The Brief: May 1, 2024

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/

Facts & Spins for May 4, 2024 Top Stories: The Labour Party makes gains in UK local elections, The International Criminal Court prosecutor says its work is being ‘undermined’ by threats, Pro-Palestinian encampments are erected across Canadian college campuses, The Taliban inks a deal for Afghanistan to become a Central Asia logistics hub, A US military official says Washington is maintaining ties to West African juntas, A Houthi-run school in Yemen offers education to US pro-Palestinian protestors, A new poll shows Donald Trump polling ahead of Joe Biden among Catholic voters, Trump’s net worth climbs $400M as Truth Social Shares rebound, A report suggests the Daily Wire has obtained a gag order against Candace Owens, and deadly flooding strikes Brazil. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 3, 2024 Top Stories: A US official says America would welcome a pledge from China and Russia affirming AI won’t control nukes, protestors rally against a “foreign influence bill” in the Republic of Georgia, Hamas considers the latest Gaza cease-fire proposal, while the nation of Colombia announces it’s severing ties with Israel, Pres. Joe Biden comments on the US campus protests, while the US House of Representatives passes an antisemitism bill, the US places additional sanctions on Russian war capabilities, Slovakia reportedly grants refuge to an alleged Kremlin-linked campaigner, Arizona’s 1864 abortion law repeal clears a state senate vote and a second Boeing whistleblower dies suddenly. Sources: https://www.verity.news/

Facts & Spins for May 2, 2024 Top Stories: US campus protest violence and police action roils at UCLA and Columbia, Ukraine laun  ches its most significant attack on Crimea since the war began, New Zealand says it’s a 'long way' from deciding to join the AUKUS Defense Pact, Haiti’s transitional council names a new prime minister, Colombia’s president says military equipment has disappeared due to corruption, the UK government blocks a UAE-Backed takeover of the Telegraph, House Democrats announce they will protect Speaker Johnson from a motion to vacate, Florida’s six-week abortion ban goes into effect, Walmart is shutting down its health clinics and the US Dept. of Justice moves to reclassify marijuana. Sources: https://www.verity.news/