The LOOP WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21 LEADERS DECRY TRUMP'S GREENLAND GOALS AT DAVOS President Donald Trump's push to acquire Greenland drew criticism at the World Economic Forum yesterday, where French President Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of reviving "imperial" politics and other European allies decried related U.S. tariff threats.
LEADERS DECRY TRUMP'S GREENLAND GOALS AT DAVOS President Donald Trump's push to acquire Greenland drew criticism at the World Economic Forum yesterday, where French President Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of reviving "imperial" politics and other European allies decried related U.S. tariff threats. READ
JERUSALEM CHURCH LEADERS DENOUNCE CHRISTIAN ZIONISM Jerusalem's patriarchs and heads of churches issued a joint statement against what they called "damaging ideologies" that work against the interests of Christians in the Holy Land. In the statement, the Christian leaders denounced Christian Zionism and clarified that they alone speak for the interests of the indigenous Christian communities in the region. READ
CARDINAL ZEN PRAISES POPE, WARNS MEETING FORMAT Cardinal Joseph Zen, archbishop emeritus of Hong Kong, praised Pope Leo for convening the recent Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals at the Vatican, calling it a "welcome 'breakthrough'" in a statement yesterday. The 94-year-old cardinal also warned, however, that the meeting's format showed signs of being "hijacked" by "Pope Francis's 'boys,'" whom Zen said "did everything they could to prevent the cardinals from expressing their opinions." READ
AD: CELEBRATE THE ENTIRE CHRISTMAS SEASON WITH CHARITY MOBILE! Charity Mobile's Christmas offer is available for the entire Christmas season! Through 2/2/26, new customers get a free phone after instant credit, plus free activation, free standard shipping, and a free power bank while supplies last. Support your favorite Pro-Life, Pro-Family charity when you switch to the Pro-Life phone company! Use promo code LOOP. LEARN MORE
MILITARY ARCHBISHOP ON USING FORCE TO TAKE GREENLAND Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services said in an interview Sunday that he could not imagine the use of military force to take Greenland being just or morally right. If Trump were to follow through on ordering such a mission, Archbishop Broglio said, "it would be morally acceptable" for U.S. soldiers to "disobey." READ
VICE PRESIDENT AND SECOND LADY EXPECTING 4th BABY Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance announced yesterday that they are expecting their fourth child – a baby boy. The two are "very excited," they said in a joint statement. "Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him in late July." READ
HOLY LAND'S CHRISTIANS FACE ISRAELI SETTLER AGGRESSION Tensions in East Jerusalem and the wider West Bank are ongoing despite the Gaza ceasefire framework being pursued by the Trump administration, and local Christians continue to report Israeli settler attacks, settlement expansions, and military operations in the area. Here are the details. READ
YOU ASKED. WE LISTENED. CatholicVote is about to launch a new digital platform that will take your enjoyment of The LOOP to a whole new level and introduce you to even more compelling content.
NORTH CAROLINA CATHOLICS STAND UP FOR TRADITION In the wake of Bishop Michael Martin's decision to order a number of liturgical changes in the Diocese of Charlotte, parishioners across the western half of North Carolina are using their voices publicly and in prayer in hopes of persuading him to reverse course. READ
POPE MEETS CORDIALLY WITH FSSP LEADERS Leaders of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a pontifical society of apostolic life whose charism centers on the faithful celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (also referred to as Traditional Latin Mass), had a private audience with Pope Leo at the Vatican this week. READ
NOT TO BE MISSED...Here are the stories we couldn't fit in today's LOOP:
The European Court of Human Rights will soon rule on the legality of Christian symbols at public institutions.READ
A recent study found increased support for religious freedom in the U.S.READ
A Pennsylvania court significantly reduced charges against six pro-life advocates who were arrested last year at an abortion facility.READ
WINTER CITRUS SALAD Surprisingly, citrus season is in the winter. This winter citrus salad is bursting with oranges, ruby grapefruit, pops of pomegranate seeds, zesty arugula, ripe avocado, and creamy burrata. READ
CATHOLIC 101 We end every prayer with "amen." But what does the word actually mean, and what's the history behind it? READ
SAINT OF THE DAY Today the Church celebrates St. Agnes, a beautiful young woman who consecrated herself to Christ as a perpetual virgin. Many men desired her, but she rejected every suitor. In the end, Agnes was martyred when she refused to renounce her faith. READ
DAILY PSALM "Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!" (Psalm 144) READ
SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE ALERT! Less than two weeks remain to apply for the Constitution Scholarship. Don't miss your chance to earn up to $10,000 in educational scholarships. Applications close 1/31. APPLY NOW
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Humans need (some) protein, of course. But an entire multibillion-dollar industry has sprung up to sell us a lot more of something we don't need. Our columnist's journey through the scientific literature and decades of research led to one conclusion: We're overthinking this.
Humans need (some) protein, of course. But an entire multibillion-dollar industry has sprung up to sell us a lot more of something we don't need. Our columnist's journey through the scientific literature and decades of research led to one conclusion: We're overthinking this.
Welcome. This week, burning farms for the thrill of it and heating homes with bitcoin. But first, I found the most complete protein – and it's not meat.
(iStock)
There's protein water, protein beer, protein marshmallows. Millions follow "meatfluencers" on TikTok. If you're hungry for dessert, God bless you, a protein Pop-Tart will sustain you with 10 grams of protein alongside red No. 40.
Behind this macronutrient madness are three assumptions: We're not getting enough protein. The more the better. Meat is the best way to get it.
The problem? They're not true. Humans need some protein, of course. But an entire multibillion-dollar industry has sprung up to sell us a lot more of something we don't need in such quantities — at significant cost — that doesn't make most of us healthier, and in some cases, leaves us worse off.
"It is insane how easy it is to get protein," said Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University's School of Medicine who investigates healthy diets. "One of the reasons for that is everything has protein."
You would not guess that from the online discourse. So several months ago, I began wading through it in search of an ideal protein for my busy, hungry mornings. The bar was high: convenient, affordable, healthy, tasty and satiating. I was open to any source — eggs, dairy, plants or meat — but preferably something I could make with one hand while holding an infant.
My journey through the scientific literature and decades of nutritional research led to one conclusion: We're overthinking this. Read this week's Climate Coach column to understand why the perfect protein is probably one you're already eating.
Dana Milbank's risk tolerance has steadily grown since moving to the country. This week, the Washington Post columnist set his farm on fire.
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There are ecological reasons for what he's doing — winter is the best time to cut and treat woody invasive plants — but his experience has also boosted his sense of well-being. Read more about his winter of living dangerously.
(The Washington Post)
Learning Curve
Your power bill is soaring faster than a nearby data center's. While U.S. residents saw electricity rates increase by about 10 percent between 2022 and 2024, commercial users paid only 3 percent more, and industrial customers paid 2 percent less.
Many of you don't love spiders as pets, I discovered after last week's column, but several Climate Coach readers couldn't help but sing their praises.
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"Jumping spiders are absolutely the cutest of the spiders," said one reader, "and they have such big personalities for such little bodies!"
"We allow spiders the run of our house," wrote another. "Particularly intriguing is the wolf spider and the jumping spider who move around the house in search of prey … completely harmless and fun to watch. Last summer, we had a black widow in the corner of one of the bathrooms and we let her stay until her natural end. Since we knew where her web was, we made sure not to reach in there."
For those who wish to learn more about insects' endearing sides, the Facebook page All Bugs Go to Kevin was recommended. If you're still in doubt, Pam might inspire you. "I'm a big fan of spiders, and most other insects," she wrote by mail. "I'm a small 82-year-old woman. The insects don't frighten me."
Scientists call another near-record hot year a "warning shot" from a shifting climate (NPR)
These Finnish homes are being heated by a surprising source: Bitcoin (Grist)
Judge rules Empire Wind can resume construction. (New York Times)
"Am I the only one who feeds ladybugs that appear in my house during the winter months?" asks Jane Wolfson, a professor emerita of environmental science at Towson University. "I doubt it."
She feeds them drops of water or water mixed with a little maple syrup (delivered with a toothpick in front of their faces) or a tidbit of moist cat food. "Does this keep them alive? I have no idea, but I continue to do it and enjoy watching them feed."
