ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

August 5, 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.

• US and Russia complete biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, freeing Gershkovich and Whelan
• 4 revelations raising heat on Secret Service after Trump shooting (The Hill)
• Kamala Harris was less than 20 ft from pipe bomb during Jan 6 attack, new Homeland Security report reveals (UK Independent)
• Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns  (CNN)
• Historic flood of cash pours into Harris campaign and allied groups  (Washington Post)
• Simone Biles becomes most decorated American gymnast in history of the Olympic Games( Today)
• US allies grapple with J.D. Vance (Politico)
• Largest housing provider for migrant children engaged in pervasive sexual abuse, US says (AP)
• As cartels take a stake in ‘green gold,’ US and Mexico rethink how avocados reach American kitchens (Apple News)
• Takeaways from the scathing appeals court ruling denying immunity to Donald Trump (CNN)

WORLD

• Ukraine confirms F-16s have arrived in country as Zelensky heralds 'new chapter' in fight against Russia (CNN)
• Israel believes Hezbollah senior commander killed in Beirut strike, Israeli media report says Reuters)
• Hamas leader was killed in Iran by bomb planted months before blast, source says (CNN)
• Sudan says it conditionally accepts invitation to U.S.-sponsored peace talks  (Reuters)
• Erdogan says Turkey might enter Israel to help Palestinians  (Reuters)
• France investigates death threats sent to Israeli athletes (Reuters)
• Vandalism hits communication lines in France during Paris Olympics (AP) 
• Explainer: What is happening with Venezuela's contested election?  (Reuters)

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

U.S.

US and Russia complete biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, freeing Gershkovich and Whelan

The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan in a multinational deal that set some two dozen people free, according to officials in Turkey, where the exchange took place.

4 revelations raising heat on Secret Service after Trump shooting (The Hill)

Phone calls this week between lawmakers and the heads of the Secret Service and FBI have done little to quell a growing litany of questions as to what actions law enforcement officers did and didn’t take that led to an assassination attempt on former President Trump. New admissions that the Secret Service had flagged gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks as “suspicious” and a possible threat more than an hour before the Saturday shooting — and that Trump was still allowed on stage — has placed intense heat on the agency. 

Kamala Harris was less than 20 ft from pipe bomb during Jan 6 attack, new Homeland Security report reveals (UK Independent)

Harris was in building for nearly two hours before pipe bomb was discovered and she was evacuated... “The pipe bomb had been placed near the [Democratic National Committee] building the night before”, the report states, but Secret Service personnel did not identify it during their security sweep on the morning of January 6.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns  (CNN)

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has tendered her resignation amid scrutiny of security lapses related to the recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, sources tell CNN. The move comes as lawmakers and an internal government watchdog move forward with investigations into the agency’s handling of Trump’s protection and how a gunman came close to the killing the 2024 Republican presidential candidate...

Historic flood of cash pours into Harris campaign and allied groups  (Washington Post)

Democrats reported raising more than $250 million since Biden announced he was leaving the presidential race and endorsed Harris.

Simone Biles becomes most decorated American gymnast in history of the Olympic Games( Today)

Simone Biles was already considered by most to be the GOAT in the sport of gymnastics, but she now also holds the record for the most medals of any American gymnast in the history of the Olympic Games. Biles — along with her teammates Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera — took home the gold in the women's gymnastics team final event on July 30.In doing so, Biles earned her eighth medal, becoming the most decorated American Olympic gymnast.

US allies grapple with J.D. Vance (Politico)

European leaders and diplomats cycled through shock and dismay at the selection of J.D. Vance as Donald Trump’s running mate. Many are also in two other stages: Denial and bargaining.

Largest housing provider for migrant children engaged in pervasive sexual abuse, US says (AP)

Employees of the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. repeatedly sexually abused and harassed children in their care for at least eight years, the Justice Department said Thursday, alleging a shocking litany of offenses that took place as the company amassed billions of dollars in government contracts.

US and Russia complete biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, freeing Gershkovich and Whelan

The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan in a multinational deal that set some two dozen people free, according to officials in Turkey, where the exchange took place.

As cartels take a stake in ‘green gold,’ US and Mexico rethink how avocados reach American kitchens (Apple News)

“This is the core of the mafia-style relationships that exist in Michoacán around avocado production,” Romain Le Cour, one of the report authors and a senior expert at the initiative, said in an interview. “You need criminal actors in a way to stir up the business, you need business entrepreneurs to run the business, and you need corrupt authorities to make sure that what you’re doing becomes legalized or laundered.”

Takeaways from the scathing appeals court ruling denying immunity to Donald Trump (CNN)

A federal appeals court said Tuesday that Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency, flatly rejecting Trump’s arguments that he shouldn’t have to go on trial on federal election subversion charges. In a striking 57-page unanimous opinion, the panel of three DC Circuit judges wrote that that the justice system allowed for a former president to face charges for actions he took while in office, and that the public interest in holding a potentially criminal president accountable outweighed any potential “chilling effect” on the presidency.

WORLD

Ukraine confirms F-16s have arrived in country as Zelensky heralds 'new chapter' in fight against Russia (CNN)

The arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine marks “a new chapter” for the country’s Air Force, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday as he confirmed for the first time that the combat aircraft are in the country.

Israel believes Hezbollah senior commander killed in Beirut strike, Israeli media report says Reuters)

Israel believes its air strike on Beirut killed a senior commander of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah on Tuesday, Israel's public broadcaster said, in retaliation for a cross-border rocket attack that killed 12 youngsters three days ago.

Hamas leader was killed in Iran by bomb planted months before blast, source says (CNN)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on Wednesday using an explosive device that had been covertly hidden in the guest house where he was staying, a source familiar with the matter told CNN....The Iranian government and Hamas say Israel carried out the assassination. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement...Haniyeh’s assassination raised fears once again that Israel’s conflict with Hamas and its allies could develop into a multi-front, fully-fledged war in the Middle East.

Sudan says it conditionally accepts invitation to U.S.-sponsored peace talks  (Reuters)

Sudan's government conditionally accepted on Tuesday an invitation to attend U.S.-sponsored peace talks in Geneva, raising hopes that the talks could advance efforts to end a 15-month-old war... The war has caused the world's largest humanitarian crisis with a fifth of the population displaced and famine likely across the country.

Erdogan says Turkey might enter Israel to help Palestinians  (Reuters)

"We must be very strong so that Israel can't do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them," Erdogan told a meeting of his ruling AK Party in his hometown of Rize.

France investigates death threats sent to Israeli athletes (Reuters)

French police have opened an investigation into death threats received by three Israeli athletes at the Paris Olympic Games… / In a statement on Thursday, Israel's National Cyber Directorate said that after an investigation it had come to the conclusion that Iranian hackers were creating social media channels to publish personal information about members of the Israeli delegation and send them threatening messages. / On the same day, Israel's foreign minister warned his French counterpart of a potential Iranian-backed plot to target Israeli athletes and tourists during the Paris Olympic Games.

Vandalism hits communication lines in France during Paris Olympics (AP) 

The French government says multiple telecommunications lines have been hit by acts of vandalism, affecting fiber lines and fixed and mobile phone lines as cities around France are hosting events for the 2024 Paris Olympics….The vandalism came after arson attacks hit train networks around France on Friday, hours before the Olympics opening ceremony.

Explainer: What is happening with Venezuela's contested election?  (Reuters)

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in the country's presidential election in the early hours of Monday morning, even as the country's opposition said its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez was the victor and it had the polling to prove it.