ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

August 28, 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.

• Dorian intensifies to a hurricane over U.S. Virgin Islands and is a growing threat to Southeast U.S (Washington Post)
• Costs to mail ballots may skyrocket for civilians, military living overseas (Fulcrum) 
• ICE removes hotline for detained immigrants (NBC 7)
• A Jewish movement against ICE takes off by deploying its most famous mantra (Religion News)
• SpaceX's Mars rocket prototype rattles nearby residents in Texas flight test (Reuters) 

WORLD

•  Why the Amazon rain forest could be at risk of collapsing (CBS News)
• G7: Trump skips talks on climate crisis and Amazon fires (Reuters)
• Parliament suspension: Queen approves prime minister’s plan (BBC)
• 23 killed in attack on bar in southern Mexico (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Hong Kong protesters form 28-mile human chain demanding democracy (NBC)

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

U.S.

Dorian intensifies to a hurricane over U.S. Virgin Islands and is a growing threat to Southeast U.S. (Washington Post)

Dorian could be a major, Category 3 hurricane as it approaches the mainland United States on Labor Day weekend.

Costs to mail ballots may skyrocket for civilians, military living overseas (Fulcrum) 

Election officials are growing increasingly concerned that the Trump administration's trade war with China could make it more difficult and expensive for overseas voters — including those in the military — to cast ballots in the 2019 and 2020 local, state and federal elections. The issue is the pending withdrawal in October by the U.S. from the Universal Postal Union, a group of 192 nations that has governed international postal service and rates for 145 years.

ICE removes hotline for detained immigrants (NBC 7)

A hotline for those being held in immigration detention facilities was removed by ICE, which sparked backlash from some.

A Jewish movement against ICE takes off by deploying its most famous mantra (Religion News)

It started with a call on Facebook to demonstrate against the country’s increasingly hostile immigration policies. Earlier this summer, Serena Adlerstein, a 25-year-old Jewish volunteer for a nonprofit that promotes immigrant rights, asked her Facebook friends: “What if young Jews occupied ICE detention centers and shut them down? …To date, there have been 37 demonstrations, all under the banner of Never Again Action. 

SpaceX's Mars rocket prototype rattles nearby residents in Texas flight test (Reuters) 

SpaceX test-launched an early prototype of the company’s Mars rocket on Tuesday, unnerving residents near the Texas site and clearing another key hurdle in billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s interplanetary ambitions. 

WORLD

Why the Amazon rain forest could be at risk of collapsing (CBS News)

French President Emmanuel Macron wants the wildfires raging in the Amazon rainforest to be on the agenda at this weekend's G-7 summit. And even Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who previously described rainforest protection as an obstacle to his country's economic development, has authorized the military to join the firefighting efforts.

G7: Trump skips talks on climate crisis and Amazon fires (Reuters)

Donald Trump did not attend Monday’s crucial discussion on climate and biodiversity at the G7 meeting of international leaders in Biarritz, missing talks on how to deal with the Amazon rainforest fires as well as new ways to cut carbon emissions. Reporters noticed at the start of the session that the US president’s chair was empty. Trump was later asked by reporters covering a meeting with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, whether he had attended the climate session. He replied: “We’re having it in a little while.” He did not appear to hear when a reporter told him it had just taken place.

Parliament suspension: Queen approves prime minister’s plan (BBC)

Parliament will be suspended just days after MPs return to work in September - and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.  Boris Johnson said a Queen's Speech would take place after the suspension, on 14 October, to outline his "very exciting agenda". But it means the time MPs have to pass laws to stop a no-deal Brexit on 31 October would be cut. 

23 killed in attack on bar in southern Mexico (San Diego Union-Tribune)

An attack on a bar in Mexico’s Gulf coast city of Coatzacoalcos killed 23 people and injured 13 late Tuesday. The attackers started a fire that ripped through the bar, killing eight women and 15 men. There was no immediate information on the condition of the injured…Veracruz Gov. Cuitlahuac Garcia suggested that a gang dispute was involved in the attack.

Hong Kong protesters form 28-mile human chain demanding democracy (NBC)

Inspired by the 1989 "Baltic Way," Hong Kongers held hands across the city in protest of the government.