ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

September 3, 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.

WORLD

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

U.S.

Will the GOP shut down the government over immigration? (Reuters)

Conservatives in the U.S. Congress who object to President Barack Obama's immigration policies are threatening to tie a must-pass budget bill to the issue, making for a possible showdown in September and raising the specter of a government shutdown.

Federal judge nixes key parts of Texas abortion law (Slate)

U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel has saved 19 licensed abortion clinics across Texas from having to shut their doors. In a decision Friday, the federal judge ruled the state can’t enforce a key part of an abortion law that required clinics to meet the same standards as ambulatory surgical centers, including a minimum number of rooms and having facilities for complicated surgeries.

Holiday gas prices lowest in four years (KPBS)

Some good news heading into the long weekend: Labor Day gas prices are at their lowest level in four years.

Rep. Ryan calls for ‘culture of inclusion’ to address poverty (NPR)

Rep. Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, used to have a habit of describing the American people in two categories. There were the "makers" — people paying taxes — and the "takers" — people getting government benefits. Today, the Wisconsin Republican says he was wrong, and that the country needs to overhaul how it thinks about poverty. In his new book, The Way Forward: Renewing the American Idea, he offers ways to redirect federal spending to fighting poverty.

WORLD

Russia invades Ukraine, prompts emergency EU meeting (USA Today)

Less than two days after Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s first meeting with newly elected Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, local and Western officials said Thursday thousands of Russian troops have streamed into Ukraine, forcing a tense situation to become, as NATO describes it, “increasingly grave.”

EU sets Russia sanctions ultimatum (BBC)

The European Union has given Russia one week to reverse course in Ukraine or face new sanctions.

Putin says Russia to increase its nuclear, defense potential to feel safe (KJV Post)

Seliger, Tver region - Russia intends to enhance further its nuclear and defense potential in order to feel safe, not to threaten anybody, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Seliger youth forum on Aug. 29.

Hollywood Stars, Executives Sign Petition in Support of Israel (Variety)

Nearly 200 actors and directors sign anti-Hamas petition.

U.S. carries out air strikes, humanitarian aid drops to town (Amerli) surrounded by ISIS (CNN)

The United States says it has carried out airstrikes and dropped humanitarian aid in the Iraqi town of Amerli to protect an ethnic minority that one official says faces the threat of an "imminent massacre."

U.S. launches offensive against Islamic State Militants and Al Qaeda using Facebook, Twitter (RawStory)

The United States has launched a social media offensive against the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, setting out to win the war of ideas by ridiculing the militants with a mixture of blunt language and sarcasm.

Military Skill and Terrorist Technique Fuel Success of ISIS (New York Times)

Military Skill and Terrorist Technique Fuel Success

What can ISIS do with oil wells it captures? (APM Marketplace)

 By some estimates, the extremist group ISIS controls 60 percent of oil production in Syria, as well as six oil wells in Iraq. Much of this oil ends up in the black market, and given that, the "purchase" and sale of this oil is far from typical.

U.N. says 43 Golan peacekeepers seized by Syria militants, 81 trapped (Reuters)

Militants fighting the Syrian army have detained 43 U.N. peacekeepers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and trapped another 81 in the region, and the world body is working to secure their release, the United Nations said on Thursday.

Syrian refugees top 3 million, half of all Syrians displaced: U.N.(Reuters)

Three million Syrian refugees will have registered in neighboring countries as of Friday, an exodus that began in March 2011 and shows no sign of abating, the United Nations said.

Germany is building a European Army before your eyes (OSNet)

The Dutch army is being absorbed into the German military, and Poland’s could be next.

Egypt's Sisi says Qatar and Turkey are spending millions to spread chaos in Arab lands (JPost)

Egyptian president accuses the two nations and the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to destabilize Egypt, the Egypt Independent reports.

Volcanoes In Iceland, Papua New Guinea, Keep Residents On Edge (NPR)

Two eruptions a half a world apart have caused evacuations and aviation warnings, but so far no injuries.

Islamist gains prompt US to send arms to Lebanon (JPost)

The United States has begun delivering nearly $20 million of arms including assault rifles, anti-tank missiles and mortars to bolster Lebanon's army after Islamist insurgents seized a border town for several days this month, US officials said on Friday.

Britain raises terror threat level to 'severe' (CS Monitor)

English authorities are concerned about the number of its citizens who may have left to fight with Islamic militants in the Middle East and could return to launch terrorist attacks.

 

 

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.