Six In The Morning Thursday January 31

Philippines vows to 'destroy' Islamist extremism. Here's why that won't be so easy

Analysis by Euan McKirdy, CNN

Updated 0536 GMT (1336 HKT) January 31, 2019

Less than two years after victory was declared over ISIS-aligned militants in Marawi, the threat of extremism has returned to the southern Philippines.

Despite moving forward with a historic deal to provide the region's Muslim population with a high degree of autonomy, the southern island of Mindanao appears to be sliding back into violence, with two bombings -- both deadly -- of religious buildings in under a week.

In response, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to hit resurgent militants hard, but his order to "destroy" the ISIS-linked group thought to be responsible for the bombing of a church on Sunday may prove to be harder than anticipated.

Toxic smog forces Bangkok to close hundreds of schools

Thai capital has been shrouded in murky haze for weeks, forcing residents to don masks and sparking criticism of government

Agence France-Presse

Toxic smog forced Bangkok authorities to issue an unprecedented order to shut nearly 450 schools on Wednesday as authorities struggled to manage a pollution crisis that has stirred widespread concern.

The Thai capital has been shrouded in murky haze for weeks, forcing residents to don masks and sparking social media criticism of the uneven response by the government.

Reasons given for the lingering pall include exhaust from traffic, unfettered construction, the burning of crop stubble, and pollution from factories getting trapped in the city.

Venezuela: Widespread protests demand Nicolas Maduro step down

One week after Juan Guaido declared himself acting president his supporters have hit the streets again in protest. International pressure is mounting on Nicolas Maduro, who remains defiant.

Thousands of Venezuelans took to streets across the country on Wednesday in support of self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido and demanding that President Nicolas Maduro step down. They ended the walk out by singing the national anthem.

A broad cross section of people voiced their desire for a different future for the embattled South American country in what organizers say were protests in 5,000 cities and villages. Some, like physician Hugo Rosillo, were protesting the dire medical situation that has gripped the debt-ridden state. Rosillo said that his hospital had been turned into a "storeroom for cadavers" because he and his colleagues lacked the medicine needed to treat curable illnesses.

French police under fire as Yellow Vest casualties mount

The French government is under growing pressure to follow other European countries in banning controversial rubber-ball launchers used by riot police amid a spate of serious injuries suffered by Yellow Vest protesters.

France’s legal advisory body, the Council of State, was due to examine an urgent request by the CGT trade union the French Human Rights League on Wednesday to ban police from using the hand-held launchers, which fire rubber projectiles roughly the size of golf balls.

The country’s rights ombudsman, Jacques Toubon, has already called for a ban on the so-called Defence Ball Launchers (LBDs), amid a surge in the number of serious injuries – including lost eyes, maimed hands and broken limbs – sustained by protesters in recent months.

US Election Day holiday plan derided as Democratic 'power grab' by GOP

By Felicia Sonmez

31 January 2019

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that a Democratic bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday is a "power grab," sparking a fierce backlash online.

McConnell was speaking about H.R. 1, legislation that Democrats have made a centrepiece of their agenda since retaking the House earlier this month.

In remarks on the Senate floor, McConnell, a Republican, said Democrats "want taxpayers on the hook for generous new benefits for federal bureaucrats and government employees," including making Election Day a "new paid holiday for government workers."

An Angry Trump Pushes Back Against His Own ‘Naive’ Intelligence Officials

By Mark Landler

President Trump lashed out at the nation’s intelligence agencies on Wednesday, accusing them of being “passive and naive” about the dangers posed by Iran, and defending his handling of Afghanistan, North Korea and the Islamic State.

A day after the agencies issued their annual assessment of global threats — warning of malefactors like China and the Islamic State — Mr. Trump reignited a long-simmering feud with his own government, reacting as if the report was a threat to him personally.

“Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!” he declared on Twitter in an indignant early morning post. In another, Mr. Trump said, “The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong!”