Russia-N.Korea pact, deadly air pollution and illuminating black hole

NATO’s chief warns that Russia could attack the alliance in 5 years, Russia’s Putin meets with Turkey’s Erdoğan and Iran’s Pezeshkian, Canada's Liberals are one seat shy of a majority after another Conservative defects to their ranks, Over 400 civilians are killed during fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nobel Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi is arrested in Iran, House Democrats release two more sets of photos from Jeffrey Epstein's estate, Alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson makes his first In-person court appearance, Trump signs an executive order to block state AI regulations, Disney and OpenAI strike a $1 billion deal for AI character videos, and Europol warns of AI-powered crime and 'bot bashing,'. Sources:  Verity.News

Bulgaria's government resigns amid mass protests, Thailand’s Prime Minister dissolves parliament, Former Bolivian President Luis Arce is detained in a corruption investigation, Ghana deports three Israelis in a retaliatory move, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faces calls to resign at a House hearing, The U.S. House passes a $900 billion defense bill, Pentagon war games suggest that U.S. could lose a Taiwan war, The Supreme Court hears an Alabama death row IQ threshold case, Time names the “Architects of AI” as its 2025 Person of the Year, and researchers discover the earliest evidence of human fire-making in the U.K.  

President Trump announces the seizure of a large oil tanker off of Venezuela, Iran, China, and Saudi Arabia hold their third trilateral talks, while a China-Russia bomber patrol prompts a Japan and South Korea response, M23 makes advances in the DRC conflict, the EU approves a major migration overhaul,  a judge blocks Trump's California National Guard deployment, a House Democrat files articles of impeachment against RFK Jr., a student is killed and another is injured after a shooting at Kentucky State University, a Canada-U.S. dispute over Machias Seal Island escalates over a U.S. tour company, and Berlin approves police powers to install home surveillance technologies. Sources: Verity.News

Trump describes European nations as 'weak' and 'decaying,' Ukraine's Zelenskyy says he’s ready for elections, Israel’s Netanyahu says that the Gaza ceasefire is expected to reach its second phase, Trump allows the export of Nvidia’s H200 chips to China, Australia enacts the world’s first social media ban for users under 16, Researchers link social media to attention problems in children, Trump announces a $12 billion tariff relief package for farmers, A U.K. nurse wins a harassment claim in a transgender changing room row, A magnitude 7.5 earthquake strikes Japan, and a novel gene therapy shows promise in treating an aggressive form of blood cancer. Sources: Verity.News

Thailand launches airstrikes on Cambodia after deadly clashes, The Supreme Court weighs Trump's power to fire an FTC official, ECOWAS deploys forces after a foiled coup attempt in Benin, China's trade surplus tops $1 trillion, The U.S. deports over 50 Iranians in a second flight under a new deal, Nigeria frees 100 abducted schoolchildren, Syria marks the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad government, Over 100 UK MPs demand binding AI regulations amid government delays, Paramount launches a $108 billion bid for Warner Bros. amid a Netflix deal, A report finds that disability registrations are surging at elite US universities, and Iran arrests two marathon organizers over unveiled women runners. Sources:  Verity.News  

Russia’s Putin visits India’s Modi in New Delhi, Germany’s parliament greenlights a path to "needs based" military conscription, A Gaza militia leader is killed during a dispute in Rafah, The Supreme Court allows Texas’ Republican-drawn redistricting map for 2026, A U.S. panel votes to scale back the hepatitis B vaccine for infants, Trump is awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, Nature retracts a climate study predicting dire economic damage, Netflix agrees to acquire Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion, Florida’s Ron DeSantis proposes an AI Bill of Rights, and a three-year-old becomes the youngest-ever rated chess player. Sources:  Verity.News

Israel and Lebanon hold their first direct talks in decades, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo sign a Trump-backed peace deal at the White House, Putin vows to seize Ukraine's Donbas by force, The FBI arrests a suspect in the Jan. 6 pipe bomb case, A 13-year-old reportedly carries out a Taliban-sanctioned execution in Afghanistan, An Oklahoma University instructor is placed on leave following a religious bias complaint, Former U.S. special counsel Jack Smith is subpoenaed for a closed-door interview, Memory chipmaker Micron exits its consumer business, A study theorizes that volcanic eruptions may have led to Europe’s Black Death plague, and Neuralink patients demonstrate the ability to control robotic arms with their thoughts. Sources: Verity.News  

the NATO chief says that only President Trump can break the Ukraine war deadlock, while the EU agrees to phase out Russian gas imports by 2027, Iran hosts a major regional counter-terrorism drill for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Malaysia will resume its MH370 search in the Indian Ocean, 103 prisoners are mistakenly released in England and Wales, the U.S. halts immigration applications from 19 countries, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launches an immigration operation in New Orleans, the Department of Justice sues six more states over voter registration lists, hospitals in Delhi report 200,000 respiratory cases amid air pollution, and an internal OpenAI memo declares a “code red” to prioritize ChatGPT improvements. Sources: www.verity.news

The White House confirms there was a “second strike” on a Caribbean drug boat, Russia and Sudan confirm a Red Sea naval base deal, Australia’s Penny Wong warns of China's growing military presence in the Pacific, An Ex-EU foreign chief is detained in a fraud probe, The U.K. secures zero tariffs on U.S. pharma exports in a trade deal, An FBI report claims that Director Patel is 'in over his head,' SpaceX is approved for Starship launches at Cape Canaveral, Florida, A Waymo driverless car drives into an active police standoff in Los Angeles, The WHO issues its first guidelines for GLP-1 obesity treatments, and a newly-discovered “fire amoeba” is found to thrive in searing temperatures.

The death toll from extreme weather in Southeast Asia passes 1,140, Sheikh Hasina and UK Labour MP Tulip Siddiq are sentenced to jail in Bangladesh, Trump confirms a call with Venezuela's Maduro, An appeals court rules that Alina Habba is unlawfully serving as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, The U.K. investigates the SAS over deaths during the Afghan war, A report finds global arms sales have hit a record $679 billion, Singapore executes three people within a week, The FDA links ten child deaths to COVID vaccines, The U.K. unveils a £170M plan to end HIV transmission by 2030, and the White House launches a media bias tracker. Sources:  Verity.News