ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

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June 29, 2021 (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.

World

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

U.S.

Republicans back on board after Biden's infrastructure clean-up (Politico)

President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda appears back on track in Congress, with Republicans praising his newly clarified approach to their bipartisan infrastructure plan and a key Democrat endorsing work on a separate, larger spending package. Two GOP negotiators on the bipartisan infrastructure deal said Sunday that they were mollified by Biden's Saturday statement vowing to support the bipartisan framework on its own merits, rather than withholding his signature until he also received a larger, partisan proposal.

Biden administration sues Georgia over its GOP-enacted voter restrictions (Politico)

The move comes as Republicans nationwide are enacting laws that disproportionately affect Democratic-leaning voters and people of color… And Kristen Clarke, the head of the department’s Civil Rights Division, said … “The provisions we are challenging reduce access to absentee voting at each step of the process, pushing more Black voters to in-person voting where they will be more likely than white voters to confront long lines,” she said… One of the provisions of the bill that caught the most attention was a prohibition on “line warming” — the practice of sharing food and water with voters waiting in line — that Clarke said the Justice Department will also be challenging.

U.S. lays out plan to confront white supremacist violence (Reuters)

President Joe Biden's administration on Tuesday unveiled a plan to address the threat of violence posed by white supremacists and militias, five months after members of those groups joined in a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. The White House released a 30-page plan for increased information sharing between federal and local officials and social media companies, additional resources to identify and prosecute threats and new deterrents to prevent Americans from joining dangerous groups.

The American West is drying out. Things will get ugly (CNN)

The incredible pictures of a depleted Lake Mead, on the California-Nevada border, illustrate the effects of drought brought on by climate change. Later this year, the US government will almost certainly declare the first-ever water shortage along the Colorado River. Maps show more than a quarter of the US is in "exceptional drought," underscoring the scope of a decades-long dry-out. Stories are popping up across the West of possible rationing, coming restrictions and looming standoffs between farmers and the government over the most precious natural resource.

Those missing in Florida condo collapse were a diverse group (Los AngelesTimes)

The people inside Champlain Towers South reflected the Miami area’s mix of South American immigrants and tourists, Orthodox Jews and retirees.

Pelosi Announces Select Committee to Probe Jan. 6 Attack on US Capitol (NBC San Diego)

Pelosi said the committee will "investigate and report on the facts and the causes of the attack and it will report recommendations for the prevention of any future attack”

Pacific Northwest bakes under once-in-a-millennium heat dome(CBS)

The heat wave baking the U.S. Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, Canada, is of an intensity never recorded by modern humans. By one measure it is more rare than a once in a 1,000 year event — which means that if you could live in this particular spot for 1,000 years, you'd likely only experience a heat dome like this once, if ever.  

White House reiterates opposition to raising gas tax amid infrastructure debate (The Hill)

The White House has reiterated its opposition to raising the gas tax in a new statement issued Friday as lawmakers negotiate an infrastructure proposal. The Biden administration indicated that it considers raising the gas tax, including indexing it to inflation, a tax on low- and middle-income Americans. 

Developer officially cancels Keystone XL pipeline project blocked by Biden (Reuters)



A $9 billion oil pipeline that became a symbol of the rising political clout of climate change advocates and a flash point in U.S.-Canada relations was officially canceled on Wednesday.

Heavier passengers on planes mean new safety limits for airlines (Fox)

Passengers keep getting bigger. Now airlines must account more accurately for that. / The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring updates to passenger and baggage weight estimates that airlines use to keep each flight within airplane safety limits. Each U.S. airline must submit a plan by June 12 explaining which average weights for passengers and baggage they’ll use, down to phones and clothing, and how they estimated those weights. The FAA must approve each airline’s plan

World

In Canada, Another ‘Horrific’ Discovery of Indigenous Children’s Remains(New York Times)

An Indigenous group said the remains of as many as 751 people, mainly children, had been found in unmarked graves on the site of a former boarding school in Saskatchewan.

Far apart at first summit, Biden and Putin agree to steps on cybersecurity, arms control (Reuters)

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Wednesday to begin cybersecurity and arms control talks at a summit that highlighted their discord on those issues, human rights and Ukraine.

How 165 Words Could Make Mass Environmental Destruction An International Crime(NPR)

Mass environmental destruction, known as ecocide, would become an international crime similar to genocide and war crimes under a proposed new legal definition. The definition's unveiling last week by a panel of 12 lawyers from around the world marks a big first step in the global campaign's efforts to prevent future environmental disasters like the deforestation of the Amazon or actions that contribute to climate change. There are currently four core international crimes: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. These crimes are dealt with by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Embarrassing defeat as UK PM Johnson’s party loses out at election (Reuters)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered an embarrassing defeat in a election on the outskirts of London on Friday, when his governing Conservative Party lost a previously safe parliamentary seat to the Liberal Democrats.

Hard-Line Judiciary Head Wins Iran's Presidency Amid A Low Turnout (NPR)

Iran's hard-line judiciary chief won a landslide victory Saturday in the country's presidential election, a vote that both propelled the supreme leader's protege into Tehran's highest civilian position and saw the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republic's history.

North Korean hacking group allegedly behind breach of South Korean nuclear institute (ZD net)

A high-profile North Korean hacking group has allegedly struck again in South Korea, this time breaching the security of its nuclear research institute.


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