ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

March 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) --ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views.

Top global and national news stories include:

• U.S. weighs military options in Libya (CNN)

• Gadhafi bombs rebel-held town (CNN)

• Iran warships dock in Syria; Israeli fears dismissed (Reuters)
• 3o tons of ice break off New Zealand glacier after earthquake (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Libyan leaders face more setbacks (NPR)
• Egypt’s jewel of a library reopens, thanks to demonstrators (NPR)
• Indian official fired for a tweet: “Use live ammunition” against Wisconsin protesters (Mother Jones)
• Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah promises $10.7 billion in benefits (Christian Science Monitor)
• Developers showcase hummingbird-shaped drone (AP)
• Mass. Company making diesel with sun, water, CO2 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• America’s future farmers already dropping away (NPR)
• Study probes link between hot flashes, heart attacks (ABC News)

U.S. WEIGHS MILITARY OPTIONS IN LIBYA

March 2, 2011 (CNN) -- The United States is weighing a possible military role to help the Libyan revolt against leader Moammar Gadhafi, but top U.S. officials warn that the issue is controversial.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a Senate panel Wednesday that "there may well be a role for military assets to get equipment and supplies into areas that have a need for them" and in areas where the United States is welcome.

But she noted the Arab League statement issued Wednesday that rejected "any foreign interference within Libya on behalf of the opposition, even though they have called for Gadhafi to leave."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/02/libya.military.options/index.html?hpt=T2

GADHAFI BOMBS REBEL-HELD TOWN

March 2, 2011 (CNN) -- Libyan aircraft bombed a section of eastern Libya on Wednesday as leader Moammar Gadhafi tried to retake control of an area seized by rebel forces.
 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/02/libya.conflict/index.html?hpt=T2

IRAN WARSHIPS DOCK IN SYRIA, ISRAELI FEARS DISMISSED

February 24, 2011 (Reuters)--Two Iranian warships have docked in Syria, a military commander said on Thursday, dismissing Israeli condemnations of the maneuver as a "provocation." Coinciding with political turmoil in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world, Iran's decision to send warships close to Israeli territory has rattled politicians in the Jewish state. The ships arrived on Wednesday night after passing through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, the first Iranian navy vessels to do so since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/24/us-iran-syria-navy-idUSTRE71N5CZ20110224

30 TONS OF ICE BREAK OFF GLACIER AFTER NEW ZEALAND EARTHQUAKE

February 24, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)-- The magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand on Feb. 22, killing more than 90 people, released enough energy to cause about 30 tons of ice to fall off Tasman Glacier in Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park, say scientists Some of the ice that fell into the water created tsunamis at least 10 feet. The phenomenon has occurred in the past, but it has rarely happened where it was visible to the public.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/24/30-tons-ice-break-glacier...

LIBYAN LEADER FACES MORE SETBACKS

February 25, 2011 (NPR) -- The entire Libyan mission at the United Nations in Geneva announced they were defecting to the opposition. At home, the Gadhafi regime faced fierce protests in the capital, which continued even after pro-Gadhafi gunmen fired on the demonstrators.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/25/134065783/Gadhafi-Faces-More-Setbacks?ft=1...

EGYPT’S JEWEL OF A LIBRARY REOPENS, THANKS TO DEMONSTRATORS

February 24, 2011 (NPR)-- When Egypt's army asserted itself during the country's recent unrest, a main goal was to protect historical sites. But when it came to the Library of Alexandria, the demonstrators protected the building themselves — by forming a human chain around it.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/02/24/134009161/egypts-jewel-of...

LIBYAN LEADER’S FINANCES ARE UNDER SIEGE

February 25, 2011 (NPR) -- The regime in Libya is estimated to have some $32 billion in liquid assets, but it may be difficult to get access to holdings that are abroad. The Swiss government ordered its banks to freeze assets related to the regime of Moammar Gadhafi. The British government reportedly is considering doing the same.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/25/134048228/Gadhafi-Assets?ft=1&f=3

INDIANA OFFICIAL: “USE LIFE AMMUNITION” AGAINST WISCONSIN PROTESTERS
(Fired for a Tweet)

February 23, 2011 (Mother Jones) -- Update: The Indiana attorney general's office has confirmed to Mother Jones that Jeff Cox was terminated Wednesday.
…On Saturday night, when Mother Jones staffers tweeted a report that riot police might soon sweep demonstrators out of the Wisconsin capitol building—something that didn't end up happening—one Twitter user sent out a chilling public response: "Use live ammunition."

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/indiana-official-jeff-cox-live-a...

SAUDI ARABIA’S KING ABDULLAH PROMISES $10.7 BILLION IN BENEFITS

February 23, 2011 (Christian Science Monitor)--After three months away, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz promised his subjects billions of dollars in new benefits as he returned home today to a region roiled by revolt

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0223/Saudi-Arabia-s-King...

DEVELOPERS SHOWCASE HUMMINGBIRD-SHAPED DRONE

February 25, 2011 (AP) — A project manager has demonstrated a tiny spy plane with flapping wings like a hummingbird.. Matt Keennon of AeroVironment showed off the high-tech device Friday to journalists at company facilities in Simi Valley.
 

The aircraft with a 6.5-inch wing span can record sights and sounds on a video camera in its belly.
 

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/25/developers-showcase-hummingbird-shaped-drone/

MASS COMPANY MAKING DIESEL WITH SUN, WATER, CO2

February 22, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--A Massachusetts biotechnology company says it can produce the fuel that runs Jaguars and jet engines using the same ingredients that make grass grow.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/27/mass-company-making-diesel-with-sun-water-co2/

AMERICA’S FUTURE FARMERS ALREADY DROPPING AWAY

February 27, 2011 (NPR)--The average age of the American farmer is 57, and there has been a 20 percent drop in farmers under 25. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has expressed concern over the issue, and says it's a priority for his department.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/27/134103432/Americas-Future-Farmers-Already-...

STUDY PROBES LINKS BETWEEN HOT FLASHES, HEART ATTACKS

February 25, 2011 (ABC News) -- There just might be a plus side to the more bothersome symptoms of menopause depending on when you get them, new research suggests. A new study suggests that women who experience that crimson blush of a hot flash early on in their menopause experience seemed to have a lower risk of heart attack.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WomensHealth/link-menopause-hot-flashes-hea...