Midday Roundup: Storm-ravaged Philippines needs millions to recover

Aid appeal. The United Nations is asking for $301 million in aid for the Philippines to help the country recover from the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan. UN officials in Geneva report that more than 11 million people need assistance, with 670,000 displaced by the record-breaking storm. The UN’s funding request would cover needs over the next six months, but disaster relief experts estimate the damage to the Philippine economy to be between $12 billion and $15 billion. Filipinos living in coastal areas could see further flooding with a new storm coming ashore today.

Let ’em keep their insurance. Former President Bill Clinton says President Barack Obama should keep his promise and allow Americans to keep their health insurance. “I personally believe even if it takes a change in the law the president should honor the commitment the federal government made to those people and let them keep what they got,” Clinton told the web magazine OZY. Clinton also compared Obamacare’s website problems with Medicare Part D’s rollout troubles, which were later fixed. But Medicare Part D is a minute program compared to Obamacare, which involves one-sixth of the U.S. economy.

No deal. Negotiators from world powers and Iran went home from Geneva nearly empty-handed Monday after failing to reach an agreement about the future of Iran’s nuclear program. Iran made one paltry offering: to allow UN nuclear inspectors expanded access in the country. The United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany wanted Iran to agree to stop the forward progress of its nuclear program. The countries had suggested they might scale back economic sanctions if Iran complied. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that Iran wouldn’t accept a deal put forth Saturday. Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, blamed the other countries for the failure, saying they could not agree among themselves. The negotiations are set to resume next week.

Airline marriage. According to court documents filed today, the Justice Department has offered a proposal to allow American Airlines and US Airways to complete their merger. The deal requires the two airlines to sell takeoff and landing slots at seven major airports in the United States. The U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., must approve the settlement.

With reporting by J.C. Derrick.