ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

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September 12, 2018 (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 news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

INTERNATIONAL

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

U.S.

10 Million Under Hurricane Watches or Warnings as Hurricane Florence Grows (Time.com)

… Hurricane Florence’s predicted path shows the storm’s center could make landfall on the coast of North and South Carolina around 2 a.m. Friday as a major hurricane. Tropical storm-force winds could hit the eastern seaboard early Thursday. From Thursday night through the rest of the weekend, an area from Northern Florida to Southern New Jersey — and as far inland as Kentucky and Tennessee — could experience tropical storm-force winds.

Federal deficit soars 32 percent to $895 billion (The Hill)

…The nonpartisan CBO reported that the central drivers of the increasing deficit were the Republican tax law and the bipartisan agreement to increase spending. As a result, revenue only rose 1 percent, failing to keep up with a 7 percent surge in spending, it added.

U.S. wages growing at fastest rate in 9 years as unemployment stays at 3.9 percent (Washington Post)

Washington Post - US wages growing at fastest rate in 9 years as unemployment for under-educated minorities at all-time-low.

Trump administration took nearly $10 million from FEMA's budget to support ICE, documents show (USA Today)

The Trump administration took nearly $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's budget this summer to help boost U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to budget documents shared with USA TODAY. The revelation, just ahead of Hurricane Florence's expected landfall in North and South Carolina, was found by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who first shared the documents live on MSNBC late Tuesday…

Trump calls storm response in Puerto Rico 'incredibly successful' — recent studies show nearly 3,000 died (San Diego Union-Tribune)

With a powerful hurricane bearing down on the southeast coast, President Trump on Tuesday turned attention back to the federal government's response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico a year ago, deeming it "incredibly successful" even though a recent federal report found that nearly 3,000 people died.

New Bob Woodward book, "Fear," reveals staff dysfunction at Trump White House (CBS)

Bob Woodward's new book "Fear"…reveals vivid accounts of dysfunction behind the scenes in the Trump White House. The book is based on interviews with top administration officials and sources close to the administration …Woodward describes a "nervous breakdown" within the administration and quotes senior Trump staffers expressing negative views of their boss. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reportedly told associates that Mr. Trump had the behavior and the understanding of "a fifth- or sixth-grader." Current Chief of Staff John Kelly…told fellow staff members, "He's gone off the rails. We're in Crazytown.”

Trump signs order to enable sanctions for U.S. election meddling (Reuters)

Under fire over his handling of Russian election meddling, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday meant to strengthen election security by slapping sanctions on foreign countries or people who try to interfere in the U.S. political process.

Hacking, cyberattacks now the biggest threat to US, Homeland Security chief warns (Washington Post)

Cyberweapons and sophisticated hacking pose a greater threat to the United States than the risk of physical attacks, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Wednesday while urging state election officials to add more safeguards to their voting systems.  In a speech timed to next week's anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and amid worries about interference in coming U.S. elections, Nielsen said the Department of Homeland Security is facing down an array of cyberthreats from hostile foreign governments, extremist groups and transnational criminals.

INTERNATIONAL

One killed, 32 missing after quake paralyzes Japan's Hokkaido island (Reuters)

At least one person was killed and 32 were missing, Japanese media reported, after a powerful earthquake paralyzed the northern island of Hokkaido on Thursday, triggering landslides and knocking out power to its 5.3 million residents.

Japanese nuclear station on emergency power after quake revives Fukushima memories (Reuters)

A Japanese nuclear energy station is relying on emergency backup power after a powerful earthquake knocked out electricity on the northern island of Hokkaido on Thursday, a stark reminder of the Fukushima disaster more than seven years ago.

Foreigners face online preaching ban in China (Newsweek)

China has released a draft law this week to ban all foreigners from promoting and preaching religions online within the country.

Russian police detain nearly 300 protesting against pension reform (Reuters)

Thousands of supporters of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny protested across Russia on Sunday against planned increases to the pension age, with a rights group saying at least 291 of them had been detained by the police.


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