U.S. and world news for Jan. 11

Covid cases growing: The World Health Organization (WHO) says that nearly 10,000 people died worldwide last month from Covid. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO, said that while 10,000 is less than the number of monthly deaths during the peak of the pandemic, that number is unacceptable. There were 1,189,927 cases of Covid reported to the WHO during December, an increase of 286,562 cases from November’s total.

Judge rules against Trump: New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding in the civil fraud case against Donald Trump, Trump family members and Trump businesses says that because Trump has not agreed to abide by conditions Engoron established Trump will not be allowed to make a statement as his attorneys make their closing arguments. Engoron has already ruled that Trump and the other defendants did commit fraud. New York Attorney General Letitia James originally filed suit asking for $250 million in compensation from the defendants. She now has asked the judge to raise that to $370 million.

Christie drops out: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped out of the Republican Presidential Primary race late yesterday and told his supporters that he will make sure he does nothing that would enable Donald Trump to again become president. Christie said that he regrets having endorsed Trump for president in the past. Christie’s leaving the contest is seen by many in politics as a boost for Nikki Haley, who is hoping to do well in the Iowa caucuses and then win the New Hampshire primary. However, Christie was heard on an open microphone saying that he thought Haley would be badly defeated in New Hampshire.

Republicans refuse to hear Hunter: Republican members of the House Oversight Committee refused to listen to Hunter Biden when he showed up at their committee hearing yesterday and offered to testify under oath. Democrats on the committee attempted to get Republicans to say why they were refusing to hear from Biden but the Republicans wouldn’t say. Both the Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee have started the process of holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after they subpoenaed him to testify behind closed doors and he insisted on testifying under oath in public.

International court looks at Israel: The International Court of Justice in the Hague today opened hearings on a complaint by South Africa that Israel has engaged in genocide in Gaza. South Africa is asking the court to impose an order on Israel requiring it to stop its military activity in Gaza. Both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside of the court. In a video statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is complying with international law and is fighting Hamas terrorists not the Palestinian population.

Bitcoin trading gets SEC boost: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a ruling that makes it easier for people to invest in bitcoins. The SEC has decided to allow the listing and trading of exchange trading product shares, or ETPs, for bitcoins. In a statement the SEC said that its action does not endorse bitcoins as an investment but will help ensure that investors receive full disclosure about what they’re putting their money into. It points out that the FTPs will be traded on registered national securities exchanges.