| Canada, under pressure at home over plane crash, warns Iran world is watching Posted: 10 Jan 2020 07:32 PM PST  OTTAWA/EDMONTON, Alberta (Reuters) - The Canadian government, under pressure at home to be tougher on Iran over intelligence reports it shot down a passenger jet, on Friday reiterated calls for a full probe into the disaster and warned Tehran that "the world is watching". Friends and families of some of the Canadians killed when a Ukrainian airliner crashed outside Tehran are demanding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau take a harder stance after accusing Iran of downing the plane, albeit probably by mistake. Iran denies the charge.
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| Elizabeth Warren: We can clean up corruption in Washington. We just have to fight to do it. Posted: 12 Jan 2020 02:00 AM PST  Universal child care, and free college, and Medicare for All — all of it can be all done, improving lives for millions of Americans.
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| Putin Says He Hasn’t Sent Russian Mercenaries to Libya Posted: 11 Jan 2020 10:14 AM PST |
| Ashfall reaches Manila as Taal Volcano erupts, prompts evacuations in the Philippines Posted: 12 Jan 2020 12:00 AM PST  The Taal Volcano in the central Philippines rumbled to life on Sunday, spewing ash and prompting evacuations in nearby communities -- and officials warn that a more powerful eruption is imminent. The volcano is located on the island of Luzon and is the country's second most active volcano. This satellite image shows the plume of volcanic ash spreading north across Luzon (top left) and the tropical disturbance to the east of the Philippines (right) as of Sunday night. (Photo/RAMMB) The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised the status of the Taal Volcano to an Alert Level 4 late Sunday, local time, indicating a hazardous eruption is possible within hours to days. The volcano was at an Alert Level 1 on Sunday afternoon. The alert system has five levels with Alert Level 5 meaning a hazardous eruption is in progress.> [Luzon Island, Philippines] Taal Volcano eruption seen via Himawari-8 IR satellite imagery TaalVolcano pic.twitter.com/ND1CXniSUb> > -- NWS OPC (@NWSOPC) January 12, 2020"As of 5:30 p.m. PST (1730H), eruptive activity at Taal Volcano Main Crater intensified as continuous eruption generated a tall 10-15 kilometer [32,808-49,212 foot] steam-laden tephra column with frequent volcanic lightning that rained wet ashfall on the general north as far as Quezon City," PHIVOLCS said in a statement. They added that two volcanic earthquakes of magnitudes 2.5 and 3.9 were felt in Tagaytay City and Alitagtag, Batangas.> Ash blankets a parking lot of a mall in Barangay Don Jose, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. (Photos by Jerome Juan Rogador II) pic.twitter.com/2E3IX5Nypj> > -- Manila Bulletin News (@manilabulletin) January 12, 2020Ashfall was reported in metro Manila, located about 101 km (63 miles) north of the volcano, on Sunday evening, according to CNN Philippines."Southerly winds are helping to carry volcanic north across northern Luzon," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Maura Kelly. "Winds across the northern Philippines are forecast to turn out of the northeast throughout the day on Monday, which can help to gradually direct the ash plume out over the South China Sea and away from Manila."Due to the eruption, all flights, both arrival and departures, at Ninoy Aquino International Airport are now on hold. Passengers are advised to coordinate with their respective airlines for flight updates.All classes within the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Laguna will be canceled on Monday, Jan. 13. due to heavy ashfall. Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno has also ordered the suspension of classes in all levels of public and private schools on Monday.> Ongoing phreatic explosion at the Main Crater of Taal Volcano. Photos taken from installed IP camera monitoring the activity of Taal Volcano. pic.twitter.com/9Qyd7aLvsJ> > -- PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) January 12, 2020Evacuations are underway for an unknown number of people in the municipalities of San Nicolas, Balete and Talisay, according to The Philippine Star."Magma is intruding from below. If eventually this will continue to move up, then there can be a magmatic eruption which is more dangerous," Renato Soldium, PHIVOLCS officer-in-charge, told CNN Philippines.> JUST IN: Taal Volcano erupts on Sunday afternoon. | Video courtesy of Veronica Mercado pic.twitter.com/uWEYlVJ94j> > -- The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) January 12, 2020Cameras monitoring the volcano caught ash spewing from the crater around the midday hours of Sunday."The public is reminded that the main crater should be strictly off limits because sudden steam explosions can occur and high concentrations of lethal volcanic gases can be released," PHIVOLCS said. "In addition, communities around the Taal Lakeshore are advised to take precautionary measures and be vigilant of possible lake-water disturbances related to the ongoing unrest."CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APPThe eruption occurred during one couple's wedding, and the photographer was able to capture the moment.Photographer Randolph Evan has been a professional photographer for almost 8 years now and has never experienced a moment like this one."While the bride was getting ready around 2 p.m., we already noticed white smoke coming out of the Taal volcano. Eventually, the smoke became darker as the day progressed. But miraculously we were able to finish everything from ceremony until the reception. The couple was even able to do their vows, first dance and speeches," Evan said. Chino and Kat Vaflor pose for wedding photos during the eruption. (Photo via Randolf Evan Photography) Everyone was actually calm and just trying to get a feel of the couple if they would decide to evacuate or not."It was an intimate wedding so most of the guests there were their relatives and close friends. The mood was surprisingly relaxed. It was kind of funny because the volcano steam served like an entertaining backdrop for the guests that was just changing colors from white to yellow to pink then grey. As for the couple they seemed relaxed too and unbothered. They were still able to be in the moment for their wedding which was a relief," Evan said. Chino and Kat Vaflor exchanging their vows during the eruption. (Photo via Randolf Evan Photography) Everyone who attended heard occasional rumbles and thunder but Evan said he isn't sure if it was directly related to the volcano's activity."We were actually nervous because while working we kept on checking social media for updates on the volcanic eruption. So we were actually aware of the warnings and escalating levels that were being announced real-time. We also discussed discretely among ourselves what we should do when worst comes to worst," Evan said. A wedding party continues during the volcano eruption. (Photo via Randolf Evan Photography) "The couple genuinely didn't want to cancel though, as we later found out it's because they have been planning for this day for 8 years and after 2 kids already. So this day (of all days) was always going to be special no matter what," Evan said.Evan said everyone from the wedding is safe.A moderate to high level of seismic activity has been observed in the vicinity since March 28, 2019, according to PHIVOLCS. The agency reported three earthquake events as of early Sunday afternoon."A seismic swarm has started at around 11:00 a.m. and ongoing as of 2:10 p.m. Sunday," PHIVOLCS said.PHIVOLCS strongly reiterated the total evacuation of the island amid 52 volcanic earthquakes in the Taal region by the early hours of Monday morning."Such intense seismic activity probably signifies continuous magma intrusions beneath the Taal edifice, which may lead to further eruptive activity," PHIVOLCS said in a statement."Outside of isolated showers and thunderstorms, mainly dry conditions are expected across Luzon through the beginning of the week. A tropical disturbance to the east of the Philippines will be pulled north and east, away from the area," Kelly added.The last major eruption of the Taal Volcano occurred in 1977.
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| US unsuccessfully tried to kill second Iranian commander in Yemen on same day as Soleimani assassination, officals say Posted: 11 Jan 2020 02:45 AM PST  The US tried to take out another top Iranian military figure on the same day as Qassem Soleimani was killed, according to officials.Abdul Reza Shahlai, a high-ranking commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was reportedly the target of a failed airstrike in Yemen.
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| Your Air Force Never Wants To Battle These Five Air Defense Missiles Posted: 11 Jan 2020 12:30 AM PST  The world's best.
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| UK police say it was mistake to call climate group extremist Posted: 11 Jan 2020 10:01 AM PST  British police say it was an "error of judgment" to include environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion in an official document that listed extremist organizations. The counterterrorism police unit for southeast England included the climate change protesters alongside Islamic extremists and banned neo-Nazi group National Action in a guide to "safeguarding young people and adults from ideological extremism," The Guardian newspaper reported.
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| Australian PM concedes mistakes, but likely won't drastically shift climate policy in light of fires Posted: 12 Jan 2020 07:55 AM PST  Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday conceded he's made some mistakes since the worst season of bushfires ever recorded in Australia broke out, The New York Times reports. He said he wouldn't have taken a heavily criticized family vacation to Hawaii in December while firefighters battled the blazes if he knew what he knows now, while acknowledging there were things he "could have handled on the ground much better."He also called for a government inquiry into the government's response to the natural disaster. At least 28 people have been killed in the fires, including a firefighter who died overnight in the state of Victoria. But despite the government now having a "new appetite" to take on a more direct role in the reaction to the fires, Morrison's words won't be much of a comfort for everyone. David Speers, the journalist who interviewed the prime minister Sunday, said his commitments will still likely fall short of many Australians' hopes. Many consider Morrison, who leads the conservative Liberal Party, to have implemented weak climate policies that have failed to curb the country's carbon emissions. But his plan in wake of the fires doesn't appear to be a dramatic shift toward combating climate change. Instead, he reiterated he doesn't want to put jobs at risk or raise taxes to lower emissions, and would rather enhance the country's policies for disaster management and relief, which he believes is just "as much a climate change response as emissions reductions." Read more at The New York Times and BBC.More stories from theweek.com The death of rock's master craftsman NFL's future, present on display Sunday thanks to a pair thrilling QB matchups Pelosi says delaying articles of impeachment achieved 'very positive' results
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| Bloomberg Will Spend to Beat Trump, Even If He’s Not the Nominee Posted: 11 Jan 2020 05:25 PM PST |
| Puerto Rico's strongest quake since 1918 has residents on edge Posted: 11 Jan 2020 10:04 PM PST  More than 300 people are homeless a day after the 6.4 magnitude quake rocked the island still recovering from Hurricane Maria.
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| Soleimani’s Assassination Brings Vows of Vengeance—in Africa Posted: 11 Jan 2020 02:21 AM PST  ABUJA, Nigeria—Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), a group led by converts to Shia Islam originally inspired by the Iranian Revolution 40 years ago, have vowed to fight to punish Americans, "the tyrants of this century," for the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week.Trump, Iran, and Where 'The Forever War' Was Always HeadedThat a group in West Africa would call for vengeance in the name of Quds Force commander Soleimani suggests just how far-flung his influence was, and how hard it will be for anyone, including the Iranian government, to restrain those who might attack American citizens and American interests. And, yes, at the same time it will be hard for the U.S. to pin the blame squarely on Tehran for the actions of such a group.Iranian "proxies" come in many forms, and may or may not follow Tehran's orders when they decide to attack Americans, whether to curry favor with Iran or simply to build their own reputation in their home countries. Ominously, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations told CNN in an interview broadcast Friday that his government cannot be held responsible for what militias or other sympathizers might do. "We can speak on behalf of the Iranian government, we are not responsible for the actions that others might take," Ambassador Majid Takht-Ravanchi told John Berman. The question was limited to Iraqi militias, but how much more deniable are the actions of jihadists in Africa, Latin America, or East Asia?Already last Sunday, two days after Soleimani died, the al-Shabab group operating out of Somalia killed an American serviceman and two American contractors at a base in northern Kenya as part of its "Al-Quds Will Never Be Judaized" guerrilla campaign. The American death toll in Kenya was higher than the attack in Iraq that supposedly ignited the fury of President Donald J. Trump, yet the incident has received scant attention, and has been dismissed by some analysts as a local matter because the guerrillas of al-Shabab are not known to have had connections to Soleimani, and did not claim any link to the attack. But Soleimani's operatives were active in Kenya in the past, and covert alliances of convenience among terrorist organizations and state sponsors often defy conventional wisdom about who cooperates with whom.The Other Attack on Americans That Has U.S. Forces Unnerved: KenyaOn Monday in Abuja, hundreds of Islamic Movement of Nigeria members took to the streets of the Nigerian capital to protest the Soleimani killing, chanting slogans attacking the U.S. government, and burning the U.S. flag. "America will pay for the killing of Soleimani," Ibrahim Hussien, one of the demonstrators, told The Daily Beast. "They have no idea what they have done."In Abuja, the IMN began to plan its demonstration hours after news came of the Iranian military commander's death, according to Hussein, who claimed to be part of the planning process.The group started by releasing a statement hailing Soleimani for being an "ardent anti-imperialist who gave the United States of America and their stooges in the region sleepless nights" and that his fight for victory against the U.S. would be "accomplished by his brothers, children, and students from resistance men and mujahideen from all the peoples of the world that reject humiliation and submission to the tyrants of this century."When the group's members took to the streets, their anger was visible. The long march round the central area of Abuja was noisy as demonstrators repeatedly chanted "death to America", just as Shiite protesters in Iran sang in the aftermath of Soleimani's killing."We'll make America pay," a protester told The Daily Beast. "It will happen when nobody expects." As the IMN began to plan its protest, Nigeria's Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, placed security forces across the country on red alert, directing commands in Nigeria's 36 states to protect areas and buildings where Americans are present."We don't know how long this will last," a police officer patrolling the area close to the U.S. embassy in Abuja told The Daily Beast. "The police want to ensure that Shia demonstrators do not cross the line."The IMN was outlawed by the Nigerian government last July following a series of deadly clashes with the country's armed forces, mostly over the continued detention of its leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, an Iranian-trained Shiite theologian who became a proponent of Shia Islam around the time of the Iranian revolution in 1979, when he was inspired by the Ayatollah Khomeini.Zakzaky, a mortal enemy of the United States, was arrested in 2015, following a crackdown by security forces which left hundreds of IMN members dead. The Nigerian military had accused his followers of attempting to assassinate the head of the country's army in Kaduna State in the northwest. He is still being held by the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria's secret police, who've charged him with a number of offenses, including "culpable homicide" and unlawful assembly.The Shiite group, which seeks the creation of an Iranian-style Islamic state in Nigeria, has long received funding from Iran and uses those funds to operate its own schools and hospitals in parts of Muslim dominated northern Nigeria. It does not recognize the authority of the Nigerian state and views Zakzaky as its symbol of authority. After gatherings, members of the group pledge allegiance to the late Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian supreme leader who led the revolution in 1979, and to Zakzaky.Although Nigeria's Muslim population, estimated at 60 million, is largely Sunni, the Shiite minority is significant. There are no actual statistics, but some sources estimate the number to be between 4 million and 10 million followers of Shia Islam. The movement is especially strong in northwest and northeast Nigeria, but has organized structures in most of the 36 states, which is the reason why police divisions across the country have been on alert since the killing of Soleimani."We are serious about the directive from the IGP and that is why we have deployed our men to sensitive areas and places where the U.S. has interest," said Terna Tyopev, a police spokesperson quoted by local media. "We are not taking anything to chance because the world is a global village and what happens elsewhere could have a ripple effect here."Demonstrations by the IMN, which has called on its members to protest Soleimani's killing on a daily basis, often have been deadly. In November 2018, clashes with security forces in Abuja left at least 45 dead and 122 wounded, according to Amnesty International, and a deputy commissioner of police was killed during a demonstration by the sect last July.Zakzaky previously admitted to the BBC that he trained his men—hundreds of them—as guards, but likened it to "teaching karate to the Boy Scouts." The group he leads reportedly has a youth front, whose members undergo military training. But so far, these militants haven't been a huge threat to the Nigerian state. That may change if members of the group carry out their threat."We are peaceful people but can be violent if provoked," Kasim Ibrahim, a member of the IMN who was part of the Abuja protest, told The Daily Beast. "America is pushing us to the wall."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| This Picture Might Just Depict the Ultimate Military Weapon Posted: 12 Jan 2020 01:25 AM PST  Meet the MLRS.
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| Esper 'didn't see' intelligence on Iran's 'planned' attack on embassies Posted: 12 Jan 2020 09:00 AM PST  Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Sunday said that he hadn't seen evidence to support President Trump's claim that a prominent Iranian general killed by a U.S. airstrike was "actively planning" imminent attacks on four American embassies. He said that he "didn't see" specific intelligence to support that assertion.
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| Gambian exiled ex-president demands return in leaked recording Posted: 11 Jan 2020 04:50 PM PST  Former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh, forced into exile in 2017, has been heard in a leaked recording demanding that his right to return be respected by the authorities. Jammeh has hardly been heard from since fleeing to Equatorial Guinea. In a statement published at the time of his exile, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations committed to working with the Gambian government to ensure Jammeh's security and rights, in particular his right to return.
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| Australian village ready for 'The Beast' to burn on through Posted: 11 Jan 2020 09:17 PM PST  As the sky darkened and the smoke billowed through the village, it seemed to those hunkering at the fire station that "The Beast" would finally roar through. The weary volunteer firefighters of Burragate returned to bed early Saturday after a week of worry and false alarms. Resident Joe Alvaro put it more bluntly.
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| Ukraine's president wants a 'full admission of guilt' and compensation from Iran after it shot down a commercial plane Posted: 11 Jan 2020 10:22 AM PST  Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he wants a full investigation, a full apology, and compensation for Iran's actions in the plane crash.
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| FBI Apologizes to Court for Botching Surveillance of Trump Adviser, and Pledges Fixes Posted: 11 Jan 2020 06:49 AM PST  WASHINGTON -- A chastened FBI told a secretive court Friday that it was increasing training and oversight for officials who work on national security wiretap applications in response to problems uncovered by a scathing inspector general report last month about botched surveillance targeting a former Trump campaign adviser.In a rare unclassified and public filing before the court that oversees wiretapping under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, the FBI also said it would extend its overhaul to requests for orders permitting it to collect logs of its targets' communications and other business records -- not just wiretaps of the contents of phone calls and emails."The FBI has the utmost respect for this court and deeply regrets the errors and omission identified by" the inspector general, wrote FBI Director Christopher A. Wray in a statement included with the filing. He called the conduct described by the report "unacceptable and unrepresentative of the FBI as an institution."Under FISA -- a law for surveillance aimed at monitoring suspected spies and terrorists, as opposed to ordinary criminals -- the government must convince a judge that an American is probably an agent of a foreign power. Because the FISA court hears only from the government, and what it says is never shown to defense lawyers, the Justice Department says it has a duty to be candid and tell judges every relevant fact in its possession.But the Justice Department's inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, uncovered that the FBI had cherry-picked and misstated evidence about the Trump adviser, Carter Page, when seeking permission to wiretap him in October 2016 and in 2017 renewal applications. At the same time, Horowitz determined that the opening of the Russia investigation was legal and found no politicized conspiracy against President Donald Trump by high-level FBI officials.The problems included omitting details that made Page look less suspicious. For example, the court was not told that Page had said to a confidential informant in August 2016 that he had no interactions with Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager, even though the FBI suspected Page might be a conduit between Russia and Manafort.The court was also not told that Page had told the CIA about his contacts with Russians over the years, a fact that made that pattern of contacts look less suspicious. The Justice Department, passing on the factual portrait it received from the FBI, had pointed the judges to that pattern as a reason to think that he might be a Russian agent.Horowitz said he did not find documentary or testimonial evidence that FBI officials responsible for compiling the relevant evidence about Page for the court were politically biased against Trump. But he rejected as unsatisfactory their explanations that they were busy on other aspects of the Russia investigation.In a response appended to the inspector general report last month, Wray had already announced that he would make changes aimed at ensuring that the bureau put forward a more comprehensive portrait of the facts about targets when preparing wiretap applications.The new filing, which detailed 12 steps, like enhancing checklists for preparing filings, added granular detail. It came in response to an unusual public order last month. Rosemary M. Collyer, then the presiding judge on FISA court, ordered the FBI to propose fixes to its process by Jan. 10 to ensure the problems would not recur."The frequency with which representations made by FBI personnel turned out to be unsupported or contradicted by information in their possession, and with which they withheld information detrimental to their case, calls into question whether information contained in other FBI applications is reliable," Collyer wrote.On Jan. 1, Judge James E. Boasberg took over Collyer's role on the FISA court. He will now have to evaluate whether the proposed changes are sufficient to restore the judges' confidence in the factual affidavits FBI officials submit or if more is necessary.It is not clear whether Boasberg will take such potential steps as appointing a "friend of the court" to critique the FBI's proposal before he issues any order.The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has said he wants to impose new checks and balances on the FBI's national security surveillance powers, at least when investigations touch on political campaigns, in legislation his panel may take up after Trump's impeachment trial.In his statement with the court filing Friday, Wray called FISA an "indispensable tool for national security investigations" and pledged to work to ensure the accuracy and completeness of FISA applications "in recognition of our duty of candor to the court and our responsibilities to the American people."This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| BOE’s Vlieghe Tells FT He Backs Rate Cut If Data Don’t Improve Posted: 12 Jan 2020 05:01 AM PST |
| Election 2020: Here's who qualified for the January debate in Iowa Posted: 12 Jan 2020 01:45 PM PST  This is the smallest debate stage since the primary debates began in June.
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| America Needs More Aircraft Carriers, And Britain's Royal Navy Has An Idea Posted: 11 Jan 2020 10:15 PM PST  Is leasing an option?
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| Architecturally Bound: 20 of the World’s Most Stunning Libraries Posted: 12 Jan 2020 09:00 AM PST |
| Huawei exec can be extradited to US, Canada attorney general says Posted: 10 Jan 2020 09:03 PM PST  Canada's Department of Justice said a Huawei executive arrested in Vancouver could be extradited to the United States, because her offense is a crime in both countries, according to documents released Friday. Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was originally detained on a US warrant in late 2018, faces an extradition hearing in Vancouver that begins on January 20. The United States accuses Meng of lying to banks about violating Iran sanctions.
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| Puerto Ricans Unable to Reach Earthquake Shelters Say They’re Getting ‘No Help from Government’ Posted: 12 Jan 2020 11:27 AM PST  PONCE, PUERTO RICO—Squinting at the blistering sun, Jeanette Fontánez looks overheated and exasperated. "We can't live in our houses because they're cracked," she tells The Daily Beast. "We need soap, mattresses, tents, water, supplies—a little bit of everything, because there's a lot of us here." But as of Saturday afternoon, government officials and agencies had yet to arrive to where the 49-year-old Fontánez has sought refuge: In a public park within walking distance from her home, which she says is unsafe to be inside. "We've been here since Tuesday," says Fontánez, who was there with her 9-year-old daughter. Families are spread throughout the park, some set up near parked cars, other stationed under tarps. 'You're Never Prepared For This': Puerto Rico Reels From Fresh Quake NightmareFontánez is one of an estimated 2,000 Puerto Ricans displaced by an unrelenting streak of earthquakes in the island's southern region beginning Dec. 28 and culminating, at least so far, in Tuesday's 6.4 magnitude event, followed by subsequent tremblors and then, on Sunday morning, an unexpected jump to 5.9. Electrical outages are widespread in the area. Some residents are also without water service.Many families are living within sight of their rattled homes without stepping inside, much less sleeping in them. The constant shaking has compounded fears of being indoors even for those whose houses bear no noticeable ruptures. And the recently restored electricity departed again with Sunday morning's quake. Saturday, an LGBT-led caravan of volunteers arrived to serve meals and hand out water, sanitary wipes, diapers, and other supplies. It was only the second time donations were disbursed at the park, Fontánez says. The supplies they have received may have been surplus items from well stocked shelters being supplied by Puerto Rican authorities, politicians, NGOs, and other groups. But little of that is so far making its way to smaller encampments, like the one in La Luna, says Fontánez. Her appeal is echoed by the families of Barrio Macaná in Guayanilla, another hard-hit municipality, and one where more than 50 percent of residents live below the poverty line. The neighborhood is only about a mile from the downtown area, but many residents lack transportation, and physically, the hilly trek is challenging for a person carrying supplies. These residents need the aid to come to them, says army veteran Diego Cruz, 59. Cruz is among a group of about 10, comprised of immediate and extended family of separate homes who've banded together. This includes three minors, plus an 81-year-old man with a leg amputation whose dilapidated wheelchair badly needs replacing. "If you're going to help and you're going to an encampment that you know is already being given supplies, everything they need, then I don't understand," Cruz says. "What about the people outside that need things, like us? There are people who can't get down [there]."(Representatives of the municipalities of Ponce and Guayanilla dd not return requests for comment for this story.)One home among the group's is especially unsound, Cruz notes, showing The Daily Beast a long, vertical split in the cement on the structure's rear wall, and an apparently unsturdy foundation beneath. At night, the front area of the house—a shared patio between two homes —becomes one big outdoor bedroom, complete with makeshift beds of mattresses atop cinder blocks. As noted in the mission statement of Maria Fund, a nonprofit created to cull funding specifically for local, grassroots organizations in Puerto Rico post-Hurricane Maria, it's the "vulnerable communities" that "are too often underserved by relief agencies." To offset this problem, donations to the overall fund are diffused to an island-wide network of collectives and groups — like La Brigada Solidaria del Oeste (Western Solidarity Brigade), various Centros de Apoyo Mutuo (Centers for Mutual Support), and others — that are more familiar with the needs of local populations.Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, a nonprofit advocating for the legal rights of low-income communities, is another Maria Fund recipient. The group has organized a petition on Change.org calling on Governor Wanda Vazquez to provide free transportation to shelters and to establish more shelters in unaffected structures in the northern part of the island, away from the earthquake epicenters. Executive Director Ariadna Godreau tells The Daily Beast that the government has not adequately addressing long-term displacement, and is repeating the same mistakes seen post-Maria."The government is preparing as if this is the normal state for refugees: portable bathrooms, portable beds," she says. "Nobody's thinking about how to solve the issue of temporary housing, nobody's thinking about transitional housing. They are trying to make displacement the new normal for these people, who are entitled to housing." Issues around protocol — hygeine, sexual violence, and other risks — in the unofficial camps is another concern expressed by Godreau. Those camps are ultimately the government's responsibility too, she says. "The governor said yesterday at a press conference that people don't want to move. But some people don't want to move because they don't have the alternative, or don't have the transportation." Displaced Puerto Ricans post-Maria spent months in shelters and, Godreau says, were ultimately pressured out by FEMA and government authorities. "They told them you have two options: The shelters are closing… or you have to move to the U.S. That is forcibly displacing people," she says.If residents hoped the swarm of earthquakes was tapering off, Saturday's 8:54 a.m. jolt, which was felt throughout the island, likely renewed anxieties about the duration of this already lengthy natural disaster. Aftershocks have continued since.More than $18 billion in disaster relief funds allocated for Puerto Rico after the devastation of Hurricane Maria, in which upwards of 4,000 people died (many of them post-storm), is still being withheld by the Trump administration.Four deaths total—direct or indirect—have been reported so far in connection with the earthquakes. Low-income populations, the elderly, young children, and people with chronic illnesses and disabilities are most at risk after any natural disaster. "We're thankful, because if the cell phones weren't working, nobody would get here," Cruz says. "Through phone calls and reaching out, that's how people have gotten here. We've had help from different people, but no help from the government." . Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Ukraine demands punishment for Iran plane downing Posted: 11 Jan 2020 06:11 AM PST  Ukraine on Saturday demanded that Iran punish those guilty for the downing of a Ukrainian airliner and compensate victims while praising Tehran for cooperating with an "objective" investigation. Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelensky was due to discuss the incident with his Iranian counterpart President Hassan Rouhani at 5:00 pm local time (1500 GMT), his press office said. "We expect Iran... to bring the guilty to the courts," the Ukrainian leader wrote on Facebook, calling also for the "payment of compensation" and the return of remains.
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| Tortoise who saved species by fathering hundreds returns to Galapagos Posted: 11 Jan 2020 08:41 AM PST  A tortoise who helped save his species from extinction by having hundreds of children will be released into his homeland after spending eight decades away, conservation authorities have said.Diego earned a reputation for having lots of sex during a captive breeding scheme for giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands, and the 100-year-old has now reportedly fathered over 800 children.
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| Friends and foes gather in Oman to mourn Qaboos Posted: 12 Jan 2020 03:34 AM PST  World and regional leaders, many at odds with one another, met Oman's new ruler on Sunday to offer condolences for the death of Sultan Qaboos whose quiet diplomacy during five decades in power helped calm regional turbulence. The rulers of Qatar and the United Arab Emirate, which are locked in a protracted dispute, were among those who visited the royal palace in Muscat as was the foreign minister of Iran, which is an arch-foe of U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
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| Israel Foreign Minister Delays Dubai Trip Over Security: Reuters Posted: 12 Jan 2020 02:39 AM PST |
| Four wounded in attack on Iraqi military base housing U.S. forces Posted: 12 Jan 2020 12:02 PM PST  Four people were wounded on Sunday in an attack on Balad air base in Iraq, which houses U.S. personnel.
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| 6 Democratic Candidates Will Face Off in the Last Debate Before the Iowa Caucuses. Here's What to Know Posted: 12 Jan 2020 04:00 AM PST  The first debate of 2020 will take place in Des Moines on Jan. 14 ahead of the Iowa Caucus. Here's what to expect.
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| The Cold War Produced Some Truly Terrifying American And Russian Weapons Posted: 11 Jan 2020 08:30 AM PST  Here are the top 5.
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| Man rescued in Alaskan wilderness more than 20 days after fire destroys home, kills dog Posted: 12 Jan 2020 10:51 AM PST  Tyson Steele, 30, survived more than 20 days in the Alaskan wilderness after a devastating fire burned down his cabin and killed his beloved dog.
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| U.S. investigation reportedly to result in expulsion of some Saudi military students Posted: 12 Jan 2020 07:32 AM PST  The United States is planning to expel more than a dozen members of Saudi Arabia's military who are training at U.S. military installations, multiple sources told CNN.The decision was reportedly reached after an FBI investigation following a shooting last month at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, in which a member of the Saudi Royal Air Force killed three U.S. service members on the base. The FBI and Justice Department declined to comment.The Saudis who are expected to be expelled aren't accused of aiding in the shooting, which has been treated by law enforcement as a terrorist incident, but some are reportedly believed to have connections to extremist movements, per CNN. Others were reportedly found to possess child pornography, a defense official said.The Saudi government has reportedly been cooperative and even reportedly helped U.S. investigators link particular social media accounts to individuals. One of the major findings of the investigations appears to be a social media conversation, in which some military members expressed support for extremism. Read more at CNN and The Washington Post.More stories from theweek.com The death of rock's master craftsman NFL's future, present on display Sunday thanks to a pair thrilling QB matchups Pelosi says delaying articles of impeachment achieved 'very positive' results
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| China set to strengthen cooperation with Zimbabwe Posted: 12 Jan 2020 12:57 PM PST  China's foreign minister Wang Yi on Sunday pledged to strengthen cooperation with Zimbabwe despite a spat over bilateral aid figures in November. The two countries butted heads after Zimbabwe's government said it had only received $3.6 million in aid from Beijing in 2019 -- 40 times lower than the figure claimed by China. Yi met his Zimbabwean counterpart Sibusiso Moyo on Sunday during the final leg of an Africa tour that also took him to Egypt, Djibouti, Eritrea and Burundi.
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| Britain, France and Germany urge Iran to stick to 2015 nuclear deal Posted: 12 Jan 2020 09:41 AM PST  The leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Sunday called in a joint statement on Iran to return to full compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and refrain from further violence. "We urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with the agreement and return to full compliance," the leaders said in the statement issued by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron. "We call on Iran to refrain from further violent action or proliferation; and we remain ready to engage with Iran on this agenda in order to preserve the stability of the region," they added.
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| A Japanese woman was asked to take a pregnancy test before flying to a US island that has become popular for birth tourism Posted: 12 Jan 2020 03:51 PM PST  More tourists gave birth in Saipan than residents in 2018, as the island has become popular for pregnant women wishing to give birth to US citizens.
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| Hong Kong Protesters Rehearse for ‘Anti-Communist March’ Posted: 12 Jan 2020 02:36 AM PST |
| Ethiopia PM asks South Africa leader to help in dam dispute Posted: 12 Jan 2020 05:50 AM PST  Ethiopia's prime minister has asked South Africa's president to intervene in his country's dispute with Egypt over a massive dam project on the Nile River, set to be Africa's largest hydraulic dam. During a visit to South Africa on Sunday, Abiy Ahmed said President Cyril Ramaphosa as the incoming chair of the African Union could play an important role in ensuring a peaceful resolution is found. Talks last week among Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan failed to reach agreement on technical issues including the filling of the $4.6 billion Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is around 70% complete.
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| Trump Tweets Out Support for Iranian Protesters—in Farsi Posted: 11 Jan 2020 05:07 PM PST  President Trump took to Twitter late Saturday to offer a message of solidarity with Iranian anti-government protesters—and he did it in Farsi. Usually known for his erratic capitalization and spelling mistakes on Twitter, the president made waves with the tweet, which was addressed to the "long-suffering people of Iran" and came after protests erupted in Tehran following Iran's admission that it mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane and killed all 176 people on board."I've stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you," Trump said. "We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage." Trump sent out two Farsi-language tweets on the protests, both accompanied by their English translations. In addition to expressing support for the protesters, the president also called on Iran to allow "human rights groups to monitor" the demonstrations and warned against "another massacre of peaceful protesters." The tweets come after protests erupted Saturday in Tehran, with thousands taking to the streets to demand government officials and even the Supreme Leader step down over the downed plane. Iran's armed forces announced early Saturday that its military had accidentally shot down Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 after it was mistaken for a "hostile target" when it went towards a "sensitive military center" of the Revolutionary Guard. The plane was shot down amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, and just hours after Iranian forces fired missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops in retaliation for the American airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said in a tweet that "human error at time of crisis caused by U.S. adventurism led to disaster," according to an internal investigation by the Armed Forces.Trump did not immediately respond to the thinly veiled jab by Zarif, and he spent much of the day on Saturday tweeting about his approval rating, his border wall, and the shortcomings of his political opponents before chiming in on the growing protests in Tehran. His stern tone and Farsi-language tweets seemed a far cry from his warning to Iran just a week ago that the U.S. was ready to strike 52 sites in the country—including those "important to Iranian culture"—if any American assets were damaged or harmed. Many on social media also questioned the sincerity of Trump's tweets, noting that he had banned all Iranians from entering the United States during the first month of his presidency as part of an executive order widely known as the "Muslim ban." The Trump administration later updated the order to allow Iranians with student visas or cultural exchange visas into the country, but the Associated Press reported yesterday that the White House is currently considering an expansion of the ban.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| How India’s Aircraft Carrier Vikrant Went to War Against Pakistan Posted: 10 Jan 2020 06:30 PM PST  And made history.
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| More than 1,100 Chicago flights canceled due to winter weather Posted: 11 Jan 2020 02:28 PM PST  More than 1,100 flights have been canceled in and out of Chicago according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.
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| The Best Podcasts for Avid Conspiracy Theorists Posted: 11 Jan 2020 09:00 AM PST |
| Iraq PM tells Kurdish leaders he does not seek 'hostility' with US Posted: 11 Jan 2020 06:15 AM PST  Iraq's caretaker premier told Kurdish leaders on Saturday he did not seek a hostile relationship with the United States, in his first visit to the autonomous region since coming to power in 2018. Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi travelled to Arbil with a delegation of top ministers and his intelligence chief. The trip came at a time of political turmoil for Iraq, after months of anti-government rallies that saw Abdel Mahdi resign and worsening ties with the US as Iraqi lawmakers push for a withdrawal of foreign troops.
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| Aurora, Colorado, Shooting Leaves 3 Juveniles, 2 Adults Injured: Police Posted: 12 Jan 2020 07:03 AM PST  Law enforcement said no one has been arrested yet
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| Footage shows horrific crash as motorcyclist is hit by car Posted: 11 Jan 2020 10:09 AM PST  Shocking dashcam footage shows the moment a motorcycle rider was thrown into the air after being hit by a car driving on the wrong side of the road in the United Kingdom.
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| Pompeo Plans Dinner With Tech Leaders Including Oracle’s Ellison Posted: 12 Jan 2020 02:59 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is planning to attend a private dinner on Monday with tech leaders including Oracle Corp.'s Larry Ellison, according to people familiar with the matter. The dinner, which will be held in San Francisco, comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran run high, and days after Pompeo announced new sanctions on the country.The hope is to drum up support for the Trump administration in Silicon Valley amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to one of the people, all of whom asked not to be identified discussing private information.The dinner guest list includes about 15 people, many of them tech industry leaders, including Sarah Friar, the chief executive officer of Nextdoor.com Inc., Marc Andreessen, the prominent venture capitalist, and Gregory Becker, the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, the person said.Representatives for Oracle, Nextdoor, Andreessen Horowitz and Silicon Valley Bank didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.The dinner is set to follow appearances earlier Monday for Pompeo in Silicon Valley, including public events at the Commonwealth Club and Stanford University's Hoover Institution.\--With assistance from Nick Wadhams and Nico Grant.To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah Frier in San Francisco at sfrier1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Anne VanderMey, Virginia Van NattaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Defying police, Iranians protest over plane shootdown Posted: 12 Jan 2020 01:41 AM PST  Iranian demonstrators defied a heavy police presence Sunday night to protest their country's days of denials that it shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane carrying 176 people, the latest unrest to roil the capital amid soaring tensions with the United States. Other videos suggested similar protests were taking place in other Iranian cities.
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