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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 2017)
Page 10 The Skanner September 6, 2017 News Boat With Rohingya Refugees Capsizes, Killing 5 as More Flee KUTUPALONG, Bangladesh (AP) — A trawler carrying Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar capsized, drowning at least five people, as the country’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi blamed a misinformation campaign for fueling a crisis that the U.N. says has now pushed more than 125,000 ref- ugees into Bangladesh. Residents of Shah Porir Dwip fishing village recovered five bodies from the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday, hours af- ter the boat capsized around midnight, said police official Yakub Ali. It was not immediately clear where the boat began its journey, or if the passengers had been among some 450 detained by Bangladeshi border guards and ordered Tuesday to return to Myanmar. While some border guards were let- ting refugees across the borders, oth- ers were sending them back. Faced with a mounting crisis and a lack of space and basic supplies, Ban- gladesh said it will set up a new camp to accommodate Rohingya refugees who have arrived from Myanmar since Aug. 25, many walking for days and crossing jungles and rivers to reach safety. After Trump Halt of Program, Young Immigrants Vow to Fight PHOENIX (AP) — Immigrants are vowing to fight to stay in the U.S. and advocates are launching campaigns including fundraisers and registration drives after the Trump administration announced it would dismantle a pro- gram that protected hundreds of thou- sands of young people from deporta- tion. Immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children or whose families overstayed visas said they are veterans of setbacks in the political arena. They added that they are also ac- customed to being persistent, and they pledge to do the same in this situation. The Trump administration an- nounced Tuesday it was ending the De- ferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that former President Barack Obama started in 2012. Those already enrolled in DACA remain cov- ered until their permits expire. If their permits expire before March, 5, 2018, they are eligible to renew them for an- other two years as long as they apply by Oct. 5. But the program isn’t accepting new applications. Opponents of the program said they are pleased the Trump administra- tion’s decision. They called DACA an unconstitutional abuse of executive power. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who made Tuesday’s announcement, said DACA was an overreach that could not be defended by the Justice Department. The Trump administration and other DACA opponents argue that it is up to Congress to decide how to deal with such immigrants. Powerful Hurricane Irma Hits First Caribbean Islands ST. JOHN’S, Antigua (AP) — The most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history made its first landfall in the islands of the northeast Caribbe- an early Wednesday, churning along a path pointing to Puerto Rico, the Do- minican Republic, Haiti and Cuba be- fore possibly heading for Florida over the weekend. The eye of Hurricane Irma passed over Barbuda around 1:47 a.m., the Na- AP PHOTO/JOSE LUIS MAGAN World News Briefs Dreamers from left; Isaac Montiel, 28, of NYC, Monica Camacho, 23, of Bethesda, Md., and Cynthia Toyco, 33, of Rogers, Arkansas, hold their pictures, during the House and Senate Democrats, news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. House and Senate Democrats gather to call for Congressional Republicans to stand up to President Trump’s decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative by bringing the DREAM Act for a vote on the House and Senate Floor. tional Weather Service said. Residents said over local radio that phone lines went down. Heavy rain and howling winds raked the neighboring island of Antigua, sending debris flying as peo- ple huddled in their homes or govern- ment shelters. “ Officials warned people to seek pro- tection from Irma’s ‘onslaught’... ‘May God protect us all’ Officials warned people to seek pro- tection from Irma’s “onslaught” in a statement that closed with: “May God protect us all.” In Barbuda, the storm ripped off the roof of the island’s police station forc- ing officers to seek refuge in the near- by fire station and at the community center that served as an official shelter. The Category 5 storm also knocked out communication between islands. Midcie Francis of the National Office of Disaster Services confirmed there was damage to several homes, but said it was too early to do tally or assess the extent of the damage. Foreign Affairs Minister Charles Fernandez, who has temporary over- sight for Disaster Management told The Associated Press via text that the northern end of island was hit hard by the storm. He did not elaborate on the extent of damage. Even Intrepid Keys Residents Ready to Evacuate Ahead of Irma KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) — Residents of the Florida Keys are known for riding out hurricanes, but with Irma’s poten- tially catastrophic wind and rain set to crash through the low-lying island chain this weekend, not many seem willing to risk it this time. Throughout Florida, officials and res- idents are making preparations, but forecasts indicate the Keys could take the country’s first blow from the Cat- egory 5 storm, which was packing 185 mph (295 kph) winds early Wednesday as it crossed Barbuda. From Key Largo south to Key West, residents and offi- cials said Irma is a storm that needs to be fled. Keys officials expected to announce a mandatory evacuation Wednesday for visitors, with residents being told to leave the next day. Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who plans to fly to the Keys on Wednesday, said a hospital in the island chain would have its patients evacuat- ed by air. “This is not one to fool around with,” said Cammy Clark, spokeswoman for Monroe County, which contains the Keys. Janet Roberts, 51, was getting ready Tuesday to leave her mobile home com- munity on Key Largo for her daugh- ter’s house 30 miles away in Florida City, which is the first city north of the Keys on the mainland.