ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

November 26, 2014 (San Diego's East County)-- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect 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 world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Ferguson Grand Jury evidence reveals mistakes, holes in investigation (Huffington Post)
• In Ferguson grand jury probe, credible evidence supported cop, prosecutor says (+video) (CS Monitor)
• Honda Says It Failed To Report Over 1,700 Deaths And Injuries
• Counting up votes for NSA reform (APM Marketplace)
• Inside the Ring: Ransom paid for Bergdahl (Washington Times)
• U.S. introduces menu calorie labeling to fight obesity (Reuters)

INTERNATIONAL

• Yazidi families reclaim girls seized by Islamic State – for a price (CS Monitor)
• Does Russia have an orbiting space weapon? (CS Monitor)
• Damage getting worse in Japan earthquake (CS Monitor)
• Israel charges cop with manslaughter in Palestinian youth's death (Reuters)
• Egypt could send troops to a Palestinian state to help out: paper (Reuters)
•  25,000 Gazans to get access to construction materials to rebuild homes (Post)
• Highway Bandits Steal Blood Believed To Contain Ebola Virus (NPR)
• Plague Outbreak In Madagascar Spreads To Its Capital (NPR)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

NATIONAL

Ferguson Grand Jury evidence reveals mistakes, holes in investigation (Huffington Post)

Soon after Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, law enforcement’s handling of the case was already being criticized as callous and sloppy. Residents of Ferguson, Missouri, looked on in horror as police officials failed to cover and later to remove Brown’s body from the street for hours. Now that the grand jury evidence, including forensic records and testimony from Wilson and those investigating the fatal shooting, has been released, it's clear that other mistakes were made in attempting to figure out what happened on that August afternoon. The best physical evidence and testimony might not have been as ironclad in Wilson's favor as prosecutor Robert McCulloch characterized it on Monday night.

In Ferguson grand jury probe, credible evidence supported cop, prosecutor says (+video) (CS Monitor)

A grand jury decided not to indict a white Ferguson, Mo., police officer for killing unarmed black teen Michael Brown in August. The prosecutor involved pointed to inconsistencies in the testimony supporting the claim that Mr. Brown had surrendered

Honda Says It Failed To Report Over 1,700 Deaths And Injuries (NPR)

Honda Motor Co. said today that for years, it failed to tell U.S. regulators about more than 1,700 injuries and deaths involving its cars. ..Honda is blaming the failure on an error in its databases that caused reports entered without a date to be omitted. 

Counting up votes for NSA reform (APM Marketplace)

58-42. That was Tuesday's final vote in the Senate striking down broad reform of the National Security Administration by two votes.

Inside the Ring: Ransom paid for Bergdahl (Washington Times)

The Pentagon is under fire for making a ransom payment to an Afghan earlier this year as part of a failed bid to win the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, according to U.S. officials.

U.S. introduces menu calorie labeling to fight obesity (Reuters)

The U.S. government will publish sweeping new rules on Tuesday requiring chain restaurants and large vending machine operators to disclose calorie counts on menus to make people more aware of the risks of obesity posed by fatty, sugary foods.

INTERNATIONAL

Urban farming helps feed the world (BBC) — Urban agriculture plays a much more extensive role in global food security than previously estimated, a study using satellite data suggests.  Researchers, using satellite data, found that agricultural activities within 20km of urban areas occupy an area equivalent to the 28-nation EU. 

Yazidi families reclaim girls seized by Islamic State – for a price (CS Monitor)

In interviews, girls who escaped or were bought back by their families tell of their brutal treatment at the hands of IS militants. Almost 150 girls have returned to Kurdish-controlled areas in recent weeks, according to activists, with families paying as much as a year's income to get them back.

Does Russia have an orbiting space weapon? (CS Monitor)

Satellite buffs have watched a Russian spacecraft perform a series of maneuvers, prompting concerns that Russia has deployed a 'satellite killer.'

Damage getting worse in Japan earthquake (CS Monitor) — The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck after nightfall; now, by the light of day, reports are coming in suggesting the damage is greater than previously thought. / A daylight assessment Sunday found at least 50 homes destroyed in two villages, and 41 people injured across the region, including seven seriously, mostly with broken bones, officials said.

Israel charges cop with manslaughter in Palestinian youth's death (Reuters)

Israel charged a policeman on Sunday in the fatal shooting of a teenage Palestinian protester, accusing him of deliberately switching his rubber bullets for the live round that killed the youth.

Egypt could send troops to a Palestinian state to help out: paper (Reuters)

 ….Sisi, who is visiting Italy and France this week, told Italian daily Corriere della Sera the creation of a Palestinian state was the best way to protect Israeli security while restoring hope for the Palestinian people.  "We are prepared to send military forces inside a Palestinian state. They would help the local police and reassure Israelis in their role as guarantors," he said. 

 25,000 Gazans to get access to construction materials to rebuild homes (Post) — UN and PA say coastal enclave to receive second round of building supplies along lines of trilateral mechanism also agreed upon with Israel….

Highway Bandits Steal Blood Believed To Contain Ebola Virus (NPR)

A roadway robbery in Guinea resulted in an alarming haul this week, as thieves made off with cash, personal items — and a batch of Red Cross blood samples.

Plague Outbreak In Madagascar Spreads To Its Capital (NPR)

An outbreak of the plague has sickened at least 119 people and killed 40 in Madagascar, the World Health Organization reports Friday… "There is now a risk of a rapid spread of the disease due to the city's high population density and the weakness of the health care system," the WHO writes.