Peru election intrigue, Hormuz blockade tensions and sneaker-to-AI pivot

Trump announces a three-week extension to the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, U.S. forces board two tankers carrying Iranian oil, the ICC confirms that the Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity, U.S. Navy Chief John Phelan is fired, the private health records of half a million Britons are listed for sale on a Chinese website, the House Oversight Committee remains split on a potential Maxwell pardon, the Trump administration reclassifies medical marijuana as a Schedule III drug, a U.K. court backs the Metropolitan Police's use of live facial recognition technology, Anthropic probes reports of unauthorized access to its Claude Mythos, and Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount’s $111 billion takeover bid. Sources: Verity.News

Iran seizes two ships and fires on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the EU approves a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, Trump blocks dollar shipments to Iraq to curb Iran-backed militias, RFK Jr faces questions in the US Senate, Meta reportedly plans to track employees’ keystrokes to train AI, Indonesia passes a law protecting domestic workers, the Southern Poverty Law Center is indicted on federal fraud charges in Alabama, Florida probes OpenAI over a shooting at Florida State University, Uber is found liable in a driver assault case in North Carolina, and a study finds that cocaine entering waterways affects the behavior of salmon. Sources: Verity.News

The U.S. extends the ceasefire with Iran pending further negotiations, Japan approves the export of lethal arms for the first time since World War II, U.S. Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh testifies before the Senate Banking Committee, Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO, El Salvador begins a mass trial for 486 alleged MS-13 gang members, a gunman kills a Canadian and injures 13 others at Mexico's Teotihuacán archaeological site, the EU's top court rules against Hungary's law restricting LGBTQ+ content for minors, U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigns, Palantir posts a 22-point manifesto, and NASA's Curiosity rover finds organic molecules on Mars. Sources: Verity.News

Keir Starmer apologizes but denies misleading parliament over Peter Mandelson's vetting, Rumen Radev’s party wins Bulgaria’s eighth election in five years, eight children are killed in a Louisiana mass shooting, a 7.7 magnitude quake hits Japan as tsunami warnings are issued, the U.S. House Ethics Committee defends its misconduct record after resignations, Mark Carney says Canada-US ties are ‘weaknesses to fix,’ France summons Elon Musk over an X misconduct probe, the Beneficial AI Foundation launches 'Signal Shot' to verify Signal's encryption protocol using AI, three gene therapy pioneers win a $3 million Breakthrough Prize, and a robot beats the human half-marathon record in Beijing. Sources: Verity.News

The U.S. seizes an Iranian ship in the Strait of Hormuz, a Louisiana mass shooting claims 8 children, Brazil's Lula and Spain's Sánchez lead a bilateral summit in Barcelona, the U.K.'s Peter Mandelson is reported to have failed the vetting process for his U.S. ambassador role, U.S. Congress approves a 10-day term extension of a surveillance law, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approves Trump's 250-foot Triumphal Arch, a fugitive Philippine lawmaker is arrested in Prague, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons resigns, finance leaders warn of Anthropic's Mythos as U.K. banks prepare to use the AI tool, and a review concludes that anti-amyloid Alzheimer's drugs offer "trivial" benefits. Sources: Verity.News

President Trump announces a 10-Day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Pakistan's Prime Minister meet in Jeddah, Flávio Bolsonaro leads Brazil's presidential race in prediction markets, a report suggests that the U.S. is planning a military operation against Cuba, a study suggests that Atlantic Ocean current collapse risk has risen above 50%, South Africa's Julius Malema is sentenced to 5 years in prison, India debates a 33% women's quota in parliament, Tulsi Gabbard refers the Trump impeachment whistleblower to the DOJ, the White House will probe reports of 10 missing or dead scientists, and Keir Starmer summons tech bosses over child online safety. Sources: Verity.News

Rafael López Aliaga calls for a vote annulment in Peru's election, PRC officials and President Trump comment on the Strait of Hormuz blockade, Berlin hosts a key conference on Sudan, at least 250 Rohingya are missing after a trawler capsizes in the Andaman Sea, Turkey suffers its second school shooting in two days, the U.K. government approves a £575M sale of the Telegraph to Axel Springer, President Trump threatens to fire Jerome Powell, Tennessee passes the Charlie Kirk Act regarding campus speech, Dr. Erica Schwartz is reportedly a top candidate to lead the CDC, and Allbirds ditches sneakers and pivots to AI. Sources: Verity.News

Israel and Lebanon hold their first direct talks since 1993, the IMF drops its growth forecast and warns of a potential global recession, Zelenskyy alleges that Ukraine used military robots to capture Russian battlefield positions, Canada's Carney secures a majority following victories in three by-elections, Spain approves a decree to grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants, ICE detains Brazil's former spy chief in Florida, a DOJ report accuses the Biden administration of biased enforcement of the FACE Act, a gunman wounds 16 in a school shooting in Turkey, a Danish study finds no association between prenatal Tylenol use and autism risk, and Amazon acquires Starlink rival Globalstar in a $11.57 billion deal. Sources: Verity.News

A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports takes effect following failed talks, early results show Keiko Fujimori and Rafael López Aliaga heading to a presidential runoff in Peru, Eric Swalwell drops out of the California governor’s race after misconduct claims, a Pfizer insider says the COVID vaccine could have killed up to 60,000 people in Germany alone, Donald Trump calls Pope Leo XIV "weak on crime," Roman Gofman is appointed the new Mossad chief, a stampede at a fortress in Haiti kills at least 25 people, a judge tosses Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, and Asha Bhosle, the legendary Indian singer, dies at 92. Sources: Verity.News

Orban concedes defeat, Trump threatens a Hormuz blockade, Taiwan's opposition leader meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, Russia and Ukraine agree to an Orthodox Easter ceasefire, Boko Haram kills a Nigerian general and soldiers in attacks,a blaze strikes Mexico's Olmeca refinery for the second time in a month, a judge asserts that the Pentagon violated a press access order, the DNC rejects a resolution targeting AIPAC "dark money," U.S. inflation hits 3.3% in March, xAI sues Colorado to block an AI regulation law, and a study suggests that an ongoing conflict is spurring a rare split in a chimpanzee community. Sources: Verity.News