• Following Chinese ban, UK plastic 'recycling' industry becomes the pits
• Tidal wave of plastic garbage will flood the world in wake of China's refusal to stop importing scrap
• China says no to Western trash while the EU bumps up its recycling efforts

The head of the Iranian investigation team denied earlier reports that the black boxes from the downed Ukrainian airliner would be sent to Kiev. Tehran tried to extract the data on its own, he said.

"We are trying to read the black boxes here in Iran. Otherwise, our options are Ukraine and France, but no decision has been taken so far to send them to another country," Hassan Rezaeifar, who leads the investigation into the incident along with the nation's Civil Aviation Organization, told local news agency IRNA on Sunday.

He added that Iran so far has "no plans" to send the flight recorders to Kiev.

Rezaeifar had earlier been quoted by Iranian media as saying that the black boxes would be sent to Ukraine, where experts from the US, Canada and France would work at extracting the data from them. The official has also said that Iran lacks proper software and hardware to download the data from the recorders.

• $240 billion amassed by 100 richest people enough to end extreme poverty four times over: Oxfam
• London has more billionaires than any other city in the world, while the number relying on food banks to survive has risen 163%
• US reputation is in the crapper: 'It's incredibly expensive to be poor in America' - Redacted Tonight
• 'Stealth politics': Most US billionaires silently push policies bad for most Americans - study
• Billionaires: A threat to American democracy
• Documentary: The Line - Poverty in America, it's not what you think

• Actor John Cusack accused of inciting violence for 'burn it down' tweet during immigration rant
• Project Veritas - Bernie campaigner dreams of slaying MSNBC hosts: 'Liberals get the f***ing wall first'
• Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez angry US-Mexico-Canada agreement doesn't contain 'a single damn mention of climate change'
• The difference between Sanders and Warren? Bernie says 'she is a capitalist'
• Sanders under fire for saying population control can help fight 'climate change'
• Bernie Sanders: Americans 'will be delighted' to pay more taxes for free health care, education

• 'Never tell host country what to do': Top German diplomat schools new US ambassador
• Anne Sacoolas, wife of US diplomat, charged with dangerous driving in death of Harry Dunn

Mexico Will Crack Down on Central American Caravan Bound for US

By Jack Davis
Published January 17, 2020 at 8:10am

As yet another caravan of migrants begins its trek north, Mexico is vowing that this time, it will stop the migrants before they reach their goal of the U.S. border.

The BBC and The New York Times each estimated the group contained "hundreds" of migrants as it left Honduras on Tuesday and began to cross Guatemala.

Reuters estimated the caravan had 2,200 people.

Although the group was initially met with tear gas at the Honduras-Guatemala border, Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei said Wednesday his nation would allow Hondurans in the country if they had proper identification.

He warned, however, that Mexico would "do everything in their powers to stop" the group.

The comment came following a meeting with Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

After pressure from President Donald Trump, Mexico has said it will tighten enforcement when it comes to migrant caravans heading for the U.S.

Mexican Interior Minister Olga Sánchez Cordero said Mexican officials would seek to assist Hondurans who want to remain in Mexico.

"Mexico is not only a transit country," she told reporters. "In no way we have transit visas or safe passage."

She said visas will not be issued to allow the migrants to move through Mexico.

"That's very clear," she said, according to Reuters.

Itsmania Platero, a freelance journalist and self-described "human right[s] defender," said the migrants will not clear Mexico.

"The truth is, it is going to be impossible for them to reach the United States," Platero told The Associated Press. "The Mexican police have a large contingent and they are going to catch all the migrants without documents and they will be detained and returned to their home countries."

Although the strategy of a massed caravan trying to cross the border is reminiscent of caravans that attempted to slam against the U.S. border in 2018 and 2019, Mark A. Morgan, acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, said Tuesday a lot has changed in recent months, according to the Washington Examiner.

He said Trump's policy to work with Mexico and Central American nations is reducing the flow of illegal immigrants.

"This is not a political statement, it's because I believe it and because it is true: The success that I just outlined is absolutely a direct result of this president's strategies," he said.

"We are succeeding in addressing this crisis."

Also Tuesday, Morgan cited two statistics he said show Trump's policies are making a difference,

He said daily apprehensions, which hit 4,600 in May, are now down to about 1,300. The 21-day average for the number of apprehensions is now below 1,000, down 78 percent.

"That's a dramatic reduction," he said.

Hank Azaria Confirms He'll No Longer Voice Controversial Simpsons Character Apu
By Helen Murphy January 18, 2020 12:30 PM

...

In an interview on Friday, Azaria told Slashfilm, which was first to report the news, that he will no longer voice Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, who has become a controversial character on the Fox television franchise. Throughout the longest-running scripted series, many argued that Apu perpetuates racial stereotypes and should not be voiced by a white actor.

"All we know there is I won't be doing the voice anymore, unless there's someway to transition it or something," Azaria, 55, told the outlet.

"What they're going to do with the character is their call," the actor said. "It's up to them and they haven't sorted it out yet. All we've agreed on is I won't do the voice anymore."

Azaria added: "We all made the decision together. We all agreed on it. We all feel like it's the right thing and good about it."

It was unclear from Azaria's comments what the decision will mean for the character of Apu on the show. Fox had no comment when reached by PEOPLE.

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In April 2018, Azaria said during an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he was willing to step away from the role.

"The idea that anybody, young or old, past or present, was bullied or teased based on the character of Apu, it just really makes me sad. It was certainly not my intention. I wanted to spread laughter and joy with this character, and the idea that it's brought pain and suffering in any way, that it was used to marginalize people, it's upsetting. Genuinely," the actor said.

"I am perfectly willing and happy to step aside or help transition it into something new," Azaria added. "I really hope that's what The Simpsons does. It not only makes sense, but it just feels like the right thing to do to me."