Russia drone attack, Pentagon contractor windfall and Yaccarino X exit

Russia launches a record drone on Ukraine attack after Trump criticizes Putin, Taiwan undertakes large-scale military drills, Iran's Foreign Minister visits Saudi Arabia, the BBC reports that an ex-Bangladesh leader ordered the killing of protesters, Donald Trump threatens a federal takeover of Washington, D.C. and New York City, a report suggests that Pentagon contractors received $2.4T over five years, the U.S. Supreme Court lifts a lower court block on federal layoffs, Rishi Sunak returns to Goldman Sachs as a senior adviser, a study suggests that climate change has tripled European heat wave deaths, and X CEO Linda Yaccarino steps down. Sources: www.verity.news

An imposter uses AI to impersonate Marco Rubio, the International Criminal Court issues warrants for two Taliban leaders, France’s Macron begins a three-day state visit to the U.K., several Canadian Armed Forces members are charged in an alleged “anti-government militia” plot, Yemen’s Houthis attack cargo ships in the Red Sea, the EU eases budgets rules to allow 15 countries to boost their defense spending, the IRS allows church endorsements of political candidates, U.S. measles cases hit a 33-year high, U.S. airports begin phasing out shoe removal requirements, and Chinese doctors perform remote liver surgeries via satellite networks. Sources: www.verity.news

Erin Patterson is found guilty in the mushroom murder trial, Texas floods kill 82, with dozens still missing, Trump sets an Aug. 1 tariffs deadline, Elon Musk launches a new political party, King Charles marks the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 London bombings, Iran deports nearly 450K Afghans, The US revokes its terrorist designation for the Syrian rebel group HTS, The FBI and DOJ conclude that Epstein had no 'client list' and committed suicide, Record college graduate unemployment is linked to AI, and a 3,500-year-old trading city is unearthed in Peru. Sources: www.verity.news

Trump and Putin discuss Iran and Ukraine on a phone call, the U.S. House passes Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” the CIA releases a new report on the 2016 Trump-Russia probe, Germany announces plans to deploy naval ships to the Arctic, the EU proposes cutting emissions by 90% by 2040, a study predicts that South Korea's population could drop 85% by 2125, Mali adopts a new law to protect stateless people, Microsoft moves to cut 9,000 jobs worldwide, Liverpool star Diogo Jota dies in a car crash in Spain, and the Velvet Sundown band is revealed to be an AI “art hoax.” Sources: www.verity.news

Emmanuel Macron and Vladamir Putin discuss Iran and Ukraine in their first call since 2022, Donald Trump says Israel agrees to 60-day Gaza ceasefire terms, An Australian inquiry finds that the British committed genocide against the Indigenous population, Paramount settles Trump's $20 billion lawsuit for $16 million over a CBS edit, A judge blocks Trump's early end to Haitian immigration status, Sean 'Diddy' Combs is found not guilty of sex trafficking, The Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down its 1849 abortion ban, A new study suggests that the waters around Antarctica are getting saltier, Apple is reportedly considering third-party AI models to power its Siri upgrade, and the Dalai Lama makes a major announcement regarding his reincarnation. Sources: www.verity.news

Iran-linked hackers allegedly threaten to release stolen emails from Trump associates, Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra is suspended, Denmark assumes the presidency of the European Union Council, the International Criminal Court is hit by a cyberattack, three former hospital bosses are arrested in the U.K.’s Lucy Letby case, the U.S. Senate passes Trump's “Big, Beautiful Bill,” as Trump and Musk exchange barbs over the legislation, Eurozone inflation reaches its 2% target, Meta launches new Superintelligence Labs, and Microsoft’s AI system outperforms doctors in diagnosing complex medical cases. Sources: www.verity.news

Hong Kong's last active pro-democracy party disbands, Ukraine will withdraw from the “Ottawa Treaty” that bans anti-personnel mines, Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial is delayed after Trump threats, The U.N. Development Summit opens in Spain without U.S. participation, The U.S. warns of Iranian cyber threats, The U.S. Senate takes up President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” Senator Thom Tillis ends his reelection bid after Trump suggests to primary him, Two firefighters are killed in Idaho following an ambush, OpenAI is reportedly using Google's AI Chips to power ChatGPT, and Europe swelters in a record-breaking heat wave. Sources: www.verity.news

SCOTUS limits courts’ powers to block Trump’s orders, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo sign a peace deal in Washington, the U.S. and China sign a rare earth trade deal, the EU proposes an Asian trade alliance as a potential alternative to the World Trade Organization, Trump allegedly considers offering Iran $30 billion to develop a civilian nuclear energy program, Argentina moves to try the suspects in a 1994 Jewish center bombing in absentia, a school explosion and ensuing stampede kill at least 29 students in the Central African Republic, SCOTUS allows parents to opt their kids out of lessons with LGBTQ+ books, Canada’s Senate adopts a bill to fast-track projects, and Jeff Bezos’ wedding draws celebrities and protesters in Venice. Sources: www.verity.news

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei makes his first address since the ceasefire, Israel halts aid deliveries to northern Gaza, Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez announces plans to seek re-election, Ukraine and the Council of Europe agree to establish a Russia war tribunal, the Trump administration sues all federal judges in Maryland over a paused deportation order, Kari Lake defends Voice of America Cuts in a U.S. House hearing, INTERPOL seizes $65M worth of counterfeit medicines in a record global bust, the Trump administration rules that California violated civil rights by allowing trans athletes in girls sports, nearly one-third of Tuvalu citizens seek Australia climate visas, and an artificial human DNA project in the U.K. secures $13 million in funding. Sources: www.verity.news

A report claims that Trump's strikes on Iran didn’t destroy its nuclear program, The Israel-Iran ceasefire appears to hold, The U.S. House rejects an effort to impeach Trump, Anti-government protests in Kenya kill at least 16, France’s Bayrou faces a no-confidence vote, Zohran Mamdani wins New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, Argentina's GDP grows 5.8% in Q1, The U.S. halts funding to the global vaccine alliance Gavi, Meta’s oversight board finds inconsistent labelling of AI content, and SpaceX launches private astronauts to the International Space Station. Sources: www.verity.news