ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

April 3, 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.

• U.S. border authorities hold migrant families in a pen under an El Paso bridge (Los Angeles Times)
• Trump plans to cut U.S. aid to 3 Central American countries (Washington Post)
• Dems escalate Mueller demands with subpoena  (The Hill)
• Joe Biden, in Video, Says He Will Be ‘More Mindful’ of Personal Space (New York Times)
• Just How Bad Is the Gender Pay Gap? Brutal, When You Look at a Lifetime of Work  (Time)
• House Democrats seek six years of Trump’s tax returns, setting stage for fight

WORLD

• Brunei introduces death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, despite international outcry (New York Times)
• What we aren’t eating is killing us, global study finds (CNN)
• Here's Who Could Replace Theresa May as U.K. Prime Minister if She's Pushed Out Over Brexit (Time)
• George Clooney calls for hotel boycott over Brunei LGBT death penalty (CNN)
• Radiation concerns halt Brussels 5G development, for now (Brussels Times)
• Facebook to consider live video restrictions after NZ attacks (BBC)

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

U.S.

U.S. border authorities hold migrant families in a pen under an El Paso bridge (Los Angeles Times)

Rows of families, including small children and babies, lay directly on the dirt floor. Some had been living like this, exposed to the elements under an El Paso bridge, for four days, held there by U.S. border authorities.

Trump plans to cut U.S. aid to 3 Central American countries (Washington Post)

The move against El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras deepens White House confrontations with Latin America over a surge in irregular migrations, including asylum seekers and others. Critics say the move is counterproductive and might increase migration.

Dems escalate Mueller demands with subpoena  (The Hill)

Democrats say it is up to Attorney General William Barr whether they move forward with a subpoena demanding the full release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.  The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted along party lines to authorize Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) to issue the order at a time of his choosing.

Joe Biden, in Video, Says He Will Be ‘More Mindful’ of Personal Space (New York Times)

For five days, Joseph R. Biden Jr. remained in the background as four women came forward saying they had been uncomfortable with the ways he had touched them…On Wednesday, Mr. Biden decided he needed to address the matter — and his future as a possible presidential candidate — personally…He released a seemingly homemade video, laying out his views on connecting with voters emotionally and even physically, and vowing to “be more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space.” “In my career, I’ve always tried to make a human connection — that’s my responsibility, I think,” said Mr. Biden…“I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, ‘You can do this.’”

Just How Bad Is the Gender Pay Gap? Brutal, When You Look at a Lifetime of Work  (Time)

Every cause has its day, and Tuesday is Equal Pay Day, a reminder from the National Committee on Pay Equity that there is an ugly disparity between how much men and women earn in America, even when working identical jobs.

House Democrats seek six years of Trump’s tax returns, setting stage for fight

“This request is about policy, not politics,” the Ways and Means Committee chairman said. The president has said he does not plan to hand over his tax returns to Congress — and that he would fight it to the Supreme Court, according to two administration officials.

WORLD

Brunei introduces death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, despite international outcry (New York Times)

A harsh new criminal law in Brunei — which includes death by stoning for sex between men or for adultery, and amputation of limbs for theft — went into effect on Wednesday, despite an international outcry from other countries, rights groups, celebrities and students.

What we aren’t eating is killing us, global study finds (CNN)

Which risk factor is responsible for more deaths around the world than any other? Not smoking. Not even high blood pressure. It's a poor diet. "In many countries, poor diet now causes more deaths than tobacco smoking and high blood pressure," said Ashkan Afshin, an assistant professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. And it's not just that people are choosing unhealthy options such as red meat and sugary sodas. Just as critical, said Afshin, the lead author of a 27-year global diet analysis published Wednesday in the journal the Lancet, is the lack of healthy foods in our diets, along with high levels of salt.

Here's Who Could Replace Theresa May as U.K. Prime Minister if She's Pushed Out Over Brexit (Time)

In a closed-off meeting in the U.K. Parliament with members of her ruling Conservative Party on Wednesday evening, a beleaguered Theresa May told colleagues she would step down.

George Clooney calls for hotel boycott over Brunei LGBT death penalty (CNN)

Film star George Clooney has called for a boycott of nine hotels because of their links to Brunei, where homosexual acts will from next week be punishable by death…They include the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Bel-Air in Los Angeles, the Dorchester in London and Le Meurice in Paris.

Radiation concerns halt Brussels 5G development, for now (Brussels Times)

…In July, the government concluded an agreement with three telecom operators to relax the strict radiation standards in Brussels. But according to the Region, it is now impossible to estimate the radiation from the antennas required for the service.  "I cannot welcome such technology if the radiation standards, which must protect the citizen, are not respected, 5G or not," Environment minister Céline Fremault (CDH) told Bruzz. "The people of Brussels are not guinea pigs whose health I can sell at a profit.”

Facebook to consider live video restrictions after NZ attacks (BBC)

Facebook has promised to explore restrictions on live-streaming, two weeks after it was used during gun attacks on two mosques in New Zealand.