RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/January 2024

21

The Guardian has created a map of the scale of destruction in Gaza.

21

Palestinians are eating grass and drinking polluted water as famine sets into Gaza.

36

Michael Cassidy, who destroyed the Satanic Temple's display at the Iowa Capitol, is now being charged with a hate crime.

30

Armenia officially joins the International Criminal Court in a sign of the country becoming less aligned with Russia diplomatically.

30

Bill reintroduced in Rhode Island to provide free school lunches regardless of financial status.

18

U.S. House of Representatives passes an expansion of the child tax credit with broad bipartisan support (188 Democrats, 169 Republicans). The child tax credit benefits many lower-income families. Republicans were brought on board by way of renewing certain 2017 tax benefits for businesses. The bill also allocates funding for disaster relief.

28

A judge in Delaware has told Musk he cannot keep his compensation package of around $55 billion, as demanded by Tesla shareholders claiming that Tesla’s directors misled them. This also means that the Muskrat is no longer the world's richest man.

14

The DUP have provisionally agreed to a deal with the British government over conditions that it would end their boycott of the Northern Ireland Assembly. This would likely re-establish the Stormont executive by Saturday.

6

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles quietly announced that they've banned changing gender markers on driver's licenses before the bill mandating this happens even passes.

18

Unconfirmed-and-denied report that Zelensky plans to replace his top general, Zaluzhny. If this comes to pass, the Financial Times (who have given credence to the claim of a planned replacement) states it would have a very poor effect on the army's morale since Zaluzhny has widespread support in Ukraine.

26

Ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets.

18

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ban disposable vapes in the UK.

16

Latvian MEP Tatjana Ždanoka is under a formal parliamentary investigation, after media allegations that she is a Russian agent for the FSB.

17

Texas AG Ken Paxton seeks transgender records in Georgia as part of his wider probe Paxton, long under criminal investigation himself, continues to try to violate the law by trying to violate patient privacy (HIPAA)

12

Three U.S. soldiers have been killed by a drone strike in Jordan. Over 30 other soldiers have been injured.

26

Gangs, gunmen and cartels running amok. As terror grips the streets of Ecuador, even the armed forces live in fear.

24

A court in Hong Kong has ordered the indebted Chinese property developer Evergrand to liquidate, due to company's inability to sort out its debts of US$328 billion.

25

The International Court of Justice says it's "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and issued orders demanding that Israel take measures to protect civilians and provide humanitarian aid. The ICJ made no demand for a cease-fire. The orders are legally binding, but not enforceable.

14

A court has ruled that Justin Trudeau freezing Freedom Convoy truckers' bank accounts was unreasonable and unjustified.

12

Multiple countries, such as the U.S., the U.K., Italy, and Germany, have stopped funding UNRWA, the U.N. agency that provides aid to Palestine. The U.N. has urged said countries to keep the funding flowing or else they'll have to roll-back aid given to Palestine.

25

Republican legislators from Ohio and Michigan discuss banning transgender medicine "for everyone" (i.e. including all adults) in leaked audio.

20

Missouri Republican proposes settling political differences in the state's Senate with armed dueling in the chamber.

21

Pentagon ex-UFO chief says conspiracy theorists in government drive spendings.

15

Non-binary goth-pop self-described witch Bambie Thug, has been chosen to represent Ireland in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden.

21

Alabama has been widely criticised for executing Kenneth Eugene Smith using previously untested nitrogen hypoxia gas, as the execution took 22 minutes to kill him despite previous reassurances it would be quick. A witness said "What we saw was minutes of someone struggling for his life".

23

China is pressing for Iran to "rein in" the Houthis' in the Red Sea, according to a report. Iran allegedly backs the Houthis financially, although they deny this. Some recent attacks on ships in the area: a British oil tanker caught fire and an American warship was targeted.

18

Big companies including SpaceX, Starbucks and Trader Joe's are attempting to undermine the National Labor Relations Board (which protects workers' rights) via the courts. Effort is supported by the Federalist Society. Now, Trader Joe's argues that the NLRB is "unconstitutional".

35

A report by a progressive think tank claims that more than half of recent inflation in the US for consumer products is accounted for by corporate profits, that is, essentially price-gouging.

27

Trump ordered to pay $83m for defaming E Jean Carroll.

15

Saudi Arabia allows its first alcohol sales in 72 years, though only for purchase by non-Muslim diplomats.

19

The ICJ has found that South Africa's case against Israel holds merit. They only ordered Israel to not advocate or commit genocide, though, and didn't order them to stop the war.

18

Trump’s White House clinic improperly handed out narcotics, report finds The drugs included fentanyl, hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone and Provigil, and were given to unauthorized people. Elective surgeries were also given to unauthorized and anonymized people.

21

More and more states are pushing bills designed to exclude trans and nonbinary people from legal recognition in public life.

29

More gen. Z Americans identify as queer than as Republicans.

24

Trump briefly testifies in court, also interrupts court proceedings to claim he has never met E. Jean Carroll and doesn't know who she is. (He was previously found liable for defamation and sexual abuse against her.) While leaving the courtroom he said "It's not America. Not America. This is not America."

14

Texan governor Greg Abbott defies Supreme Court ruling, declares "the federal government has broken the compact between the United States and the States" and claims Texan law "supersedes" federal law. Several Republican state governors and House Speaker Mike Johnson have voiced support for Abbott.

29

Utah may no longer be majority Mormon. This new estimate argues that the Mormon Church overestimates its faithful by counting anyone who has been baptized by the church as a Mormon.

11

Houthis vow to continue attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea. US and UK issue sanctions against Houthi leaders.

17

American GDP grew faster than expected in the last quarter of 2023.

18

Japanese court sentences a man to death for a July 2019 arson attack at an anime studio that killed 36 people.

19

Over 9,000 children and teenagers estimated to have been molested in the Protestant Church in Germany since 1946, according to a study commissioned by the church itself.

6

Florida has proposed a bill that would both mandate health insurance plans cover conversion therapy and ban trans people from updating their gender on their driver's licenses.

24

Both Danone and Nestlé are worried about the increasing trend among hoteliers and restaurateurs to replace bottled water with filtered tap water in refillable glass bottles in their hotels and restaurants.

13

West Virginia passes laws arming school teachers, restricting transgender people from using restrooms aligned with their gender presentation, and allowing people to sue libraries for stocking books they find offensive.

26

A new study in Scotland has found that no cases of cervical cancer have been detected in young women who have been fully-vaccinated as part of the HPV immunisation programme.

36

Germany introduces "a draft law to prevent demonstrators from approaching or harassing visitors within a 100-meter (320 ft) radius of abortion clinics and family planning centers. Posters or flyers aimed at intimidating women will also be banned." Proposed penalty is "a fine of up to €5,000 ($5,445)."

21

North Korea has actually demolished the reunification monument as they said they would, based on satellite analysis. New propaganda was also released by the North, depicting a tank crushing South Koreans. Missiles were fired from the west coast, where the Koreas have had a maritime border dispute recently. There is some speculation the North could be preparing for war. However, not all experts believe war is imminent, with some viewing this as just an increase in saber rattling.

45

After millennia of wreaking havoc on African countries, malaria finally has a vaccine. Its first inoculations are performed in Cameroon.

44

Portugal bans conversion therapy.

5

"Libs of TikTok" creator appointed to key advisory committee in Oklahoma that oversees what books are allowed in public libraries. Raichik has no known qualifications as an educator or librarian, and is from New York. She previously posted videos about school officials in the state, highlighting that a few of them cross-dress in their free time.

15

Alabama is going to execute someone via nitrogen gas in 2 days. Update: He died after minutes of thrashing around and heavy breathing.

33

Turkish parliament approves Sweden's NATO membership.

33

Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that'd use Floridians' taxpayer money to fund Trump's legal bills, angering Trump supporters.

17

Kentucky anti-crime bill, which has at least 52 cosponsors, would authorize use of deadly force against homeless people under some circumstances.

11

The US just expanded its territory by a million square kilometers.

18

Supreme Court narrowly sides with Biden administration, allowing razor wire installed on the border by the Texan government to be removed. John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett sided with the court's liberals on the case.

10

NYC mayor Eric Adams vetoes solitary confinement ban.

32

An estimated 1.4 million people in Germany demonstrated against the far-right from Friday to Sunday.

22

Growing Oct. 7 ‘truther’ groups say Hamas massacre was a false flag: In city council hearings, protests and online, a growing movement with ties to Holocaust denial is effacing history in real-time. Here's a non-paywall version

23

Ohio pastor jailed for housing the homeless in freezing weather. Turns out, those charges were justified.

11

The Innocence Project takes up the case of Scott Peterson.

30

Study suggests the number of bigfoot sightings in an area is strongly correlated with the size of the local black bear population. (Link to paper.)

12

"The World Economic Forum edges away from the left", says Semafor. Reportedly the WEF would like a better reputation with the right-wing. The new Argentinian president Javier Milei also gave a speech for them, welcomed by Klaus Schwab who stated Milei would "bring Argentina back to the rule of law".

6

Supreme Court may challenge sentencing of January 6 rioters.

18

The feds release the Uvalde report

27

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit! The Bundestag has voted 382 to 234 with 23 abstentions to change the law to reduce the period for naturalisation from eight to five years, and to allow all individuals to hold multiple nationalities, not just EU citizens.

35

Hundreds of millionaires, billionaires urge politicians at Davos to tax their wealth. Warning that taxing the richest is needed to prevent societal degradation, while politicians are reluctant, at The World Economic Forum on Wednesday.

26

Footage shows two North Korean teens sentenced to 12 years hard labor for... watching K-Drama.

26

Biden administration proposes a new rule via the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that would cut bank overdraft fees more than half. The rule is under review but could go into effect as soon as 2025.

22

Oklahoma Republican proposes banning furries from schools and using animal control services to retrieve said students.

14

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says war could continue into 2025.

17

Iran and Pakistan launch airstrikes against targets within each other's borders. Allegedly they were both targeting Baluchi separatists, but neither country is happy with the airspace violation by the other.

15

Kentucky Republican proposes an amendment legalizing incest with cousins, then claims he proposed it by accident.

17

Northern Ireland is having one its biggest one-day public sector strikes in over 50 years over employee pay-rises, and indirectly, the lack of a functioning government due to the DUP not supporting the NI Assembly.

22

Scientist cited in push to oust Harvard’s Claudine Gay has links to eugenicists Right wing activist Christopher Rufo, credited with helping oust school’s first Black president, touted critic associated with ‘scientific racists’

26

The Supreme Court will decide whether cities are legally allowed to criminalize homeless camps and their residents whenever there are no beds left in local shelters. It will be decided whether this is cruel and unusual punishment, which is forbidden by the US Constitution. A lower court previously ruled that it was.

23

Fortunes of world's richest 5 men doubled since 2020 as billions became poorer. "We're witnessing the beginnings of a decade of division, with billions of people shouldering the economic shockwaves of pandemic, inflation and war, while billionaires' fortunes boom." – Oxfam

24

Workplace wellness programs have little benefit, study finds. Except for charity work, wellness interventions apparently did nothing. "Employers concerned about workers’ mental health would do better to focus on “core organizational practices” like schedules, pay and performance reviews."

23

China's state banks reportedly tightening enforcement of US sanctions on Russian clients.

19

Some bored House Republicans want another Speaker again... Marjorie Taylor Greene, especially, keeps threatening to boot Mike Johnson.

15

Kim Jong-un has said that unification of the Korean peninsula is no longer possible, and that the ROK government is the “primary enemy" of the DPRK. Agencies to cooperate with the ROK will be abolished and a monument in Pyongyang to reunification demolished.

17

The fifteen year non-residency ban for British voters has been scrapped. Now all British voters no matter where they live in world and for how long they live aboard, can vote in British parliamentary elections.

34

Human Rights Watch releases a report criticizing the "severe" erosion of human rights by the United Kingdom's government, including (e.g.) erosion of the right to protest and the right to seek asylum.

24

A federal lawsuit is advancing against a Florida school district for withholding certain books from library shelves. Plaintiffs allege that over 1,600 books were suspended and that this even included five dictionaries, eight encyclopedias, The Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe it or Not!, and biographies for many well-known celebrities or historical figures.

17

Burma's Rebel Alliance signs ceasefire with ruling military junta

24

Israel bombed an Al Jazeera journalist, and blocked evacuation efforts as he bled to death.

12

Biden says US does not support Taiwan’s independence following election

37

Fox News has canceled all advertising from MyPillow. Insiders says it because the company hasn't paid its advertising bills since last August, however Lindell says he has been "canceled".

27

Bill O'Reilly's books suspended from shelves in a Florida school district under a law he supported. He isn't happy. Also, he still supports the law.

15

Mississippi joins other mostly-conservative states in rejecting federal funding for a children's summer food program. "The other states that have opted out include Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Wyoming." (Second source.)

30

OpenAI quietly deletes their ban on using ChatGPT for "military and warfare".

15

Hundreds gather to heil Hitler in Italy.

16

Indiana files bill removing transgender recognition. This comes after over 510 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were filed in the US in 2023 alone, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

15

The U.S. and the U.K. have bombed Yemen, specifically many Houthi-controlled areas.

12

The Australian government has decided to abandon plans in the near future for a referendum on changing its constitutional status, and abandon Charles III as King. This is due to earlier failed Voice referendum and polling indicates no consensus.

26

The FDA is warning that vaccination rates are falling to record lows and in 10 states they are below the tipping point for safety. They are asking doctors and even pharmacists to encourage vaccines.

19

Politicians from AfD met far-right extremists (notably the identitarian leader Martin Sellner) to discuss mass ethnic cleansing ‘masterplan’. According to the Correctiv investigation (German text), one of the ideas floated by Sellner on how to execute this "re-migration" included deportations to an unnamed state in northern Africa that would provide space for up to 20 million people. (Soundsfamiliar...)

15

Ohio Republicans have overridden Governor DeWine's veto on a youth gender-affirming care ban. Good luck, Ohio.

22

German politicians formerly with the far-left "Die Linke" officially split to form a "left-wing conservative" party.

26

Fun at Chabad Lubavitch HQ. Hasidic students who believe the deceased Lubavitch rabbi is the messiah and still alive dug an unauthorized tunnel into and throughout the building, which is run by non-messianic Chabadniks. Why? Because the deceased rabbi once said he wanted the building to be bigger. So they did some unauthorized expanding. It also seems they were trying to get to a closed-off mikveh (spiritual bath) the rabbi used. The building owners (Chabad leadership) tried to seal the tunnel with cement, and the police showed up to help. Then a riot broke out.

12

Gunmen have stormed an Ecuadorian TV studio live on air.

28

State of emergency declared in Ecuador after a drug lord escapes from prison. UPDATE: as the situation in Ecuador deteriorates even more, president Daniel Noboa declares that the country is now now in a state of "internal armed conflict"

28

South Korea’s National Assembly has voted 280 to 0 with two abstentions, to ban the dog meat trade including breeding, slaughtering and selling, from 2027. Individuals who break the law would be subject to a fine of ₩30 million (US$23,000) or three years in prison.

29

Florida GOP chairman ousted over rape allegations.

14

Netanyahu has asked the UAE to pay "unemployment" stipends to Palestinians who lost their jobs in Israel during the current conflict. UAE's president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed said basically "nah".

16

Tanya Chutkan, the judge overseeing Trump's federal election interference case, was swatted.

15

Plans by NASA to scatter human ashes on the Moon have irritated the Navajo Nation, after claiming that the celestial lunar being is sacred and such actions desecrates it.

30

Ancient indigenous songlines match long sunken landscape off Australia's coast

20

China's spy balloons are back. This time they're over Taiwan.

32

The NRA is shrinking in every sense. Its membership, assets, and political support are declining. It most recently had a $22 million deficit.

32

Neptune is almost the exact same color as Uranus, actually.

20

Catholic preschools sue Colorado over nondiscrimination law, because they may have to admit students whose parents "identify as gay or lesbian".

27

UN says global food prices declined relative to record highs in December 2022, except for rice and sugar.

20

Lukashenko gives himself lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution.

20

Javier Milei's labor reforms blocked by Argentinian court.

-3

Congress would like a raise, please!

20

DAESH claims responsibility for an attack at Soleimani's memorial service that killed almost a hundred people.

29

Elon Musk's SpaceX accused by US labor agency of illegally firing workers for criticizing Musk.

34

John Kirby, representing the White House, says that South Africa's genocide case against Israel is "meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever". Reminder that South Africa's suit is 84 pages long, and directly cites Israel's own leaders.

16

Only 5 days into the year, 125 anti-trans bills have been filed in the U.S., more than double the pace of 2023.

35

A new study has found that possibly up to 17,000 people died collectively in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the U.S. from taking hydroxychloroquine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

14

Labour have finished their investigation of Rosie Duffield's denial that trans people were targeted by Nazis—Holocaust denial—and concluded she did nothing wrong.

4

Former Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released on parole after 11 years in jail. Pistorius was earlier convicted for murdering his then girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at their home, was given a sentence of 13 years and 5 months.

36

Bernie Sanders calls on Congress to reject unconditioned aid to Israel, citing Gaza war. Salon points out Sanders briefly once lived in Israel himself.

20

Some Ohio Republicans introduce a bill to strip the judicial branch's authority to interpret law if it's about abortion. Americans who have taken a middle-school civics class may realize that is very much not how this works.

13

Russia is forcibly conscripting Ukrainians in illegally held territory

18

The Democrats in the House Oversight Committee released a report accusing Donald Trump of having received at least $7.8 million in foreign payments during his presidency.

24

Ethiopia has signed a deal with unrecognized country of Somaliland, which is internationally recognised as part of Somalia, giving the land-locked country access to the Red Sea by leasing one of Somaliland’s ports. In return Ethiopia would recognise Somaliland as an independent country.

22

Trump reportedly plans to argue in court that January 6 was an FBI and Antifa plot and the 2020 election was stolen with help from Hezbollah and China.

32

Half of Russian citizens want the Ukraine war to end in 2024.

22

Hundreds of court documents about Jeffrey Epstein's associates released, more to come later UPDATE: More documents released

16

Russia accidentally bombs own village, vows to rebuild homes.

23

It all changes in Canada, a New Brunswick MP has tabled a private member's bill to make the oath to the Crown optional for MPs and senators. While last month, Québécois deputies voted unanimously for a motion to remove the position of Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, once the latest governor has finished her term.

8

Over one hundred people dead from explosions in Iran near Soleimani's tomb.

31

The Polish justice minister has ordered an investigation after a right-wing TV commentator has suggested housing migrants in old Nazi concentration camps such as Auschwitz.

29

Falling interest in linear cable news in general and ousting of Tucker Carlson, has led to the worst ratings for Fox News for a decade. While at the same time MSNBC’s viewership has grown.

28

A federal judge has ruled that Kim Davis must pay $260,000 in legal costs for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite ruling by the Supreme Court.

28

Israel is withdrawing several thousand troops from Gaza. Also, the Israeli Supreme Court has struck down major parts of Netanyahu's planned overhaul of the judicial system.

20