Dept of Justice moves to dismiss an NAACP suit against xAI's data center, Canada's opioid deaths dropped 23% in 2025, and the U.N. reports that Asia was hit by record heat, floods and sea levels in 2025. Sources: Verity.News

Trump and Vance virtually sign the U.S.-Iran agreement, while also meeting with Zelenskyy at the G7 summit, the Ukraine and Moldova formally launch EU membership talks, the FBI says it foiled an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event, a poll finds that 38% of surveyed Americans don't think the U.S. will survive another 250 years, the life sentence of Henry Nowak's killer is referred to the U.K. Court of Appeal, the U.N. reports that drone strikes have killed over 1,000 Sudanese civilians so far this year, the Bank of Japan hikes rates to 1%, SpaceX buys AI coding startup Cursor for $60 billion, and Starbucks South Korea announces mandatory history and social sensitivity training. Sources: Verity.News

Israel vows to remain in southern Lebanon despite the U.S.-Iran deal, Keir Starmer announces a social media ban for U.K. children under 16, Gavin Newsom says Trump ordered the DOJ to investigate him and his wife, Swiss voters reject a 10 million population cap, Donald Trump threatens a 100% tariff on French wine, the U.S. president backs Mike Collins in the Georgia Senate runoff, a U.K. court upholds the Palestine Action terror ban, two people are found guilty over the Starmer arson plot, Norway's crown prince receives a four-year jail term for rape, and Trump marks his 80th birthday with a White House UFC event. Sources: Verity.News

Iran and the US reach a preliminary peace deal, 'SpaceX's IPO breaks an all-time record and makes Elon Musk the first trillionaire, French, German, and U.K. envoys hold talks in Russia, an Al Qaeda branch in Mali puts a bounty on President Goïta, a study says that opposition to AI data centers blocked $130 billion in U.S. projects during Q1 of this year, South Korea's ex-President Yoon gets 30 years over a Pyongyang drone plot, Pope Leo XIV honors migrants at a Canary Islands port, the FBI raids an Ohio voter registration group, the CDC declares an emergency over screwworm in U.S. cattle, and the Pentagon releases another tranche of UFO files. Sources: Verity.News

Trump calls off military strikes on Iran,  U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey resigns, the Pentagon is temporarily placed on lockdown following a hazardous material incident, Canada proposes a social media ban for children under 16, the U.N. finds that one in 70 people worldwide is forcibly displaced, Washington's climate agency confirms that El Nino has officially arrived, Nigeria repatriates its first group of citizens from South African amid anti-migrant unrest, the Palisades Fire arson trial opens in Los Angeles, Marco Rubio signs a public-private partnership with UFC, and the World Cup kicks off in Mexico. Sources: Verity.News