The Full Belmonte, 1/19/2024
Biden signs short-term funding extension, averting government shutdown
“President Joe Biden signed into law a short-term funding extension on Friday, the White House announced, averting a partial government shutdown after lawmakers raced the clock to pass the bill ahead of a key Friday deadline.
In a rare event, lawmakers had been confronting not one but two government shutdown deadlines on January 19 and February 2. The short-term funding extension sets up two new funding deadlines on March 1 and March 8.”
Read More at CNN
“Congress passed another stopgap spending bill to fund the government through early March and avert a government shutdown — just one day before money would have run out. It now heads to President Biden for a signature.
Catie Dull/NPR
For a long time, ‘compromise was the name of the game’ in politics, NPR's Eric McDaniel tells Up First. But McDaniel says that over the last 15 years or so, there's been a growing number of Republicans who would rather shut down the government than compromise on policies they feel are insufficiently conservative. With a wafer-thin Republican majority, this anti-compromise faction holds a lot of influence. As Congress works towards separate deals for immigration and Ukraine aid, McDaniel says it's fair to ‘anticipate a stunningly unproductive year in terms of legislation.’” [NPR]
“The Justice Department has released a new report detailing the ‘cascading failures of leadership, decision-making, tactics, policy and training’ that contributed to law enforcement's response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Nineteen children and two teachers died. The report reveals the most significant failure was the officers' failure to classify the incident as an active shooter scenario and do everything possible to stop the threat. Instead, they treated the attack as a barricaded subject scenario, where police are encouraged to negotiate.” [NPR]
Moon mission
“The Peregrine lunar lander — the first US spacecraft to attempt a moon landing in five decades — has burned up after a failed mission. After soaring hundreds of thousands of miles through space and developing a fuel leak, the uncrewed spacecraft appears to have caught fire after smashing into the Earth's thick atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, east of Australia. Astrobotic Technology, the Pittsburgh-based company that developed the Peregrine lander under a contract with NASA, confirmed the spacecraft's demise.” [CNN]
Japan becomes fifth country to land on the Moon
Some systems of the spacecraft have been shut down to save power. Credit: Jaxa/EFE
“Japan's space agency Jaxa says it's communicating with its uncrewed craft "Moon Sniper" after it landed on the lunar surface earlier today. But scientists added the craft's solar generators aren't working - it's relying entirely on batteries which will run out a few hours after its landing.
What’s coming next for Moon Sniper? The Japanese space agency is now in a race against time. After the joy of seeing its spacecraft successfully touch down on the Moon, engineers quickly realised not all was well with the mission. For reasons not yet fully understood, the craft's solar cells are not working. This means all surface operations are currently being run off Slim's batteries. The lander may have just a few hours of life ahead of it.
Is there any hope? It's always possible the solar cells have somehow become oriented in a way that prevents them from seeing the Sun. As the light changes angle, it's always possible the robot could come back to life. But the temperatures on the Moon in the dark get very low - often so low that they can break electronics.
So, has the mission failed? While the situation is concerning, don’t overlook the achievement of just getting down safely to the surface of the Moon. This is quite the feat. Historically only about a half of all attempts succeed. One of the key objectives was to test and prove new precision navigation technologies. And those clearly worked.” [BBC]
Judge denies effort to have NYC subway chokehold death case dismissed
READ FULL STORY→ USA Today
Donald Trump urged the Supreme Court to keep his name on primary ballots.
“What to know: The former president warned yesterday of ‘bedlam’ if justices do not reverse Colorado’s top court, which disqualified him over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack.
What now? Trump’s attorney asked the justices to put an end to efforts in more than 30 states to remove him from ballots. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 8.”
Read this story at Washington Post
Alec Baldwin Indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter
“A New Mexico grand jury has indicted Alec Baldwin for involuntary manslaughter in the “Rust” movie fatal shooting, months after prosecutors dropped the same charges against the actor.
The indictment was filed in state district court in Santa Fe and alleges that Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Old West movie near Santa Fe in 2021.”
READ MORE at Wall Street Journal
Plane lands on road as deadly winter storm slams East Coast
“The FAA said a small plane made a hard landing on the road near Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. today, as a deadly winter storm that’s swept across the country pounds the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. No injuries have been reported from the rough landing.
At least 51 deaths are blamed on the extreme winter weather nationwide since last Friday, local and state officials have told NBC News.
States such as New Jersey and West Virginia have declared states of emergency, and many schools across the Northeast have closed for the day.
Philadelphia has been hit by up to 5 inches of snow, while totals in and around Washington, D.C. range between 2 to 4 inches.
New York City could get between 1 and 3 inches by early evening, and Boston could see as much as an inch.
In the Midwest, the storm left behind messy conditions on the roads, leading to spin-outs and jackknifed trucks in the Chicago area.
In Michigan, state police posted bodycam video on social media of a dog helping to rescue his owner, who had fallen through the ice into a lake.” [NBC News]
Flames shoot from Boeing plane in midair over Miami, video shows
“A cell phone video captured a terrifying sight over Miami late Thursday night, when flames shot out of the engine of a Boeing 747 cargo plane in midflight, leaving a trail of fire in the sky.
The plane, operated by Atlas Air, experiencing an engine malfunction soon after departure from Miami International Airport, and made an emergency landing back at the airport, the airline said.
A preliminary examination of the plane revealed ‘a softball-sized hole’ above one of the engines, a source familiar with the investigation told NBC News.
In a statement, Boeing said, ‘We are supporting our customer and will support the NTSB investigation into this incident.’
Boeing is already under heavy scrutiny, after the door plug from one of its 737 Max 9 planes, operated by Alaska Airlines, blew off in midair on Jan. 5.” [NBC News]
U.S. seeks jail sentence for Trump adviser Peter Navarro for contempt of Congress
“Navarro could become the first person incarcerated for defying a congressional subpoena in more than half a century under a statute that is rarely prosecuted and that is punishable by up to a year behind bars. The former trade adviser was convicted of refusing to cooperate with a House committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.”
Read the story at Washington Post
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis at a news conference, August 2023. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
POLITICS
Fani Willis accuses special prosecutor’s estranged wife of interfering with Trump election case
“Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is accusing the estranged wife of a special prosecutor she hired of trying to obstruct her criminal election interference case against former President Donald Trump and others by seeking to question her in the couple’s divorce proceedings. Read more.
Why this matters:
Lawyers for Wade’s wife served a subpoena to the district attorney last week. Seeking to quash it, Willis’ lawyer, Cinque Axam, wrote that the subpoena is being sought ‘in an attempt to harass and damage’ Willis’ professional reputation and is ‘obstructing and interfering’ with an ongoing criminal case.
Willis was served the subpoena the same day that defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents former Trump campaign staffer Michael Roman, filed a motion alleging an inappropriate relationship between Willis and Nathan Wade.” [AP News]
Lead prosecutor in Trump Georgia case paid for at least two airline trips with Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis
“Nathan Wade, an outside attorney who was hired to lead the election-interference case, purchased plane tickets for himself and Willis on two occasions, according to bank statements filed in his divorce case Friday. One of Trump's co-defendants has accused the two of having an improper relationship and called for them to be disqualified from prosecuting the case.”
Read the story at Washington Post
Limits on one of the nation’s deadliest air pollutants are being toughened.
“What is it? Soot, tiny particles that come from power plants, cars and trucks. It can get into your lungs and bloodstream and cause health issues like asthma and heart disease.
What’s new? The EPA is expected to lower limits for soot in the atmosphere as soon as next week. It could prevent up to 4,200 premature deaths a year, officials say.”
Read this story at Washington Post
The former presidential candidate Tim Scott plans to endorse Donald Trump today, two people briefed on the matter said.
“The move is likely to spur additional discussion of Mr. Scott, who represents South Carolina in the Senate, as a potential running mate for the former president.”
Read more at New York Times
Panera Bread is facing another lawsuit over its Charged Lemonade.
“Why? Lauren Skerrit, 28, alleged she ended up with lasting heart problems after drinking 2½ of the lemonades, which have four times the caffeine of a cup of coffee.
Why it matters: It raises more questions about whether the drink, still sold by Panera, is safe. Two families have alleged their loved ones died after drinking it.”
Read this story at Washington Post
Voting booths in Concord, N.H. during the primary on Feb. 11, 2020. | Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
“POLL TESTING — Well over 100 million Americans will head to the polls this year — and some of them two or even three times, depending on how their state structures its primaries.
And by-and-large, states made it easier in 2023 for voters to participate.
A new report from the Institute for Responsive Government, a left-leaning nonprofit that advocates for ‘pro-voter policies,’ is out with its election policy progress reports for all fifty states and Washington D.C.The findings, shared first with Nightly, point to many states across the map making what they deem to be improvements to their voting laws, even if it is incremental.
‘This is going to be a tough presidential election, there’s going to be a lot of anti-democracy mishegoss in the air that everyone is going to be thinking about 24/7,’ Sam Oliker-Friedland, the group’s executive director and a former Department of Justice civil rights division attorney, said. But ‘I want us to go into the 2024 cycle knowing that 2023 was overall a very, very good year.’
IRG has a fairly unique methodology for ranking states’ voter access laws. States are given a letter grade, but instead of it being a pure state-to-state comparison — like states with generally accepted expansive voter access, like a California or a Utah, automatically get an A and the most restrictive states get an F — states are grouped into three tiers that take baseline voter access into account, and then get a letter grade based on how they moved from there.
So California — labeled a top-tier state for access — received just a C as ‘other western states have continued to pass more substantial pro-voter policies while California falls behind,’ while bottom-tier Kentucky earned a B for bipartisan — if sometimes incremental — election reforms.
‘The goal is not … ‘red state bad, blue state good,’ said Neal Ubriani, the organization’s policy and research director and another former DOJ civil rights division attorney. ‘Let’s look at what a state actually did in the past year and see is the arrow pointing up? Is the arrow pointing down? And let’s realistically assess what’s reasonable for a state to accomplish.’
Oklahoma, for example, got a C+ — a relatively favorable grade in this report — after launching an online voter registration system and bumping up criminal charges for people who threaten election workers. ‘Oklahoma is a legislature that I know is getting a lot of pressure to do a lot of bad things for voters,’ said Oliker-Friedland, noting it has a Republican supermajority. ‘There are ways for those folks to do good, pro-voter work in ways that are politically authentic to them.’
IRG scored states on a handful of voter-facing policies — like if there is an automatic voter registration and access to mail voting — along with back-end policy decisions that voters don’t directly interact with, like adequately funding election offices and membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), an interstate vote list maintenance program that was targeted by former President Donald Trump and his allies in 2023.
Notably, the ranking doesn’t consider changes to campaign finance law and redistricting.
Three states scored A+’s in 2023 — Michigan, New Mexico and Minnesota — after implementing things like secure automatic voter registration, re-enfranchisement for formerly incarcerated felons or expanding early voting — all policies generally favored by liberal-leaning reformers for expanding the franchise. All three states, too, remained members of ERIC.
‘This year was amazing in terms of the level of pro-voter policy that passed both in red states and blue states,’ said Ubriani. ‘Obviously, there was some backsliding in certain states. But I feel much better about the level of access that voters have in 2024 compared to 2022 and 2020.’” [POLITICO]
A billionaire-backed plan for a new California city needs voters
“After years of stealthily snapping up farmland for a new city northeast of San Francisco, former Goldman Sachs trader Jan Sramek backed by Silicon Valley billionaires pitched voters Wednesday on his vision for a walkable, affordable community that would appeal to their California pride. Read more.
Why this matters:
The plan needs the approval of county voters to bypass protections from 1984 that keep agricultural land from being turned into urban space. If approved, the project would be built on over $800 million of rural land Sramek and his company purchased over a period of years, to the great suspicion of locals.
The state is in desperate need of more affordable housing. Project proponents say Solano County is the ideal place to build, and the location near Travis Air Force Base would appeal to military contractors.
Critics remain skeptical about the project’s aims, especially after Sramek’s company spent years secretly buying up land around the base and suing local farmers who refused to sell. They say more urban sprawl could also harm sensitive ecosystems and overburden the region’s already strained water supply.” [AP News]
Israel and US disagree over Gaza's future
The Israeli prime minister vowed to press on with the offensive in Gaza 'until complete victory'. Credit: Reuters
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long been opposed to Palestinian statehood. And he has reiterated this view, saying Israel must have security control over all land west of the River Jordan, which would include the territory of any future Palestinian state. ‘I tell this truth to our American friends, and I also stopped the attempt to impose a reality on us that would harm Israel's security,’ he said. While not surprising, the very public nature of this latest dismissal of the US diplomatic push for a two-state solution is likely to cause frustration among Israel's allies, writes correspondent Mark Lowen. Asked about Mr Netanyahu's comments, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby recognised that the US and Israel ‘obviously’ see things differently. Mr Netanyahu's focus on destroying Hamas may also be at odds with a majority of Israelis who, according to recent polls, would rather prioritise bringing home hostages. More than 100 remain in Gaza after being kidnapped during the 7 October attacks in which about 1,300 people were killed.
•Khan Younis: Intense fighting in the city has prompted many displaced families to shelter at Nasser Hospital, the largest functioning in Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry says nearly 25,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its retaliation.
•Political football: A second Israeli player in Turkey has been reprimanded for making comments in support of hostages held in Gaza.
•On the Red Sea front: US President Joe Biden has acknowledged that strikes against the Houthis have not deterred the group from targeting ships.” [BBC]
Israeli Prez Hit With Criminal Complaints in Switzerland
“Criminal complaints have been made against Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Switzerland, Swiss prosecutors confirmed Friday. The complaints came as Herzog attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he encouraged other nations to reject allegations that his country is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. ‘The criminal complaints will be examined according to the usual procedure,’ the Office of the Swiss Attorney General said. The office would not confirm the nature of the complaints or how many were received. On Thursday, Swiss press agency Keystone-ATS said some complaints were filed by a group called Legal Action Against Crimes Against Humanity, according to AFP. The group reportedly released a statement calling for a criminal investigation in Switzerland in parallel to the genocide case South Africa brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice.” [Daily Beast]
Read it at Reuters
“A few hundred Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv last night to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and peace with Palestinians as the war between Hamas and Israel continues. Their demonstration coincided with a press conference where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he informed the United States that he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of any postwar scenario.” [NPR]
Tit-for-Tat Attacks
A Pakistani police officer stands guard outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Jan. 18.Aamir Qureshi/AFP
“Pakistan launched retaliatory ‘precision military strikes’ inside Iran against what Islamabad said were Baluch militants from Pakistan hiding near the border city of Saravan early on Thursday. Local Iranian authorities said at least 10 foreigners were killed, including children, though Pakistani officials said that only Islamist militants who had taken refuge in Iran were targeted. “This action is a manifestation of Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
The assault follows an Iranian attack against Jaish al-Adl, a Baluch separatist group based in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, on Tuesday. Two children were killed in that strike, and another three people were injured. Baluch ethnic separatists have waged an insurgency against Pakistan for decades. Islamabad has accused Iran of hosting Baluch hideouts in the past, while Tehran has accused Pakistan of not doing enough to contain militants who threaten Iranian security.
Acting Pakistani Prime Minister Anwar ul-Haq Kakar cut short his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday to address the crisis. Pakistan also recalled its envoy from Tehran and asked Iran’s ambassador not to return to Islamabad. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke with his Pakistani counterpart on Wednesday in an attempt to ease tensions, one of many communications channels currently open. But Pakistan continues to insist that it has the right to respond to any “illegal act” by Iran.
Still, both nations appear to be prioritizing diplomatic solutions to the escalating conflict. “Going forward, dialogue and cooperation is deemed prudent in resolving bilateral issues between the two neighboring brotherly countries,” Pakistan’s army said.
Iran has played a central part in ongoing tensions across the Middle East in recent months. Both Hamas and Hezbollah receive backing from Iran in their fight against Israel, and Tehran supports Yemen’s Houthis, who have been targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea in recent weeks. On Monday, Iran also targeted alleged Islamic State militants in Syria as well as other alleged terrorist groups and Israeli-linked sites, including what Iran said was an Israeli spy headquarters, in Iraq.
‘Iran’s missile strikes cannot be viewed in isolation, but rather as a part of the deepening regional rivalry between Israel and the so-called axis of resistance led by Iran and its allies,’ argued Sina Toossi, a fellow at the Center for International Policy, in Foreign Policy. In this way, Iran’s growing regional aggression is not a ‘final act’ of revenge but instead part of a ‘wider and more assertive strategy’ to combat the West and its allies.” [POLITICO]
A drop in Panama Canal traffic due to a severe drought could cost up to $700 million
“A severe drought that began last year has forced authorities to slash ship crossings by 36% in the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most important trade routes. The new cuts announced Wednesday by authorities in Panama are set to deal an even greater economic blow than previously expected. Read more.
Why this matters:
The disruption of the major trade route between Asia and the United States comes at a precarious time. Attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels have rerouted vessels away from the crucial corridor, and the combination is having far-reaching effects on global trade by delaying shipments and raising transport costs.
Canal authorities attributed the drought to the El Niño weather phenomenon and climate change, warning that it was urgent for Panama to seek new water sources — both for the canal and for human consumption. The same lakes that fill the canal also provide water for more than 50% of the country.” [AP News]
“‘All territory west of the Jordan.’ In a nationally broadcast news conference on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told the United States that he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state in any postwar scenario. ‘In any future arrangement … Israel needs security control over all territory west of the Jordan,’ Netanyahu said. ‘This collides with the idea of sovereignty. What can you do?’
Washington and other international actors have pushed Netanyahu to accept a future scenario after Israel’s war with Hamas ends in which the Palestinian Authority, which nominally oversees the Israeli-occupied West Bank at present, would also rule the Gaza Strip as a step toward establishing a sovereign Palestinian state that would exist alongside Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pushed into Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on Thursday near Nasser Medical Center, the region’s largest still-functioning hospital. According to Doctors Without Borders, patients and civilians at the hospital were forced to flee amid heavy bombardments. The United Nations estimates that around 7,000 people had been sheltering at the hospital. At least 60 alleged Hamas militants were killed in close-combat fighting over the past 24 hours, Israeli officials said, with 40 such individuals targeted in Khan Younis.
Israeli security forces also killed at least eight Palestinians during what Israel described as an overnight ‘counterterrorism operation’ in the West Bank’s Tulkarm refugee camp, the IDF announced on Thursday. Israel said its troops faced retaliatory fire, leading to the arrests of 21 individuals. Local Palestinian officials, however, said 11 Palestinians were killed and around 60 people were arrested.” [Foreign Policy]
“Under lock and key. Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine accused the nation’s military of surrounding his home and forcing him under house arrest on Thursday. Wine was set to attend nationwide demonstrations on Thursday to protest Uganda’s poor transportation infrastructure, including dire road conditions. He encouraged opposition members to still attend the protests, writing, ‘Fix our roads. Free all political prisoners!’ on social media.
Police have threatened to crack down on protesters, arguing that such demonstrations could disrupt this year’s Non-Aligned Movement summit, which Kampala is hosting this week. The weeklong event has centered on Palestinians’ growing humanitarian crisis, Somaliland’s territorial status, and continued Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.” [Foreign Policy]
Jair Bolsonaro’s Vaccination Records Were Faked, Probe Finds
“Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s personal vaccination records were falsified, according to a bombshell investigation carried out by the country’s current comptroller general. Records show he received a COVID-19 immunization in Sao Paulo in July 2021, Reuters reported—though a plethora of evidence was uncovered to show that the politician’s card had likely been faked. He wasn’t even in the city at the time, the investigation found, and the nurse who purportedly administered the injection denied ever seeing Bolsonaro. In addition to this information, the vaccine lot number listed on Bolsonaro’s paperwork was not yet available on the date provided. Bolsonaro’s home was raided last year in connection with the investigation—during which time he denied ever receiving the vaccine or tampering with his medical records. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic Bolsonaro repeatedly downplayed the importance of vaccination and social distancing measures while grossly exaggerating the potential side effects of immunization.” [Daily Beast]
Read it at Reuters
“Anti-corruption efforts. The U.S. State Department barred former Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei from entering the United States on Wednesday due to allegations that he had accepted bribes while in office, among other accusations. Washington’s decision is part of the White House’s broader effort to support anti-corruption efforts in the Latin American country. Bernardo Arévalo was sworn in as the nation’s new leader on Monday.
The United States sanctioned nearly 300 Guatemalan officials and private citizens with visa restrictions last month for their alleged efforts to undermine Guatemalan democracy. This included an attempt by Giammattei and his supporters to block Arévalo from taking power after he won the runoff election in August 2023.” [Foreign Policy]
“Current Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te, a pro-independence candidate, won last Saturday’s presidential election—much to China’s dismay. Beijing had repeatedly attempted to thwart the nation’s vote in favor of Hou Yu-ih, a more China-friendly candidate. But Taiwanese fears of an imminent Chinese invasion, spurred on by Beijing’s growing aggression in the South China Sea, pushed Taiwan to choose a candidate that would not bend to China’s will, political scientist Timothy Rich analyzed in Foreign Policy.
According to polling in December 2023 by Macromill Embrain, nearly 30 percent of Taiwanese are very or extremely concerned that China will start a war with Taiwan in the near future. Lai is part of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Hou is a member of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, and candidate Ko Wen-je leads the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).” [Foreign Policy]
“Alongside Uganda’s Bobi, another famous (but far more snuggly) Bobi faced criticism this week. The Guinness Book of World Records temporarily paused a Portuguese dog named Bobi’s title of ‘oldest dog ever’ on Tuesday after an article in Wired shed skepticism over his true age. Bobi, a Rafeiro do Alentejo, is alleged to have died in October 2023 at the age of 31. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there for even the cutest pups in town.” [Foreign Policy]
Home Sales Were the Lowest in Almost 30 Years in 2023
“Sales of previously owned homes in 2023 dropped to the lowest level in 28 years, as home-buying affordability worsened and the supply of homes for sale remained low.”
READ MORE at Wall Street Journal
Most of Sports Illustrated’s staff has been laid off, threatening the iconic publication’s future
“The magazine’s union announced Friday that SI’s owner, Authentic Brands Group, gave layoff notices to most of the staff, including most writers and editors. Once considered the gold standard for American sports journalism, the publication has been struggling to stay afloat for years.”
Read more at Washington Post