NATO has formally invited Sweden and Finland into the alliance, a move Russia calls “destabilizing.” Meanwhile, the largest NATO military exercise since the Cold War kicked off in Poland.

5) Tensions ratchet up as US deploys more troops and weapons to Eastern Europe; 4) Reaction to overturning Roe v. Wade; 3) January 6 committee’s surprise star witness flops; 2) 19% of US business leaders optimistic about economy over next year; 1) Michigan dealing with plague of “rock snot.”