ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

June 13, 2019 (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.

• House authorizes going to court over Barr and McGahn subpoenas (Los Angeles Times)
• The House just voted to hold AG Barr in contempt of Congress (Vox)
• Jon Stewart lashes out at hearing on 9/11 responders bill: "You should be ashamed of yourselves" (CBS)
• Funding for migrant children running out with no deal in sight (Roll Cal)
• Arrested as payback for what you said? Try to prove it. (Californians Aware)
• Alabama banned abortion for rape victims. It's also protecting rapists' parental rights. (Washington Post)
• New York man plotted killing police, attacking Times Square: prosecutors  (Reuters)
• Exploding danger: U.S. marijuana oil labs pose deadly, destructive hazard (Reuters)

WORLD

• Hong Kong gears up for mass strikes as thousands rally overnight against extradition bill (Reuters)
• Police fire tear gas at Hong Kong protesters, sending crowds running for cover (South China Morning Post)
• Russian police detain more than 200 at Moscow journalist protest (Reuters)
• Chinese exporters are dodging tariffs with fake “Made in Vietnam” labels (Bloomberg)
• Iran-linked terrorists caught stockpiling explosives in north-west London (London Telegraph)
• Mass Civil Disobedience In Sudan Is Latest Effort To End Military Rule (NPR)
•  U.N. Says More Than 4 Million People Have Left Venezuela (NPR)

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

U.S.

House authorizes going to court over Barr and McGahn subpoenas (Los Angeles Times)

It's the most dramatic move yet to prod the Trump administration to respond to Congress’ oversight inquiries.

The House just voted to hold AG Barr in contempt of Congress (Vox)

The full House of Representatives passed a civil contempt resolution against Attorney General William Barr and other administration officials for failing to comply with congressional subpoenas Tuesday, on vote of 229-191. The vote came a day after House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler said his committee won’t pursue a criminal contempt citation against Barr. Today’s vote is essentially a procedural green light that allows Nadler to take future action to get the unredacted report of special counsel Robert Mueller — but it’s more sweeping than his fight alone. With today’s vote, the House has now authorized all its committees to pursue and enforce civil contempt of Congress citations for Barr, former White House counsel Don McGahn, and other Trump administration officials if they continue to their blanket refusal of lawmakers’ subpoenas.

Jon Stewart lashes out at hearing on 9/11 responders bill: "You should be ashamed of yourselves" (CBS)

Former host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" Jon Stewart took a vastly different tone than his usual satirical shtick when he spoke Tuesday on Capitol Hill about the need to reauthorize the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. The measure aims to provide health care benefits to first responders and others in the community with illnesses related to the 2001 terror attacks, but it's running short of money.  In his emotional testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Stewart at times broke down in tears…"I can't help what think what an incredible metaphor this room is... a filled room of 9/11 first responders and front on me, a nearly empty Congress. Sick and dying, they brought themselves down here to speak to no one... shameful…" A little over half of the 14-member subcommittee members were present, mostly Democrats.

Funding for migrant children running out with no deal in sight (Roll Cal)

Contractors could be asked to take care of 13,000 kids without pay.

Arrested as payback for what you said? Try to prove it. (Californians Aware)

Do the police ever abuse authority? Do you think most officers believe citizens have the right to speak their minds, for example in protesting how they’re being treated? That’s something to weigh as you consider a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.  In Nieves v. Bartlett, the court decided on May 28 that individuals cannot claim they were arrested in retaliation for exercising their First Amendment rights if the police have other lawful reason—probable cause—for arresting them. The court’s motivation was to reduce frivolous lawsuits against the police, a worthy consideration … but one which comes at a cost to free speech.

Alabama banned abortion for rape victims. It's also protecting rapists' parental rights. (Washington Post)

Alabama is one of only two states that doesn’t bar rapists from having custody of children conceived by their assaults.

New York man plotted killing police, attacking Times Square: prosecutors  (Reuters)

 A New York man who prosecutors say plotted an attack on Times Square, spoke about killing police officers and praised Islamic militants appeared in court on firearms charges on Friday and was denied bail.

Exploding danger: U.S. marijuana oil labs pose deadly, destructive hazard (Reuters)

In states like California and Colorado, where marijuana use is legal, state-licensed producers of hash oil use sophisticated systems that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. But those seeking to make hash oil at home don’t have to spend that much. YouTube videos demonstrate how to strip the psychoactive THC compounds from marijuana using a PVC pipe, a coffee filter and a $4 can of butane. Production is surging on the black market - especially in California, where the legal market is still dwarfed by an underground network that supplies users across the country.

WORLD

Hong Kong gears up for mass strikes as thousands rally overnight against extradition bill (Reuters)

Hong Kong braced for mass strikes on Wednesday after thousands braved thunderstorms overnight to stage fresh protests against a proposed extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial.

Police fire tear gas at Hong Kong protesters, sending crowds running for cover (South China Morning Post)

Tens of thousands of masked protesters are clashing with police in Hong Kong and have forced the government to delay a debate on a highly contentious extradition bill. The government says the legislation is necessary to plug a loophole.

Russian police detain more than 200 at Moscow journalist protest (Reuters)



Russian police said they had detained more than 200 people on Wednesday, including opposition politician Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist.

Chinese exporters are dodging tariffs with fake “Made in Vietnam” labels (Bloomberg)

 Some Chinese exporters are going to extreme lengths to avoid the hit from Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Iran-linked terrorists caught stockpiling explosives in north-west London (London Telegraph)

Terrorists linked to Iran were caught stockpiling tonnes of explosive materials on the outskirts of London in a secret British bomb factory, The Telegraph can reveal.

Mass Civil Disobedience In Sudan Is Latest Effort To End Military Rule (NPR)

 A civil disobedience campaign in Sudan has brought the country's capital to a standstill...and turning streets desolate on Sunday, the latest escalation by protesters demanding an end to military rule. / The mass showing of government defiance follows a military crackdown...that protesters say left more than 100 killed by security forces in Khartoum over the past week. Government forces also cut off mobile data, which most Sudanese use to access the Internet, posing major difficulties in getting basic information out of Sudan.

U.N. Says More Than 4 Million People Have Left Venezuela (NPR)

 The U.N. has called this exodus the "largest in the recent history of Latin America and the Caribbean."