ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

April 25, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Arizona indicts 18 in election interference case, including Giuliani and Meadows (AP) 
• Biden administration finalizes new rules for power plants in one of its most significant climate actions to-date  (CNN)
• Trump hush money trial live updates: David Pecker returns for cross-examination (The Hill)
• Former Trump officials are among the most vocal opponents of returning him to the White House (AP)
• In Trump immunity case, divided Supreme Court seems open to some protection (CBS News)
• Arizona can enforce an 1864 law criminalizing nearly all abortions, court says (AP)
• FBI concerned about possible coordinated attack in US after Russia massacre (Reuters)
• Airlines required to refund passengers for canceled, delayed flights (ABC news)
• Biden says he’s happy to debate Trump (The Hill)
• Another Boeing whistleblower says he faced retaliation  (NPR)
• FTC bans most noncompete agreements between employers and workers (NPR)
• Baltimore bridge collapse could wipe out emergency federal highway fund (Washington Post)
• Donald Trump Falling Asleep at Trial Sparks Flood of Mockery (Newsweek)

WORLD

• US sends seized Iranian weapons to Ukraine (Reuters).
• How Israel foiled Iran’s attack (Politico)
• Israeli military pledges response to Iran attack amid calls for restraint (Reuters)
• Hamas tells negotiators it doesn’t have 40 Israeli hostages needed for first round of ceasefire (CNN)
• Israeli military intelligence head resigns over Oct. 7 failures (Reuters)
• At least 50,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine, media probe finds (NPR)
• Chinese cities are sinking rapidly (NPR)
• US intelligence finding shows China surging equipment sales to Russia to help war effort in Ukraine  (AP)
• Hostages in Gaza raise painful reminders as Jews observe Passover 

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

U.S.

Arizona indicts 18 in election interference case, including Giuliani and Meadows (AP)

An Arizona grand jury has indicted former President Donald Trump 's chief of staff Mark Meadows, lawyer Rudy Giuliani and 16 others for their roles in an attempt to overturn Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election.  The indictment released Wednesday names 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring that Trump won Arizona in 2020. They include the former state party chair, a 2022 U.S. Senate candidate and two sitting state lawmakers, who are charged with nine counts each of conspiracy, fraud and forgery...Trump himself was not charged but was referred to as an unindicted co-conspirator. 

Biden administration finalizes new rules for power plants in one of its most significant climate actions to-date  (CNN)

.. The Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules will compel coal and new natural gas power plants to either cut or capture 90% of their climate pollution by 2032. The rules are expected to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from the sector by 75% compared to its peak in 2005.  The agency also announced tougher rules for the neurotoxin mercury emitted from their smokestacks and will require safer disposal of toxic wastewater and coal ash, which are byproducts of making electricity.

Trump hush money trial live updates: David Pecker returns for cross-examination (The Hill)

The former publisher of the National Enquirer is returning to the witness stand in Manhattan on Friday for a fourth day, this time for the continuation of cross-examination by lawyers for former President Trump. David Pecker spent much of this week divulging seedy details of media agreements he entered into with Trump and ex-lawyer Michael Cohen to keep negative news stories about Trump out of the news while he mounted his 2016 campaign.

Former Trump officials are among the most vocal opponents of returning him to the White House (AP)

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper has called him a “threat to democracy.” Former national security adviser ...

In Trump immunity case, divided Supreme Court seems open to some protection (CBS News)

The Supreme Court's conservative majority on Thursday appeared open to recognizing some level of immunity from federal prosecution for the official acts of former presidents as they weighed a blockbuster dispute that will be critical to the fate of former President Donald Trump's 2020 election case in Washington, D.C. But the court expressed skepticism toward Trump's broad argument that he should be absolutely immune from charges related to conduct that occurred while he was in office. 

Arizona can enforce an 1864 law criminalizing nearly all abortions, court says (AP)

Arizona will soon join 14 other states that have banned abortion at all stages of pregnancy after a state Supreme Court ruling Tuesday found that officials may enforce an 1864 law criminalizing all abortions except when a woman’s life is at stake.

FBI concerned about possible coordinated attack in US after Russia massacre (Reuters)

The FBI is concerned about the possibility of an organized attack in the United States similar to the one that killed scores at a Russian concert hall last month, the bureau's director plans to tell a House of Representatives panel on Thursday.... The FBI is concerned about the possibility of an organized attack in the United States similar to the one that killed scores at a Russian concert hall last month, the bureau's director plans to tell a House of Representatives panel on Thursday.

Airlines required to refund passengers for canceled, delayed flights (ABC news)

Good news for airline travelers: the Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced it is rolling out new rules that will require airlines to automatically give cash refunds to passengers for canceled and significantly delayed flights. "This is a big day for America's flying public," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at a Wednesday morning news conference. Buttigieg said the new rules -- which require prompt refunds -- are the biggest expansion of passenger rights in the department's history.

Biden says he’s happy to debate Trump (The Hill)

President Biden indicated Friday that he’s willing to debate former President Trump ahead of November’s election... Just after Biden’s remarks on Stern were publicized, Chris LaCivita of the Trump campaign wrote on the social platform X, “Ok let’s set it up !”

Another Boeing whistleblower says he faced retaliation  (NPR)

Longtime Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour went public this week with alarming claims about two of the company's jets, including the 787 Dreamliner. In a virtual meeting with reporters, Salehpour said Boeing was so eager to meet its production goals that it took "shortcuts" when it fastened together the carbon-composite fuselage of the 787. That could dramatically shorten the life of the plane, he warned, potentially causing it to break apart in mid-flight.

FTC bans most noncompete agreements between employers and workers (NPR)

The Federal Trade Commission narrowly voted Tuesday to ban nearly all noncompetes, employment agreements that typically prevent workers from joining competing businesses or launching ones of their own. The FTC received more than 26,000 public comments in the months leading up to the vote.

Baltimore bridge collapse could wipe out emergency federal highway fund (Washington Post)

Maryland might jump in front of states that have sought highway disaster aid for more than a decade...California, for instance, is still waiting on $1.5 million to recover from statewide storms in 2005, $7.4 million in highway relief funding from a 2012 rainstorm and flooding, and $722 million total, according to data obtained by The Post.,. Baltimore’s needs could both move to the top of the list and also wipe out the money left in the FHWA’s emergency account, pressing Congress into urgent action to replenish the agency’s coffers.

Donald Trump Falling Asleep at Trial Sparks Flood of Mockery (Newsweek)

Former President Donald Trump is being mercilessly mocked on social media after reportedly falling asleep during the first day of his hush-money criminal trial in New York. Trump appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court court on Monday for the beginning of jury selection but repeatedly dozed off shortly after proceedings got underway, according to New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman and at least one other reporter who attended the trial... the hashtags #SleepyDon and #SleepyDonald trended on X, formerly Twitter.

WORLD

US sends seized Iranian weapons to Ukraine (Reuters)



The U.S. has transferred to Ukraine thousands of infantry weapons and more than 500,000 rounds of ammunition that were seized more than a year ago as they were being shipped by Iran to Houthi forces in Yemen, the U.S. military said on Tuesday.

How Israel foiled Iran’s attack (Politico)

Israel’s multilayered air defenses and close cooperation with allies kept the impact to a minimum. Iran tried to overwhelm Israel’s air defenses with five hours of missile and drone strikes overnight — but the offensive failed spectacularly.Tehran targeted Israel with multiple waves of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as explosives-laden drones, in retaliation for a deadly Israeli strike on Iran’s Damascus consulate earlier this month.

Israeli military pledges response to Iran attack amid calls for restraint (Reuters)

Israel's military chief said on Monday his country would respond to Iran's weekend missile and drone attack amid calls for restraint by allies anxious to avoid an escalation of conflict in the Middle East.

 Hamas tells negotiators it doesn’t have 40 Israeli hostages needed for first round of ceasefire (CNN)

Hamas has indicated it is currently unable to identify and track down 40 Israeli hostages needed for the first phase of a ceasefire deal, according to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the discussions, raising fears that more hostages may be dead than are publicly known.

Israeli military intelligence head resigns over Oct. 7 failures (Reuters)



The head of Israeli military intelligence has resigned after accepting responsibility for the failures that allowed the devastating Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the military said on Monday.

At least 50,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine, media probe finds (NPR)

An investigation by BBC Russia and independent Russian media outlet Mediazona finds Russia has suffered at least 50,000 casualties since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Chinese cities are sinking rapidly (NPR)

Out of 82 major Chinese cities, nearly half are measurably subsiding, according to the new study, which was published in the journal Science and conducted by more than 50 scientists at Chinese research institutes. The areas that are sinking are home to nearly one third of China's urban population. And the authors estimate that about a quarter of China's coastal land will be below sea level in the next hundred years, largely due to subsidence.

US intelligence finding shows China surging equipment sales to Russia to help war effort in Ukraine  (AP)

China has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for use in its war against Ukraine, according to a U.S. assessment.

Hostages in Gaza raise painful reminders as Jews observe Passover 

At Sinai Temple in west Los Angeles, Rabbi Erez Sherman unlocks the sanctuary doors and walks toward row after row of seats marked off with blue ribbon. Each seat represents a hostage Hamas took during the October 7th attack on Israel.