Homes collapsed, power was knocked out and at least one person died after Tuesday’s 6.4-magnitude quake and powerful aftershocks. The south of the island was worst hit
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McDonald’s: black executives sue over ‘systematic’ racial discrimination
Two high-ranking African Americans allege that discrimination at fast-food company worsened under former CEO Steve Easterbrook
McDonald’s is being sued by two African American executives who allege they suffered “systematic but covert” racial discrimination at the fast-food giant.
Vicki Guster-Hines and Domineca Neal, senior directors working for McDonald’s in Dallas, allege that discrimination at the company worsened under the former chief executive Steve Easterbrook, who took over the company in 2015.
Continue reading...Dialled down: Iran’s phoned-in attack just enough to ease tensions
Despite first direct military action against US in 40 years, Iran’s action results in toned down rhetoric on both sides
The call had been expected any time since Friday. And when it finally came, the acting Iraqi prime minister knew what to expect. Just before 2am in Baghdad, Adel Abdul Mahdi listened to a message from Tehran informing him that Iranian rockets were airborne and heading his country’s way.
Related: Trump backs away from further military confrontation with Iran
Continue reading...‘We eliminated the world’s top terrorist,’ Trump says as he imposes fresh sanctions on Iran – video
Donald Trump described the missile assassination of the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani as 'decisive action to stop a ruthless terrorist', before adding: 'Last week we eliminated the world’s top terrorist.'
Additional economic sanctions on Iran were announced during the White House conference as Trump called for Europe to break away from the 'foolish' nuclear deal
Continue reading...Why Iran crisis is unlikely to hit US consumers hard at the gas pumps
Rumors of Middle East war used to inevitably lead to soaring gas prices but fracking revolution has changed the market landscape
For many older Americans the thought of war in the Middle East will trigger memories of soaring gas prices and long lines at the pumps. But as US relations with Iran sink to a new low there is, as yet, no sign of panic.
Related: By killing Qassem Suleimani, Trump has achieved the impossible: uniting Iran | Dina Esfandiary
Continue reading...‘Wrong then, wrong now’: US clash with Iran echoes march to Iraq war
As a new Republican president seeks re-election, senior figures in Washington warn history may be repeating itself
A Republican president facing a tough re-election campaign and widely viewed as hopelessly out of his depth. Bureaucrats itching to turn US military firepower on a Middle Eastern regime they claim without evidence is plotting an imminent attack. Compliant sections of the media that put flag-waving jingoism ahead of skeptical scrutiny.
So it was in late 2002, when President George W Bush’s administration built unstoppable momentum towards invading Iraq, promising to destroy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that never existed. Nearly two decades later the potential target is not Iraq but Iran, with many of the same concerns over false pretexts and official lies.
Continue reading...‘Extreme privilege’: Ivanka Trump faces backlash over keynote speech at CES
Decision to have president’s daughter deliver keynote invited scathing criticism, especially from women in the tech industry
Ivanka Trump’s appearance at a major technology conference in Las Vegas has been met with a backlash from industry figures, who denounced her “privilege” and lack of tech qualifications.
Trump spoke in a keynote session on Tuesday afternoon at CES, a consumer electronics trade show, on “the path to the future of work”. In an interview with Gary Shapiro, the CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes the show, she addressed technology’s role in creating and enabling the workforce of the future.
Continue reading...Puerto Rico in state of emergency after most powerful quake in over 100 years
Island rocked by hundreds of earthquakes in recent weeks, killing at least one person and prompting power and water outages
Puerto Rico’s governor, Wanda Vázquez, declared a state of emergency and activated the national guard on Tuesday after a series of earthquakes including one of magnitude 6.4 that was the most powerful to strike the Caribbean island in 102 years.
The quakes killed at least one person, provoked a protective power outage across the entire island and cut off drinking water to 300,000 customers, Vázquez told a news conference.
Continue reading...Donald Trump says strike against ‘monster’ Suleimani was retaliation – video
Donald Trump has claimed the US strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani was 'retaliation'. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside the Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the US president called Suleimani 'a monster' and said 'he was planning a very big attack and a very bad attack for us and other people and we stopped him'. Senior US officials have previously said the strike was meant to prevent an 'imminent' attack on Americans, but have refused to provide further details on the threat
Continue reading...Why is Pelosi waiting to send Trump articles of impeachment to the Senate?
Speculation and political parlor-gaming about Nancy Pelosi’s strategy have filled the informational vacuum
What is Nancy Pelosi thinking?
Related: Trump ex-adviser Michael Flynn should face up to six months in prison, say prosecutors – live
Continue reading...Uber reveals plans for flying taxi to bypass road traffic congestion
Aerial ridesharing would allow for a pilot and three passengers at speeds of up to 180mph
Uber has unveiled plans for a flying taxi at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The ride-sharing company on Tuesday showed off a full-size mock-up of the electric plane concept vehicle created with South Korean carmaker Hyundai, as it seeks to fly above traffic rather than add to it.
Uber wants to offer aerial ridesharing, allowing a pilot and three passengers to take city trips of up to 60 miles at a speed of up to 180mph. Resembling a winged helicopter and featuring four propellers, Uber and Hyundai joined forces to design a personal air vehicle, or PAV, which can take off and land vertically.
Continue reading...Mike Pompeo defends Suleimani killing: ‘We got it right’ – video
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, staunchly defended the targeted killing last week of Iran's top general Qassem Suleimani, telling reporters: 'We got it right.' Pompeo, who has said the US acted because of an imminent threat from Iran, did not elaborate on what that potential threat was, saying only that all the risks were weighed and that the president was provided intelligence in broad detail
Continue reading...Iran: Suleimani funeral crush death toll rises to more than 50 – latest updates
Mourners are crushed in city of Kerman during procession for general killed by US drone strike
- Full report: dozens dead in crush at Suleimani procession
- Nikki Haley claims Democrats only ones mourning Suleimani
British ships and helicopters have been placed on standby in the Middle East in case there is a further military escalation of the Iran crisis, the defence minister told MPs in the Commons.
Ben Wallace said the UK had taken “urgent measures” to protect British nationals and interests in Iraq and other nearby countries should Iran retaliate after the assassination of Suleimani.
Related: British ships put on standby in Gulf, minister tells MPs
Iranian military forces have said they are prepared to use medium- to long-range missiles to attack US bases in the Middle East, in revenge for the assassination of Suleimani.
According to a report by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iran has prepared 13 scenarios for retaliation, and the secretary of Iran’s national security council said that even the most limited of the options would be a “historic nightmare” for the US.
Related: Iran threatens to hit US bases with medium- and long-range missiles
Continue reading...Pelosi delays sending articles of impeachment against Trump – live
House to convene for the first time of the new year and a first true signal of when speaker might advance impeachment issue
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Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell reportedly plans to advance a set of rules for the looming impeachment trial without Democratic support.
Politico reports:
McConnell is on the verge of having sufficient backing in his 53-member caucus to pass a blueprint for the trial that leaves the question of seeking witnesses and documents until after opening arguments are made, according to multiple senators. That framework would mirror the contours of President Bill Clinton’s trial and ignore Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s demands for witnesses and new evidence.
No final decision has been made, but in a brief interview, McConnell said he would address the possibility of spurning Democrats on Tuesday afternoon.
Appearing at the US Capitol for the first time in 2020, House speaker Nancy Pelosi deflected reporters’ repeated questions about when she might transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
Entering the Capitol for the first time in 2020, @SpeakerPelosi is still mum on when she’ll send articles of impeachment to the Senate —> pic.twitter.com/8WlaSiCwvg
Continue reading...Judge threatens to revoke Harvey Weinstein’s bail over phone use in court
Judge furious with Weinstein for using phone in courtroom, where mogul is standing trial on five counts of serious sexual offences
The second day of Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial in Manhattan kicked off with sparks flying as the judge threatened to slap the movie mogul in jail for using his cellphone in court while defence lawyers protested that their client was not receiving a fair and impartial hearing.
Related: Harvey Weinstein hit with new charges in Los Angeles during New York trial
Continue reading...Elizabeth Wurtzel, journalist and author of Prozac Nation, dead at 52
Writer of bestselling memoir about clinical depression died from metastatic breast cancer on Tuesday
Elizabeth Wurtzel, journalist and author of bestselling memoir Prozac Nation, has died at the age of 52.
Writer David Samuels, Wurtzel’s friend since childhood, told the New York Times that Wurtzel had died from metastatic breast cancer in Manhattan on Tuesday. Wurtzel, who tested positively for the BRCA genetic mutation, was an vocal advocate for BRCA testing in her journalism, all the while maintaining a defiant attitude in the face of pity. Writing in the Guardian in 2018, she noted: “I hate it when people say that they are sorry about my cancer. Really? Have they met me? I am not someone that you feel sorry for. I am the original mean girl. I now have stage-four upgrade privileges. I can go right to the front. But it’s always been like this. I am a line-cutter. Which is to say, I was precocious. I was early for history.”
Continue reading...Future of US military presence in Iraq in question amid confusion in Washington
US letter said troops would begin ‘onward movement’ from Iraq, but defense secretary insists no decision was made to evacuate
The future of the US military presence in Iraq is in question amid scenes of confusion in Washington, as the Trump administration scrambled to respond to Iraqi demands for the troops to leave after last week’s assassination in Baghdad of Iran’s top general, Qassem Suleimani.
The US-led coalition taskforce fighting Isis in Iraq delivered a letter to the Iraqi defence ministry on Monday saying preparations would begin right away “to ensure that movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner”.
Continue reading...Confusion over letter from US military signaling withdrawal of troops from Iraq – as it happened
Mark Esper says memo on US troops’ ‘onward movement’ from Iraq is not accurate and ‘there’s been no decision’
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Kari Paul here, logging off for the night. Here are today’s top events to make note of:
Pete Buttigieg is heading back to Iowa on Jan. 12 to do more campaigning ahead of the upcoming caucus there, his team announced on Monday.
According to the announcement, Buttigieg has now visited Iowa 21 times, with visits to 49 counties to hold 100 events across the state.
Continue reading...Oil prices top $70 a barrel amid fears over Suleimani retaliation
Rise in cost of crude after US attack on Iranian general could affect petrol price
Oil prices have climbed above $70 a barrel for the first time in four months amid fears that the US air strike that killed Iran’s top military commander may trigger a retaliation.
The global oil markets have risen by more than 5% to $70.73 a barrel since the attack that killed Qassem Suleimani in Iraq last week.
Continue reading...Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weeps at funeral of Qassem Suleimani – video
Iran’s supreme leader wept as he led prayers in Tehran at the funeral of Qassem Suleimani, the general killed by a US drone strike last week. Mourners, which state media said numbered in the millions, chanted 'death to America'. Donald Trump has defended his threat to target Iranian cultural sites – widely seen as a war crime – if Tehran retaliates for the killing
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