Summary
That’s all for today, thanks for following along. Some key links and developments:
- The US has placed 8,500 troops on heightened alert to deploy to Europe as Nato reinforced its eastern borders with warships and fighter jets, amid growing fears of a possible “lightning” attack by Russia to seize the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
- Conservative groups across the US, often linked to deep-pocketed rightwing donors, are carrying out a campaign to ban books from school libraries, often focused on works that address race, LGBTQ+ issues or marginalized communities.
- Covid cases are rising rapidly among US nursing home residents and staff and causing shortages in admissions, exacerbating bed shortages at hospitals in turn.
- US authorities are confident most states will soon reach and pass a peak in coronavirus Omicron variant cases, even as hospitals struggle to cope with the current surge, Fauci said.
- Opening arguments began in the federal trial of Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, three officers present for the murder of George Floyd.
- US stock markets were hit by another wave of wild trading as investors worried that the Federal Reserve would wind down its support for the economy faster than expected and fears of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine intensified.
- CNN obtained an intelligence bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security that warns that Russia would consider conducting a cyberattack on the US homeland if Moscow perceived that a US or Nato response would be a threat to a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Updated
US Capitol police officer Eugene Goodman, who was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for his acts during the insurrection, has given his first interview since the January 6 riot, saying the attacks “could have easily been a bloodbath”.
At one point, the hosts jokingly asked him if he had considered not redirecting the Utah senator — "eh, it's Mitt Romney" — prompting an uncomfortable rebuke from the officer.
— bryan metzger (@metzgov) January 24, 2022
"Uh, no," Goodman replied.https://t.co/MY0DJ2gZuO
Goodman spoke on a podcast called 3 Brothers No Sense hosted by a fellow Capitol officer, Business Insider reported.
On the episode, Goodman expressed concerns that one of his fellow officers who has been more outspoken than him has since faced harassment: “He’s said he’s out with his daughter, and he’s had random people run up and throw drinks in his face, and stuff like that. That’s mostly why I haven’t been doing any interviews, anything like that, ‘cause I just don’t want any part of the negativity.”
