Friday News: “Can the spread of war be stopped?”; “If Trump Is Not an Insurrectionist, What Is He?”; “Trump’s rivals give him a pass on Jan. 6 attacks”; “The Christofascist takeover of MAGA”; “Biden leads Trump in Virginia in potential rematch”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, January 5.

• Opinion: This is not a climate-change abstraction: Forests are disappearing
• Climate crisis is making sugar more expensive around the world, say experts
• Global finances: what does 2024 hold in store for major economies and markets?
• Can the spread of war be stopped? (“The ‘rules-based order’ that has helped keep violent conflict in check for decades is badly eroded. The world needs new strategies before things spin out of control.”)
• White House says Russia used missiles from North Korea to strike Ukraine
• Russia Moves Forward With Plans to Buy Iranian Ballistic Missiles
• A widened Middle East war would be a disaster, but it can still be avoided
• US hasn’t formally assessed if Israel violating human rights
• America Must Face Up to Israel’s Extremism (Israel’s far-right government, for sure.)
• US and Europe make new diplomatic push to halt spillover of Gaza war
• As Gazans return to destroyed homes, Israeli ministers push resettlement
• When Leaders Fail (“No state is immune from the horrors that have befallen Israel.”)
• Israel’s high court might have saved Israel from Netanyahu
• Amid Gaza war, regional escalation draws U.S. deeper into Middle East crisis
• Blinken Heads to Middle East After Attacks in Red Sea, Iran (“Not expecting every conversation ‘to be easy,’ spokesman says.”)
• Shipping giant Maersk to divert vessels away from the Red Sea ‘for the foreseeable future’
• Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Deadly Iran Blasts
• Iraq prepares to close down U.S-led coalition’s mission – PM statement
• Troubled China Shadow Bank Zhongzhi Files for Bankruptcy
• There’s finally evidence for right-wing claims of China corrupting a president (“But it’s about Donald Trump, not Joe Biden”)
• Sean Hannity: People would be furious if Trump and the Trump organization were making millions from China (Sean Hannity in December 2023: I cannot imagine how people would react “if Donald Trump and the Trump Organization or the Trump family were making tens of millions of dollars from our top geopolitical foes like China and Russia”)
• Young voters in Bangladesh dream future free from political chaos as nation goes to vote
• U.S. Jobs Report Is Expected to Show Slower Hiring Pace but Solid Gains
• Jobs report for December will likely conclude another solid year of US hiring in 2023 (Thank you President Joe Biden!)
• Solid December jobs report expected to cap a strong year for labor market
• Hydroxychloroquine could have caused 17,000 deaths during COVID, study finds
• Respiratory illnesses are on the rise after the holidays (“Cases of COVID-19 and the flu are high and increasing nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. RSV cases are elevated but have started to fall in some places.”)
• The (Pretty Short) List of EVs That Qualify for a $7,500 Tax Credit in 2024 (“While fewer vehicles qualify for the full credit than before, there are still savings to be had on new, leased and used EVs.”)
• If Trump Is Not an Insurrectionist, What Is He? (“If Trump has a political superpower, it’s that other people believe he has political superpowers. They believe that any effort to hold him accountable will backfire. They believe that he will always ride a wave of backlash to victory. They believe that challenging him on anything other than his terms will leave him stronger than ever.”)
• House Democrats urge Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from Trump Colorado ballot case
• Revealed: Trump allies behind January 6 also leading Biden impeachment, says watchdog (“Report says former president’s loyalists in the House, including Mike Johnson and Jim Jordan, continue to push 2020 election lies”)
• Biden to start election year with speech on third anniversary of Capitol attack
• Video: Team Biden-Harris Launches Ad Marking Anniversary of January 6 Insurrection (“…this election could very well determine the very fate of American democracy.”)
• Joe Biden Makes Saving Democracy the Center of His Campaign
• Halfway Through 118th Congress, Extreme MAGA Republicans Are Making History For All The Wrong Reasons (“…every single vulnerable House Republican voted to elevate MAGA Mike Johnson to House Speaker”)
• James Comer searched for China link to Biden — but Oversight found Trump instead: reporter
• Illinois and Massachusetts voters seek to take Trump off 2024 ballot
• How Trump Has Used Fear and Favor to Win Republican Endorsements
• Michael Fanone Has A Grave Warning For Voters
• Could the Supreme Court actually disqualify Trump?
• Most Republicans think Donald Trump is a person of faith. We asked why (In fact, Trump is pretty much the OPPOSITE of a person of faith.)
• Republicans Are Standing by Their Man (“They also think he’s a ‘person of faith.’” Laughable.)
• Jan. 6 was bound to be celebrated by Republicans — it was only a matter of time (“There is no way to support Donald Trump without backing his campaign to destroy democracy”)
• Extremism in the Military Is a Problem (“It doesn’t have to be big to be lethal.”)
• How Christofascists became the heart of the MAGA movement
• California lieutenant governor ‘swatted’ after push to boot Trump from ballot
• Revealed: Roger Stone’s Secret Call With Proud Boys Leader in Lead-Up to Jan. 6
• DeSantis and Haley take aim at Trump in back-to-back Iowa town halls
• Iowa Caucus 2024: Trump’s rivals give him a pass on Jan. 6 attacks
• Florida venue cancels Marjorie Taylor Greene event after learning of its Jan. 6 focus
• Arrest footage of Trump co-defendant provides glimpse into Jack Smith probe
• Trump Now Wants Jack Smith Held In Contempt, Naturally
• The Ghost of January 6th Haunts 2024 (Except it’s not really a “ghost,” because it’s very much alive!)
• Elise Stefanik Withdraws Endorsement Of GOP Candidate Who Mildly Criticized Trump (Stefanik is an absolute disgrace.)
• Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn launches run for Congress in Maryland
• Multiple people shot at Iowa high school on the first day after winter break, officials say
• Bill Ackman’s celebrity academic wife Neri Oxman’s dissertation is marred by plagiarism
• Read: Court releases 2nd batch of Epstein documents
• Leslie Mehta, Attorney and Advocate, Announces Candidacy for Democratic Nomination for Virginia – 01 (“Congressman Wittman ignores our needs and only prioritizes his extremist agenda”)
• Rep. Cline endorses Trump (Of COURSE he does!)
• Biden leads Trump in Virginia in potential rematch, poll says
• Pope & Schapiro: The session, the tunnel, and the Trump ballot
• A proposed sports arena in northern Virginia will be a big topic of debate for the upcoming session
• Plan to welcome two pro sports teams to Virginia is ‘bad,’ opposition group says
• Policy group says Youngkin tax plan would mostly benefit the wealthy
• Virginia Marriage Equality Legislation Introduced (Good stuff from VA State Sen. Adam Ebbin, Del. Mark Sickles and Del.-elect Rozia Henson!)
• Virginia’s Medical Cannabis Program moves to new oversight
• FOIA Friday: Nottoway’s new county administrator, Hanover officer info stays shielded
• As winter weather arrives, Virginians are standing by to assist sea turtles
• Richmond City about a year from online meals tax payment system
• U.S. Secretary of Education visits Portsmouth, announces $5 million grant for school infrastructure
• Special election Tuesday for Virginia Beach City Council District 1 seat
• A year after 6-year-old shot her, Abby Zwerner reflects on other kids who saw it all
• Editorial: A year after Richneck school shooting, more help needed for teachers
• Northam spearheads movement to encourage Jones to run for attorney general
• Henrico court case over ‘joke’ tweet moves forward
• Roanoke County School Board keeps Hudson as chairman
• Gay couple sells Virginia restaurant at center of small-town dispute
• D.C.-area forecast: Sunny chill today. Rain Saturday after starting as snow. (“In the immediate D.C. area, it’s a coating or so of snow. Odds of an inch or more are highest in western and northwestern suburbs.”)