ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

January 1, 2014 (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.

• A Struggle to Balance Wind Energy With Wildlife (New York Times)
• Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished (Washington Post)
• Time Is Running Out To Save Florida's Oranges (NPR)
• Colorado and Washington brace for marijuana tourism surge (RawStory)
• How To Protect Yourself And Your Data After Target Hacker Breach (NPR)
• Fear and hopelessness as families prepare to lose unemployment benefits (Buzzfeed)
• Federal judge: NSA data collection is lawful 'counter-punch' against terror (CS Monitor)
• Boy Scouts of America to open ranks to gay youths Jan. 1 (CBS)
• Pennsylvania court: Towns can restrict fracking(APM: Marketplace)
• FBI Spooks (Reason)

WORLD

• Russian Bombings Kill 31, Raise Olympic Security Fears (KPBS)
• Israel to release some Palestinian prisoners, build 1,400 new West Bank homes (CS Monitor)
• El Salvador volcano erupts, evacuations ordered (Reuters)
• Americans Are Safely Airlifted Out Of South Sudan (NPR)
• Thousands demand Italian government resign in Rome rally (Reuters)
• Egypt's Morsi to be tried on conspiracy charges (CS Monitor)
• Exclusive: Assad's secret oil lifeline: Iraqi crude from Egypt (Reuters)
• Why Canada's high court lifted a ban on brothels (CS Monitor)
• 'Jihad Tourism': From Germany To The Syrian Battlefield (NPR)

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

U.S.

A Struggle to Balance Wind Energy With Wildlife (New York Times)

As the Obama administration seeks to clear a path for more renewable energy projects, it has increasingly found itself caught between two staunch allies: the wind energy industry and environmental organizations. Tensions between both groups and the administration have risen since a new federal rule was announced this month allowing wind farms to lawfully kill bald and golden eagles under 30-year permits.

Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished (Washington Post)

“I am not trying to bring down the NSA, I am working to improve the NSA,” he said. “I am still working for the NSA right now. They are the only ones who don’t realize it.” 

Time Is Running Out To Save Florida's Oranges (NPR)

Scientists and growers are in a bitter fight against citrus greening, a disease that has devastated Florida's orange and grapefruit crops. They fear that unless scientists find a cure for greening soon, it's just a matter of time before economic realities and the disease force growers out of business.

Colorado and Washington brace for marijuana tourism surge (RawStory)

Marijuana users in Colorado and Washington are counting down the hours before the western US states become the first to legalize recreational pot shops on January 1. Blazing a trail they hope will be followed in other parts of the United States, cannabis growers and others are also rubbing their hands, while tax collectors are eyeing the revenue the newly-legalized trade will generate. Enterprising companies are even offering marijuana tours to cash in on tourists expected to be attracted to a Netherlands-style pot culture — including in Colorado’s famous ski resorts.

How To Protect Yourself And Your Data After Target Hacker Breach (NPR)

It was reported that some 40 million people may have been victims of a hacking spree at Target recently. What should people who may have been in that group do now to protect themselves and their accounts? Robert Siegel speaks with Mark Rasch, a security expert and former Department of Justice cyber crime prosecutor, for more advice for those who may have been affected.

Fear and hopelessness as families prepare to lose unemployment benefits (Buzzfeed)

About 1.3 million long-term unemployed Americans will stop receiving federal unemployment benefits beginning Saturday, the consequence over a debate in Washington about the size and role of government. House Republicans have refused to fund the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, which provides federal funds to job seekers who have exhausted their state benefits saying they won’t approve money for the program without a way to offset the cost that doesn’t include more taxes.

Federal judge: NSA data collection is lawful 'counter-punch' against terror (CS Monitor)

A federal district judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit brought by the ACLU, which challenged the NSA program. The ruling conflicts with one issued by another federal judge earlier this month.... However, both of these decisions must go up to the appellate level before being taken up by theUS Supreme Court, legal experts point out.

Boy Scouts of America to open ranks to gay youths Jan. 1 (CBS)

The Boy Scouts of America will accept openly gay youths starting on New Year's Day, a historic change that has prompted the BSA to ponder a host of potential complications - ranging from policies on tentmates and showers to whether Scouts can march in gay pride parades.

Pennsylvania court: Towns can restrict fracking(APM: Marketplace)

 The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has tossed out major provisions of Act 13 -- a state law that would have allowed gas companies to drill anywhere, without having to worry about local zoning laws.  There’s a fundamental question of land use here: Who’s in charge? It’s popping up around the country in places like Colorado, Texas, and New York. “Do states decide?  Do local governments decide? Do they work together?

FBI Spooks (Reason)

 The National Security Agency isn't the only arm of the government in the surveillance business. According to a September report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), "every 90 days for the past seven years the FBI has obtained secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court orders compelling telecommunications companies to provide the government with the toll billing records of every American's telephone calls, domestic and international, on an ongoing daily basis."

WORLD

Russian Bombings Kill 31, Raise Olympic Security Fears (KPBS)

Two suicide bombings in as many days have raised concerns that separatist militants have begun a terrorist campaign in Russia that could stretch into the Winter Olympics in February.... The two bombings killed 31 people and wounded 104, according to Russia's health ministry. As of late Monday, 58 victims were still hospitalized, many in grave condition.

Israel to release some Palestinian prisoners, build 1,400 new West Bank homes (CS Monitor)

US officials say Israel plans to release about two dozen Palestinian prisoners on Dec. 30, the third group to be freed since peace talks resumed. Israeli officials also say 1,400 new homes will be added settlements in the West Bank.

El Salvador volcano erupts, evacuations ordered (Reuters)

 The Chaparrastique volcano in eastern El Salvador belched a column of hot ash high into the air on Sunday, frightening nearby residents and prompting authorities to order evacuations in the area.

Americans Are Safely Airlifted Out Of South Sudan (NPR)

 A day after abandoning a rescue mission because of incoming fire, American citizens were safely airlifted from Bor, South Sudan, on Sunday.  State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki ... said that so far about 380 American officials and private citizens and 300 foreign nationals have been airlifted from the country.

Thousands demand Italian government resign in Rome rally (Reuters)

 Thousands of protesters furious about high unemployment and a political class they regard as corrupt rallied in central Rome on Wednesday demanding the resignation of Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta's government.

Egypt's Morsi to be tried on conspiracy charges (CS Monitor)

Egypt's top prosecutor referred toppled Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to trial Wednesday for conspiring with the Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and others to carry out a campaign of violence in the Sinai Peninsula and beyond to destabilize the country following his ouster

Exclusive: Assad's secret oil lifeline: Iraqi crude from Egypt (Reuters)

 The Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad has received substantial imports of Iraqi crude oil from an Egyptian port in the last nine months, shipping and payments documents show, part of an under-the-radar trade that has kept his military running despite Western sanctions.

Why Canada's high court lifted a ban on brothels (CS Monitor)

 The court, ruling in a case brought by three women in the sex trade, struck down all three of Canada's prostitution-related laws: bans on keeping a brothel, making a living from prostitution, and street soliciting. The ruling won't take effect immediately, however, because the court gave Parliament a year to respond with new legislation, and said the existing laws would remain in place until then.

'Jihad Tourism': From Germany To The Syrian Battlefield (NPR)

 More than 240 people have left Germany to join the civil war in Syria — the largest reported number from a European country. Some officials fear the radicalized German fighters could eventually pose a security threat to Europe.... Officials tell NPR that many of the people going to Syria from Germany — in what is being dubbed "jihad tourism" — are German-born Muslims of foreign descent.