ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

September 18, 2020 (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.

• 'Play it down': Trump admits to concealing the true threat of coronavirus in new Woodward book (CNN)
• Federal judge temporarily blocks USPS operational changes amid concerns about mail slowdowns, election (Washington Post)
• Small-Business Owners Could Take a Huge Hit If USPS Financial Troubles Continue (Time)
• “Experimental concentration camp”: Whistleblower alleges women face hysterectomies in ICE detention (Yahoo News)
• Trump signs expanded new order to lower drug prices (Reuters)
• Trump fumbles during tough encounter with undecided voters (CNN)
• Nearly 20 Swing State Polls Were Released Today–Biden Leads In All Of Them (Forbes)

WORLD

• Afghan peace talks open with calls for ceasefire, women's rights (Reuters)
• Germany to Take In 1,500 Refugees, Easing Burden on Greece After Fires (New York Times)
• Barbados drops Queen Elizabeth II as head of state (ABC)
• Venezuelan Leaders Implicated in Crimes Against Humanity by U.N. Investigators  (New York Times)

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

U.S.

'Play it down': Trump admits to concealing the true threat of coronavirus in new Woodward book (CNN)

President Donald Trump admitted he knew weeks before the first confirmed US coronavirus death that the virus was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and "more deadly than even your strenuous flus," and that he repeatedly played it down publicly, according to legendary journalist Bob Woodward in his new book "Rage." "This is deadly stuff," Trump told Woodward on February 7…Trump told Woodward, adding that the coronavirus was maybe five times "more deadly" than the flu. Trump's admissions are in stark contrast to his frequent public comments at the time insisting that the virus was "going to disappear" and "all work out fine."

Federal judge temporarily blocks USPS operational changes amid concerns about mail slowdowns, election (Washington Post)

A federal judge in Washington state on Thursday granted a request from 14 states to temporarily block operational changes within the U.S. Postal Service that have been blamed for a slowdown in mail delivery, saying President Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy are “involved in a politically motivated attack” on the agency that could disrupt the 2020 election.

Without the USPS, entrepreneurs say they’d be forced to use private shipping companies at much higher rates, and potentially have to pass that cost on to customers

“Experimental concentration camp”: Whistleblower alleges women face hysterectomies in ICE detention (Yahoo News)

A nurse at a private Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) detention facility alleged that migrants face "medical neglect" and mass hysterectomies, according to a whistleblower complaint filed by multiple legal advocacy groups.

Trump signs expanded new order to lower drug prices (Reuters)

President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on Sunday aimed at lowering drug prices in the United States by linking them to those of other nations and expanding the scope of a July action.

Trump fumbles during tough encounter with undecided voters (CNN)

President Donald Trump faced life outside his own political bubble on Tuesday, where his self-congratulation, buck passing and audacious falsehoods conspicuously failed to meet the moment when he was confronted by undecided voters (at an ABC News town hall)…He said he did a "tremendous" job on the virus, insisted "it's going to disappear" and that "a lot of people think masks are not good." Asked who said masks aren't good, Trump replied, "Waiters." He bizarrely said "herd mentality" would make it go away…He also illogically complained that Biden, who has no power, had not followed through on a national mask mandate and claimed falsely the US response to the crisis was the best in the world (The U.S. has the most cases and most deaths). And the President denied any blame for how the pandemic has turned out -- placing the entire responsibility on China…

Nearly 20 Swing State Polls Were Released Today–Biden Leads In All Of Them (Forbes)

A total of 19 polls of voters in swing states from four different pollsters were released Thursday, with former Vice President Joe Biden leading President Trump in every single one, including in historically Republican states like Arizona, Georgia and Texas.

WORLD

Afghan peace talks open with calls for ceasefire, women's rights (Reuters)

Afghan government representatives and Taliban insurgents gathered on Saturday for historic peace talks aimed at ending two decades of war that has killed tens of thousands of combatants and civilians.

Germany to Take In 1,500 Refugees, Easing Burden on Greece After Fires (New York Times)

While it could prove politically unpopular, Angela Merkel’s government will accept more than 1,500 refugees now living in Greece. It appeared to be a challenge to other E.U. members to do their part.

Barbados drops Queen Elizabeth II as head of state (ABC)

Barbados announced plans to remove Queen Elizabeth II as head of state next year, marking the first time in nearly 30 years since a commonwealth country dropped a monarch.

Barbados Governor-General Sandra Mason made the announcement in a speech Tuesday, revealing that the Caribbean nation would move "toward full sovereignty and become a Republic" by Nov. 30, 2021 on the country's 55th anniversary of independence from the British empire.

Venezuelan Leaders Implicated in Crimes Against Humanity by U.N. Investigators  (New York Times)

President Nicolas Maduro and other high-ranking officials were accused of being behind the detention, torture and killing of government critics and assaults by state security services.