WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS HEADLINES

March 28, 2013 (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 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.

• Federal government takes on domestic drone legislation (Marketplace Tech)
• 5 possible outcomes of the Supreme Court Prop 8 case (CBS)
• Former Bush Aide Pushes 'Conservative Case' For Gay Marriage (NPR)
• Automakers pitch in to help Detroit as state takeover begins (Reuters)
• Grocers reject genetically modified salmon (Voice of San Diego)
• Reinflating the Housing Bubble: Department of Agriculture Edition (Reason)

WORLD

• North Korea calls Hawaii and U.S. mainland targets (New York Times)
• US to ramp up its anti-missile defenses following North Korean threats (Christian Science Monitor)
• U.S. Pledges $200 Million To Jordan To Aid With Syrian Refugees (NPR)
• VIDEO: Iraq doctors report birth defect rise (BBC)
• West Bank hosts Obama, Gaza sends rockets  (CS Monitor)
•  Iran will destroy Israeli cities if attacked: Khamenei (Reuters)
• Europe's Central Bank Issues Cyprus Ultimatum (NPR)
• Mursi warning stirs fears in Egypt opposition (Reuters)

Scroll down for excerpts and full stories.

U.S.

Federal government takes on domestic drone legislation (Marketplace Tech)

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee has been looking into the use of drones in America and how they might affect privacy. The federal government is working on new rules that could expand permits for drones in the coming years.

5 possible outcomes of the Supreme Court Prop 8 case (CBS)

The Supreme Court has the opportunity to issue a landmark ruling this year as it considers the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex marriage. It could define same-sex marriage as a constitutionally-protected right, or it could uphold the ban, setting back the gay rights movement for years. The case, however, isn't as simple as deciding whether or not same-sex couples have a right to get married.

After the Supreme Court today hears the oral arguments in the case Hollingsworth v. Perry, it has five options to choose from. Below is a rundown of the court's choices -- whether to protect the right to same-sex marriage in 50 states, zero states, nine states or one state. There's one last option -- to punt on the decision and dismiss the case.

Former Bush Aide Pushes 'Conservative Case' For Gay Marriage (NPR)

(NPR) -- Ken Mehlman, the political director for the George W. Bush White House, compares the right to marry to other fundamental rights conservatives embrace. He rounded up a group of 131 prominent Republicans to sign a legal brief that's at odds with the House GOP leadership and the party's platform.

Automakers pitch in to help Detroit as state takeover begins (Reuters)

U.S. automakers joined other Michigan businesses on Monday in donating $8 million for new ambulances and police cars to Detroit as state-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr took over running the destitute city.

Grocers reject genetically modified salmon (Voice of San Diego)

 Last week I told you about a move by Whole Foods to label all products within their stores that contain genetically engineered ingredients. On Wednesday, a group of grocers, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s (both chains have multiple locations here in San Diego), took the fight over GMOs a step further, announcing they would not carry genetically modified seafood.

Reinflating the Housing Bubble: Department of Agriculture Edition (Reason)

Established in 1949, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Guaranteed Loan program is meant to provide home loans to folks of modest means in rural areas. But, according to a recent Reuters investigation, the USDA isn’t hewing to either the rural or the modest part of its mandate. 

WORLD

North Korea calls Hawaii and U.S. mainland targets (New York Times)

North Korea’s military said it put all its missile and artillery units on “the highest alert” on Tuesday, ordering them to be ready to hit South Korea, as well as the United States and its military installations in Hawaii and Guam.

…North Korea said on Tuesday that all of its strategic rocket and long-range artillery units “are assigned to strike bases of the U.S. imperialist aggressor troops in the U.S. mainland and on Hawaii and Guam and other operational zones in the Pacific as well as all the enemy targets in South Korea and its vicinity.”

US to ramp up its anti-missile defenses following North Korean threats (Christian Science Monitor)

That system, 30 anti-missile missiles based in Alaska (26) and California (4), is to be increased to 44 defense missiles in the coming years.

U.S. Pledges $200 Million To Jordan To Aid With Syrian Refugees (NPR)

President Obama pledged $200 million in additional U.S. aid for Jordan on Friday to help in caring for a flood of refugees from the civil war in neighboring Syria. The pledge came as Obama met with Jordan's King Abdullah II on the next-to-last day of the president's Middle East tour.

VIDEO: Iraq doctors report birth defect rise (BBC)

Doctors at the Basra maternity hospital in Iraq have told the BBC that they have seen a 60% rise in birth defects since 2003. / Dr Muhsin Sabbak from the hospital is convinced that the rise in defects, such as spina bifida, is because of munitions from the Iraq war.

West Bank hosts Obama, Gaza sends rockets  (CS Monitor)

 The day President Obama held a press conference with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Gaza fired two rockets into southern Israel, starkly illustrating Palestinians' internal divides.

 Iran will destroy Israeli cities if attacked: Khamenei (Reuters)

(Reuters) - Iran's clerical supreme leader said on Thursday the Islamic Republic would destroy the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa if it came under attack from the Jewish state.

Europe's Central Bank Issues Cyprus Ultimatum (NPR)

The central bank says it will cut off a financial lifeline in four days if Cypriot lawmakers can't agree on a deal to raise $7.5 billion to prop up the country's banks.

Mursi warning stirs fears in Egypt opposition (Reuters)

In remarks following clashes outside the Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters on Friday, Mursi warned that "necessary measures" would be taken against any politicians shown to be involved in what he described as violence and rioting.