Today's News: January 18, 2017

World News

Haitians face hurdles after protected status renewal delays
Fox News – Thousands of Haitian immigrants living in the U.S. legally will face employment and travel hurdles because President Donald Trump’s administration delayed the process of re-registering those with temporary protected status, Haitian community leaders and immigrant activists say. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released details Thursday about the next steps for the 60,000 Haitians with the special status, an agency spokeswoman told The Associated Press.
Belgium pledges $23m to UNRWA after US aid cut
Al Jazeera – Belgium has pledged to donate 19m euro ($23m) to UNRWA, the UN’s aid organisation for Palestinian refugees, after the US government announced it would slash its funding to the agency by half. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said in a statement on Wednesday that Brussels would allocate the funds over three years. The first annual payment is being disbursed immediately “considering the financial difficulties that UNRWA currently faces”, the statement said.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Lawmakers ask if states or feds should alert about missiles
ABC – Nearly 40 terrifying minutes passed between the time Hawaii officials fired off a bogus alert about an incoming missile over the weekend and the moment the notice was canceled.
The state was slow to contain the situation, waiting 23 minutes to call officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get unnecessary approval to send a retraction. That call lasted for about one minute, a state emergency official said Wednesday, but residents and visitors still didn’t receive the corrected alert until about 14 minutes later. The confusion — and panic — have raised questions about whether any state should be solely responsible for notifying the public of such an event — especially as Washington and North Korea trade insults and threats. Hawaii is the only state in the nation with a pre-programmed alert that can be quickly sent to wireless devices if a ballistic missile is heading toward the U.S. FEMA said Hawaii did not require its approval to cancel the alert on Saturday. U.S. Reps. Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard, both of Hawaii, have asked the House Armed Services Committee to hold a hearing on the issue. They said in a letter to the committee Tuesday that it’s understandable for states to have primary jurisdiction over warnings for floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters.
GOP fights to retain Pennsylvania congressional seat
Fox News – A special election in the Keystone State’s snow-frosted southwestern corner is the hot new race to watch. The congressional seat in Pennsylvania’s 18th district has been in Republican hands for nearly 15 years and with the recent loss in Alabama still smarting, Republicans aim to hold it. On Thursday, President Trump will hit the political battleground, where he’ll talk taxes and economy, joined during his visit by the Republican candidate, State Rep. Rick Saccone, a full-throated Trump backer who is thrilled the president is coming to town.
“This is Trump country. People around here, people in the 18th district love President Trump. As you know he won by 20 points. I think he’s more popular today than he was before,” Saccone said.
Gov’t Revokes Off-Grid Amish Community’s Religious Rights, Forces Them to Use Electricity
Activist Post – An Amish community in Warren County, Pennsylvania has just lost a major battle against the state which is now requiring them to violate their religious beliefs and use electricity. Despite the Yoder family never causing harm to anyone by not using electricity, the government is forcing them to connect to the grid anyway. At the heart of the Amish religion is the rejection of individualism. The Amish anti-individualist orientation is the motive for rejecting labor-saving technologies that might make one less dependent on their community. Modern innovations like electricity might spark a competition for status goods which is in direct conflict with the Amish way of life. Therefore, they reject it. While the Amish lifestyle may seem odd to others, the fact that it causes no harm should mean that no one should be able to force them to change. Sadly, that is not the case. The Yoder family lives entirely off-grid. This off-grid religious lifestyle includes the use of a self-composting toilet—an “old-fashioned privy”—that did not require electricity or running water. The Yoder family is being required to violate their religious beliefs and go against their long-standing traditions—which have harmed no one—for the mere fact that they are in violation of a city code that requires all property owners to be tied into the grid.
For years, the Yoders have successfully fought off the sewer connection requirement. However, they will now be forced to hook up an electric grinder pump. The court ruled that the electric pump is the “least intrusive means” of connecting to the sewer system. Judge Patricia A. McCullough voiced the dissent, arguing the Yoder’s are sincere in their religion-based shunning of electricity. “I believe (the Yoders) are being denied their rights to religious freedom,” she wrote.
Federal judge upholds Alabama voter-ID law
WND – A federal judge in Alabama has thrown out a lawsuit against the state’s voter ID law, finding that the law doesn’t prevent anyone from voting because “nearly the entire population of registered voters in Alabama already possess a photo ID that can be used for voting.” In 2011, the Alabama legislature passed a photo ID requirement for both in-person and absentee voting. The law was enacted in an effort to strengthen voter confidence and to reduce the potential for voter fraud in the state.
Michigan House Passes Bill to Ban “Material Support or Resources” for Warrantless Federal Surveillance
Activist Post – Today, the Michigan House overwhelmingly passed a bill that would ban “material support or resources” for warrantless federal surveillance programs. This represents an essential step states need to take at a time when the federal government seems unlikely to ever end its own spying.
Rep. Martin Howrylak (R-Troy) introduced House Bill 4430 (HB4430) on March 28. The legislation would prohibit the state and its political subdivisions from assisting, participating with, or providing “material support or resources, to a federal agency to enable it to collect, or to facilitate in the collection or use of a person’s electronic data” unless one of three conditions apply:
(a) The person has given informed consent.
(b) The action is pursuant to a warrant that is based upon probable cause and particularly describes the person, place, or thing to be searched or seized.
(c) The action is in accordance with a legally recognized exception to warrant requirements.
The House passed HB4430 by a 107-1 vote.

Economy & Business

Amazon Reveals Very Long Short List of 20 Cities for HQ2
Bloomberg – Amazon.com Inc. narrowed the field of cities for its proposed new headquarters to 20, with New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami and Toronto among the contenders. Seattle-based Amazon solicited proposals in September for its second corporate seat, a project that’s expected to cost more than $5 billion and create 50,000 high-paying jobs over the next 10 to 15 years. The company received proposals from 238 locations, including from smaller markets like Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Memphis, Tennessee. The retailer plans to make a decision this year and will continue discussions with the finalists, it said in a statement Thursday. The company said it created a shortlist because it was difficult engaging with so many applicants, but winnowing competitors down to a chosen few is a staple of reality TV — and sparked yet more publicity. Earlier this week Apple Inc. also announced plans for a second corporate campus somewhere in the U.S. and said it would add another 20,000 employees. The company also said it plans about $30 billion in capital expenditures over the next five years.
Energy & Environment
At least 10 deaths from snow, ice and record cold in South
ABC – Snow, ice and a record-breaking blast of cold closed runways, highways, schools and government offices across the South and sent cars sliding off roads Wednesday in a corner of the country ill-equipped to deal with wintry weather. At least 10 people died, including a baby in a car that plunged off a slippery overpass into a Louisiana canal.
South Africa: Cape Town slashes water use amid drought
BBC – The South African city of Cape Town will slash residents’ water allowance to 50 litres a day from next month amid fears that it could become the world’s first major city to run out of water. The city had reached a “point of no return”, Mayor Patricia de Lille said. Cape Town, a popular tourist destination, has been hit by its worst drought in a century. Ms De Lille warned that the city risked reaching “Day Zero” on 21 April, when taps in homes could run dry.

Science & Technology

Drone saves two Australian swimmers in world first
BBC – Two teenage boys were rescued by a brand new lifesaving drone in Australia while lifeguards were still training to use the device. The swimmers, aged 15-17, had got into difficulties off the coast of Lennox Head, New South Wales (NSW). A member of the public spotted them struggling in heavy surf about 700m (2,300ft) offshore. Lifesavers instantly sent the drone to drop an inflatable rescue pod, and the pair made their way safely to shore. John Barilaro, the state’s deputy premier, praised the rescue as historic. “Never before has a drone fitted with a flotation device been used to rescue swimmers like this,” he said.

Health

6 Sneaky Ways to Make Comfort Food Healthier
Care2 – Tips, Tricks, and Sneaky Ways to Make Comfort Food Healthier
While our comfort food choices may not be the same, hearty, bready, sticky, fatty, and cheesy foods top many craving lists of people everywhere. These types of foods can spell disaster for a healthy eating plan. But it doesn’t have to.

Swap out regular wheat pasta.

Choose healthier alternatives like zucchini noodles — often called zoodles — butternut squash noodles, or even beet noodles. For even more options check out these five surprisingly tasty pasta alternatives.

Lighten starch-filled rice dishes by replacing rice with cauliflower or parsnip rice.

Here’s a basic recipe for cauliflower rice recipe, or you can try this more involved but delicious-looking Parsnip Rice with Hemp Seeds, Peas, and Basil from The Full Helping.

Do the same with mashed potatoes.

Speaking of cauliflower, this remarkable vegetable also works well for lightening up mashed potatoes either as a mix-in or complete stand-in for potatoes. Here is a Basic Mashed Cauliflower recipe, but cauliflower isn’t the only vegetable that can make a great mash. Parsnips are another flavorful option, like this Roasted Parsnip and Caramelized Onion Mash.

Ditch the creamy dairy-rich sauces.

Instead, look to healthy fats like avocados, seeds or nuts like cashews. You’ll be amazed at how decadently rich (and healthy) that they can be. This Avocado Lime Crema is perfect for topping tacos or burritos, and this Smoky Cashew Cream Sauce is a healthy alternative for topping pasta, steamed vegetables, or even baked potatoes.

Satisfy your sweet tooth the healthy way.

Swap out milk chocolate for it’s healthier counterpart, dark chocolate. Replace refined sugars for a whole food sweetener such as fresh or dried fruit as a way of satiating your sweet tooth while keeping your overall sugar consumption low. Try these 3-Ingredient Pancakes with Fresh Berry Syrup.

Make it with beans!

Beans make an excellent secret weapon, not only are they full of fiber to fill you up (and keep you full), they’re also easy to make savory or sweet. I know what you’re thinking, desserts made with beans? Yes! Mashed black beans are the ideal vehicle for rich, fudgy Black Bean Brownies. White beans love sweets too, just look at these Maple Pecan White Bean Blondies. More than just brownies though, beans can also make a great savory flour-less gravy like this Navy Bean Gravy.
Need more ideas? Check out these other 9 ways to hide vegetables in a meal.