ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

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March 11, 2015 (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

 

Utilities wage campaign against rooftop solar (Washington Post)

 If demand for residential solar continued to soar, traditional utilities could soon face serious problems, from “declining retail sales” and a “loss of customers” to “potential obsolescence,” according to a presentation prepared for the group. “Industry must prepare an action plan to address the challenges,” it said. / The warning, delivered to a private meeting of the utility industry’s main trade association, became a call to arms for electricity providers in nearly every corner of the nation. Three years later, the industry and its fossil-fuel supporters are waging a determined campaign to stop a home-solar insurgency that is rattling the boardrooms of the country’s government-regulated electric monopolies.

 

Judge assigned to make changes at Ferguson courts (CBS)

A Missouri appeals court judge was appointed Monday to take over Ferguson's municipal court and make "needed reforms" after a highly critical U.S. Department of Justice report that was prompted by the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown.

 

Bloody Sunday 50th anniversary: Thousands crowd bridge in Selma, Alabama  (Washington Post)

Thousands of marchers, government officials and other public figures gathered Sunday for a second straight day to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a brutal police assault on civil rights demonstrators that spurred the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

 

Women on 20s: Time to put a woman on the $20 bill (CBS6)

Forget about Andrew Jackson and his big hair. It’s time we put a woman on the $20 bill. So says an organization called Women on 20s, which is trying to convince President Obama and Congress to replace the controversial seventh president with a woman.

 

College Rape Case Shows A Key Limit To Medical Privacy Law (NPR)

 A woman who is suing the University of Oregon for mishandling her rape case could have her own medical records used against her in court. Yes, that's legal.

 

Protecting our children’s DNA (U-T San Diego)

 If there is one commonality among state newborn screening practices, it’s the complete lack of transparency of the entire process.

 

WORLD

 

Chad and Nigeria launch offensives against Boko Haran (Al Jazeera)

`Ground and air' operation in northeastern Nigeria begins a day after the armed group pledged allegiance to ISIL.

 

The Islamic State appears to fray from within (Washington Post)

The Islamic State ­appears to be starting to fray from within, as dissent, defections and setbacks on the battlefield sap the group’s strength and erode its aura of invincibility among those living under its despotic rule.

 

Iran-backed advance in southern Syria rattles Israel (CS Monitor)

As Iran nuclear talks near a deadline, Shiite forces are on the move near the Golan Heights, potentially pitting Iranian forces against those of Israel. 

 

Arab Commentators Strongly Back Netanyahu on Congress Speech, Iran Nuclear Threat (Algemeiner)

 Leading Arab opinion makers weighed in on the controversy surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Tuesday and expressed strong support for his stance on the Iranian nuclear threat.

 

ISIS bulldozes ruins of ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, Iraqi ministry says (CNN)

 ISIS has again destroyed cultural treasures, this time bulldozing the site of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in northern Iraq, the nation's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.

 

ISIS supporters have about 46,000 accounts on Twitter (Marketplace.org)

According to a paper from the Brookings Institution, there are about 46,000 Twitter accounts out there being used by ISIS supporters.  And they're pretty active, too.  Those accounts had an average of a thousand followers each, which is way higher than your average non-ISIS-related Twitter user.

 

Egyptian strikes kill 25 militants in two days: sources (Reuters)

 Egyptian military air strikes have killed 25 Islamist militants in Northern Sinai over the last two days, security sources said, targeting an insurgency that seeks to topple the Cairo government.mf

 

North Korean Diplomat Stopped In Bangladesh With $1.4 Million In Gold (NPR)

 The first secretary of the North Korean Embassy in Dhaka tried to claim diplomatic immunity when customs officials asked to scan his bags, officials said.

 

12 die, thousands evacuated in Argentine flooding (AP)

 Flooding from heavy rains has left 12 people dead in Argentina, officials said on Friday

 

In Syria, Archaeologists Risk Their Lives To Protect Ancient Heritage (NPR)

Academic "Monuments Men" have donned disguises and dodged snipers to help save their country's cultural riches from looting and destruction. Heritage experts warn the losses so far are incalculable.

 

Venezuela's Maduro says U.S. sanctions seek to topple his government

(Reuters) - A furious Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday U.S. sanction measures were intended to topple his socialist government.mf

 

Mexico official: 14 police arrested for kidnap, extortion (AP)

 Mexican troops have detained 15 federal police officers on charges of kidnapping the owner of a construction company in the northern border city of Matamoros and demanding a $2 million (31 million peso) ransom, a government official said Saturday.

 

Saudi Arabia eclipses India as world's largest weapons importer (JPost)

According to the last publication by the Global Defense Trade Report,  in 2014 Saudi Arabia has become the largest importer of military hardware in the world, surpassing nuclear powers such as India and China, which now rank second and third respectively. 

 

Gang-raped Saudi woman sentenced to 200 lashes, 6-months in jail (JPost) -- 28 year old Saudi woman has been sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in jail for indecency and speaking out to media about her subjection to a gang rape in 2006, Iranian PressTVreported Saturday.

 

Four suicide bombings in Nigeria. Is this Boko Haram's last gasp? (+video) (CS Monitor)

 Four suicide bombings in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri Saturday left at least 54 people dead and 143 injured, according to The Associated Press... Boko Haram began using teenage females – perhaps from among the hostages taken –  for the first time last year as suicide bombers… By some estimates, more than 13,000 people have been killed in the five years since the Nigerian insurgency began.

 

ISIS bulldozes ancient city of Hatra (+video)

Iraqi official say Islamic State militant have begun demolishing the ancient archaeological site of Hatra. Hatra is an ancient fortified city that was the capital of the first Arab kingdom. It is a UNESCO world heritage site. 


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