RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/January 2017

January 2017[edit]

54

Reuters instructs its staff to cover the Trump Presidency the same way it covers authoritarian regimes in other countries where journalists are routinely shut out, censored and harassed.

-36

More Americans support Donald Trump's travel ban (49%) than oppose it (41%), poll shows. Also the poll finds 31 per cent of Americans feel 'more safe' because of the ban, compared with 26 per cent who say they feel 'less safe' A more recent poll suggests the majority oppose the ban and feel it makes the USA less safe.

41

Under Trump scientific data must be vetted by politicians before publication. It is feared inconvenient scientific data, notably data showing global warming is real, may be suppressed.

37

In a scene reminiscent of Richard Nixon's 1973 "Saturday Night Massacre," the acting US Attorney General orders the Justice Department not to defend the President's refugee ban. Update: The White House has fired Yates.

63

Donald Trump has hit a 51% disapproval rating in in just eight days.

39

Some interesting facts about which countries were banned by Trump; none of them have any dealings with Trump's businesses nor have had any citizens kill in the US in at least two decades, though he continues to do business in certain countries...

28

Gunman opens fire in Quebec City mosque, five reported dead. The mosque was targeted with vandalism in the past, including a hog's head left on the front door six months ago. (Link in French)

26

The immigration ban isn't the only concerning story involving the Trump administration right now.

47

A federal judge has blocked Trump's immigration ban hours after it was signed.

39

Mainly due to continued rising distrust of government and government elites, the U.S. democracy score has fallen from 8.05 in 2015 to 7.98 in 2016, demoting it from "full democracy" to "flawed democracy".

31

Top State Department officials are resigning with very little notice.

32

A British woman rebels when required to wear high heels to work.

38

After backlash, the USDA has lifted the imposed gag order on its research arm. (autoplay video)

29

And so it begins. Trump has signed an executive order to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border.

16

North Korean defector claims Kim Jong Un's days are numbered.

39

Multiple Trump aides report that the Loser-in-Chief cannot stand being embarrassed, in the form of various embarrassing stories about him.

29

Der Orangenführer selects racial gerrymandering defender to the Civil Rights Division of the federal Department of Justice, which has fought many racially based voting restrictions.

24

Beall's List of Predatory Open Access Publishers has vanished, apparently due to legal threats.

29

Theresa May: We will "take back our sovereignty" and ignore the Sovereignty of Parliament. Supreme Court: No.. Edit: The Daily Heil is outraged at these "elites" "showing their contempt for Brexit voters".

16

Der Orangenführer: social class segregationist at inauguration balls.

43

Republicans in 5 states have proposed anti-peaceful protest bills.

8

Meet Donald Trump... the tiny moth.

50

The Washington DC Metro (subway) confirms that the Women's March on Washington gave them their second busiest day ever on Saturday, second only to President Obama's Inauguration Day in 2009. By comparison, Donald Trump's Inauguration Day on Friday generated slightly fewer journeys than the average for a normal weekday.

23

Republicans have introduced a bill — the American Sovereignty Restoration Act — which would withdraw the USA from the United Nations.

2

Julian Assange's WikiLeaks wants der Orangenführer's tax returns.

57

Live coverage of the hundreds of thousands of protesters taking part in the Women's March in the US - and around the world. UPDATE: With US turnout numbers estimated at around 3.5 million people, this marks the single largest protest march in the history of the United States.vote poll=world15436>Live coverage of the hundreds of thousands of protesters taking part in the Women's March in the US - and around the world. UPDATE: With US turnout numbers estimated at around 3.5 million people, this marks the single largest protest march in the history of the United States.

31

Nine months ago, one of Dennis Hastert's sex abuse victims sued him for $1.8 million. (No surprise there.) In response, the former Speaker of the House has shown his victim his great big balls once again by counter-suing for the return of the hush money that he paid out over the decades. (No surprise there.) BTW, the molestation was uncovered when bank examiners traced all the money flowing out of Hastert's accounts.

3

Brexit: The United Kingdom can now charge a gambling tax over Gibraltar as they're both "one entity" regarding European Union freedom to provide services.

23

In the first trial of the year over terrorist organization National Action, a 17 year old Yorkshireman is charged with manufacturing explosives for an implied terror campaign in Bradford.

73

Obama has commuted Chelsea Manning's sentence.

11

A proposed law in New Hampshire, intended to prevent false rape accusations, would reject victims' testimony (including children's) where is no corroborating evidence or prior convictions.

54

Inauguration desperation: the Trump team tries to shift surplus tickets by offering them for free and running paid Facebook ads that tell random users that "President-elect Trump wants to personally invite you." Even ticket scalpers are making a loss.

30

Dozens of U.S. Congress representatives are boycotting Trump's inauguration.

21

Trump attacks John Lewis on Twitter for boycotting his inauguration.

25

Just in case you forgot what kind of man Richard Nixon was...

19

Since the introduction of Shariah law in the Indonesian province of Aceh in 2001, Indonesia's conservative drift has led to calls for the wider adoption of Shariah law in the ostensibly secular country.

18

Tory Chancellor, Philip Hammond tries to use a threat of a post-Brexit UK as a tax haven as a lever against the EU in the Brexit negotiations. Eurocrats are probably whistling a tune along the line of "Guernsey, Jersey, Man, Bermuda, Cayman and the British Virgin Islands all look to London with a smile, a nod and a wink in return, dada dada..."

43

Donald Trump's motto "grab 'em by the pussy" seems to be catching on: an elected Republican town official in Greenwich, Connecticut, has been arrested for grabbing a woman's groin, telling her "I love this new world, I no longer have to be politically correct."

22

Senate staffers overwhelmed by deluge of angry calls about Jeff Sessions and other issues

25

Some Republicans in Indiana and Idaho want to make abortion murder.

36

UNVERIFIED: Allegations arise that the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia during elections. Trump, Kremlin denies. Unlike Pizzagate, this report is not true (nor false) until proven otherwise.

19

Knights of Malta embroiled in scandal for distributing condoms in Burma.

23

James Comey refuses to tell Senate if FBI is investigating Trump-Russia links

24

Dylann Roof gets the death penalty.

19

New York Times: Indian Point, one of the longest-running nuclear power plants in the United States, is to be shut down in 2020, with no clear plan to make up the difference in power production with renewables.

31

June 2016, Sen. Tom Cotton: "Secretary Clinton and the Obama administration put four Americans... in harm's way in an area teeming with terrorists, without adequate security, and with no military assets within close range."
January 2017, Sen. Tom Cotton: Co-sponsors a bill with Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio to halve U.S. Embassy security, construction, and maintenance if the U.S. doesn't move their embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

21

Talks to secure Cyprus reunification, 'best and last chance' for resolution, enter final stages.

17

Scientists watch growing Antarctic crack but are not alarmed

20

China starts 2017 engulfed by smog, issues pollution alerts.

15

Several UK companies have been linked to an Azeribaijan pipeline bribery scandal.

28

Low and middle-income students who are residents of New York will soon be able to attend state, city, and community colleges without having to pay tuition fees. Oregon and Tennessee have already covered the costs of community college for their residents.

34

Japan has virtually eradicated gun violence.

18

Israel denies immigration of 9 Venezuelan Jewish converts

43

German police quash Breitbart story of mob setting fire to Dortmund church; The fire was caused by stray fireworks, caught only netting covering scaffolding on church, and was put out in 12 minutes.

11

Official intelligence reports haven't confirmed Putin ran a campaign to help Trump. P.S.: however, the report contains nothing new and/or conclusive.

15

South Carolina's Department of Public Safety was offering Christian-based pamphlets to families of traffic fatalities. (Link contains autoplay video) After criticism from American Humanist Association, DPS says they'll drop the pamphlets and offer a secular checklist for those grieving.

14

A shooting at an airport in Florida has left 5 people dead and 8 people injured, with reports indicating the gunman is in custody.

21

Planned Parenthood launches a campaign to fight Republican attempts to defund it.

22

Milo Yiannopoulos has a $250,000 book deal with Simon & ~~Shyster~~ Schuster. Leslie Jones is pissed.

3

After 12 years at Fox News, Megyn Kelly moves to NBC.

22

India opens a chemical plant that makes soda ash from carbon dioxide gas extracted from a coal power plant nearby and what is currently the world's largest solar power plant.

36

With no warning, House Republicans curtail the powers and independence of the Office of Congressional Ethics, an investigative body created in 2008 after three members of Congress were arrested for corruption charges. Update: After Trump ~~calls them out on it~~ criticizes their "timing", House Republicans back down.