The number of domestic terrorism cases has doubled in the past three-and-a-half years, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Tuesday in a stark warning to lawmakers. 

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Wray said the number of cases "has grown steadily" since he assumed the top spot at the bureau during former President Donald Trump's first year in office.

"We've increased the number of domestic terrorism investigations from around 1,000 or so when I got here, to up to about 1,400 at the end of last year to about 2,000 now," said Wray.

Racially-motivated violent extremism has also "grown significantly" during Wray's tenure. He said the number of white supremacist arrests has roughly tripled since August 2017, while arrests of anarchist violent extremists in 2020 was more than the past three years combined.

Turning to the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol, Wray said the assault was a case of "domestic terrorism."

"It's got no place in our democracy, and tolerating it would make a mockery of our nation's rule of law," he said.

Wray further rejected conspiracy theories that suggest the riot was a false-flag operation carried out by "fake Trump supporters."

Asked about the allegations spread in some circles of former President Donald Trump's supporters that others, including Antifa, were responsible for the violence, Wray said federal investigators "have not seen evidence of that at this stage certainly."

Among those who have been arrested on charges stemming from the attack, Wray said "quite a number" are from militia groups, including individuals who identify with the Proud Boys far-right extremist group and the Oath Keepers militia.

"We also have a couple of instances where we have already identified individuals involved in the criminal behavior who we would put in the racially-motivated violent extremists who advocate for what you would call 'white supremacy,'" Wray said during his first testimony since the Capitol was overrun.

More than 300 individuals have been arrested in on-going investigations by the FBI and local law enforcement agencies. That figure includes dozens of military veterans.

Five people died during the assault, including a Capitol Police officer. Two other law enforcement officers who were present took their lives in the aftermath./aa

Kuwait's central bank announced a stimulus package on Thursday to support vital sectors and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) amid the fallout from the coronavirus epidemic.

The Central Bank of Kuwait has reduced liquidity and capital adequacy requirements for banks and cut risk weighting for SMEs, it said in a statement.

The bank cut capital adequacy requirements by 2.5 per cent and eased the risk weighting for SMEs to 25 per cent from 75 per cent. It also raised the maximum lending limit to 100 per cent from 90 per cent and increased the maximum financing for residential real estate developments to the value of the property or the cost of development.

It said the measures would encourage banks to lend more and help vital sectors and SMEs "overcome the current circumstances".

CBK said it would closely monitor banks to ensure the package meets its intended purpose "and will not hesitate to take further measures to meet the higher interest of the national economy".

On Wednesday, Kuwait announced measures to shore up its economy against the pandemic, including soft long-term loans from local banks, and the central bank asked banks to ease loan repayments for companies affected.

Kuwait, which as of April 1 had registered 317 cases of the new coronavirus, was the first Gulf country to ground all passenger flights and impose a partial curfew to stem the spread of the highly infectious respiratory illness.

Government sources revealed that the Ministry of Health had submitted contracts to the Tender Committee regarding the purchase of "Moderna" and "Johnson" vaccines, pointing out that their arrival in the country will be soon after they are approved and all procedures are completed.

The sources told Al-Qabas that one of the most important reasons for buying "Moderna" is to allocate it to young people who need vaccination, in addition to international recommendations to take "Johnson" due to its effectiveness with the new Corona virus.

On the other hand, sources indicated that the transmission of the virus from people who do not show any symptoms to others, and through gatherings and unexplained contact, caused the entry of large segments of the wards of "Covid 19" and intensive care in public hospitals during the past month, as well as the occurrence of complications and serious setbacks on the The health of some of them, and the death of others.

The sources indicated that 124 deaths due to complications from Corona were recorded in the country during last February, in addition to 25009 injuries, and 102 intensive care cases were entered, compared to 14,388 injuries and 23 deaths in January 2021, 7,592 injuries and 53 deaths in December 2020.

It indicated that last month It is considered the most recorded infection since the outbreak of the virus in the country. In the same context, the sources indicated that the Ministry of Health is currently considering granting the "Oxford" vaccine to those over 65 years of age.

SOURCE: Al-Qabas

The total number of deaths in Kuwait during the year 2020 (the year of Corona) increased by about 40 percent when compared to the total number of deaths in 2019, Al-Rai reported.

By the end of 2020, a total of 11,302 citizens and expats deaths were reported. In 2019, the total number of deaths recorded was 8,072. The number of deaths of both citizens and non-citizens, increased by 3230 in 2020.

According to a statistic published by the daily based on official figures issued by the Funeral Affairs Department in Kuwait Municipality, the deaths among non-Kuwaitis increased by 60.5 percent during 2020.  5380 expats died in 2020.

In terms of deaths among citizens, It increased by 25.46 percent, reaching 5,922 in 2020, compared to 4,720 in 2019./ agencies

Around the world, there were 13,654 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher in 2020, the strongest of which was recorded in the US.

Around 500,000 earthquakes, minor or major, occur on Earth every year, about 100,000 of which are felt, while around 100 cause damage.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the most severe earthquake occurred in the US state of Alaska on July 22, 2020, with a magnitude of 7.8.

Experts at the USGS say the reason why more earthquakes are recorded today than in the past is because they receive more seismic station data with the development of technology.

In 1931, there were 350 seismic stations on Earth to record earthquakes, but today this figure is expressed in the thousands.

Earthquakes are divided into three categories: tectonic, volcanic and collapse earthquakes according to their formation, while tectonic tremors stand out as the most destructive type of earthquake in terms of severity and magnitude.

Movements in fractures called faults in the Earth's crust make up close to all earthquakes that occur around the world.

'Horseshoe'

The Pacific earthquake belt, also called the "Pacific Ring of Fire,” is known as the most intense earthquake belt, in which 90% of all earthquakes worldwide and 81% of major ones occur.

The 40-kilometer-long (around 25-mile) "Pacific Ring of Fire," shaped like a "horseshoe," spans the edges of the Pacific Ocean Basin and also contains about 75% of active volcanoes.

In 2020, seven of the nine major earthquakes with a magnitude of 7 or higher occurred in this area.

A 9.5 magnitude earthquake in 1960 in Chile’s Valdivia region is the most destructive earthquake ever recorded so far.

According to the USGS, the second largest earthquake zone where 5%-6% of all earthquakes worldwide and 17% of severe ones occur is the Alpine-Himalayan Belt.

One of the most destructive earthquakes ever occurred in 2004 in Sumatra, Indonesia with a magnitude of 9.1.

North and South America

The Global Earthquake Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP) created a map of the world's regional earthquake zones by classifying them according to continents and earthquake magnitudes with data collected from 20 centers it created around the world.

One of the few major earthquake zones located in North America lies on the central coast of Alaska.

South America's most active earthquake zones lie along the continent's Pacific border.

Four of the 10 most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in the world occurred in South America.

Asia and Europe

Earthquake activity in Asia is most intensively observed in Japan.

Countries such as Indonesia, Fiji and the Tonga Islands (east of Australia) also record large numbers of earthquakes each year.

Central Asia is one of the world's major earthquake regions with high fault line mobility.

Northern Europe is located away from major earthquake zones, with the exception of Iceland's zone of active volcanic activity.

Africa

Africa has far fewer earthquake zones compared to other continents because it is an old land.

Earthquake activity is recorded in the Sahara, in the central part of the continent.

However, the eastern Mediterranean coast, especially Lebanon, where the Arabian plate borders the Eurasian and African plates, stands out as the most active region.

The area near the Horn of Africa (around the Gulf of Aden) also forms another active area on the continent.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand are known as seismically opposite countries.

The risk of earthquakes in general on the Australian continent is low or moderate, while its small island neighbor New Zealand is among one of the active earthquake zones in the world.

Antarctica

Compared to the other continents, Antarctica exhibits the least seismic activity.

This is because very few of the landmasses on the continent are located at or near the boundary with the continental plates.

The only exception is the zone where the Antarctic (South Pole) plate meets the Scotian plate./aa