Houthi targets hit: The US. and Britain have staged retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. More than a dozen targets were struck believed to be sites from which missiles or drones were launched against shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis have threatened to step up their attacks in retaliation. President Biden has threatened additional attacks on Houthi targets if they continue their attacks on international shipping. He said the Houthi attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, jeopardized trade, and threatened freedom of navigation.
Trump trial: New York Judge Arthur Engoron reversed himself and allowed Donald Trump to speak during closing arguments in his $370 million fraud trial. During his statement, Trump ignored guidelines that Engoron had established and attacked the judge, New York Attorney General Letitia James and the court system. Engoron told Trumps attorneys to try to control him and then stopped Trump from speaking. Engoron said he’d rule by Jan. 31 on how much Trump, his sons and companies have to pay in damages to the state for their bank, insurance and tax fraud. Engoron also is to decide whether the Trumps and Trump companies will be allowed to continue doing business in New York state.
No cease-fire: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says Ukraine will not agree to a limited cease-fire in the war with Russia because Russia would use the time to rearm its troops and position its forces for intensified fighting. Zelenskyy also said that North Korea is supporting Russia with artillery shells and missiles. He also said Russia has been getting drones from Iran and now wants Iranian missiles.
Hunter’s plea: President Biden’s son Hunter was in federal court in Los Angeles yesterday where he entered a not guilty plea to charges of not paying $1.4 million in taxes when they were due. The taxes, penalties and interest have now been paid. The government alleges that instead of paying taxes in a timely manner he spent the money on himself, in part to satisfy drug and alcohol addiction.
Possible government shutdown: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he’s preparing a stop-gap spending plan to keep the government open in view of increasing opposition by House Republicans to the $1.59 trillion spending plan he and House Speaker Mike Johnson have worked out. Johnson yesterday denied having reached an agreement with Schumer as far-right Republicans made new demands for deep spending cuts. Last year, when former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached a funding agreement with the Democrats, the far-right Republicans forced him out as speaker.
FAA investigates Boeing: The FAA has notified Boeing that it is conducting an investigation of Boeing’s airliner manufacturing practices. The investigation grows out of the incident involving a Boeing Model 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines that experienced a sudden depressurization when a “plug” type passenger door blew out. The FAA’s letter to Boeing, a copy of which was obtained by the Business Journal, said, in part, “Boeing may have failed to ensure its completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in accordance with quality system inspection and test procedures.”
Film historian David J. Skal has died. David J. Skal, a film historian and critic specializing in the horror genre, passed away at the age of 71. Skal is best known for his critically acclaimed books “Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen” (1990), “The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror” (1993) and the Bram Stoker biography “Something in the Blood” (2016). He was also a prominent on-camera figure in documentaries and DVD special features.
