ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

May 7, 2022 (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.

• Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows (Politico)
• Why overturning Roe v. Wade would threaten access to birth control (Today)
• Abortion law could soon be in the hands of states — creating new issues (NPR)
• ‘Potentially historic’ wildfire event threatens New Mexico, Southwest (Washington Post)
• Trump election probe special grand jury selected in Atlanta (Associated Press)
• Brooklyn Subway Attack Suspect Is Ordered Held Without Bail (New York Times)
• Cheney says Jan. 6 committee has enough evidence for a criminal referral for Trump (Politico) 
• GOP votes to withdraw from presidential debate panel (The Hill)

WORLD

Ukraine war

• Ukrainian farmers struggle after Russian forces damage and destroy farmland  (NPR)
• Russia warns of nuclear, hypersonic deployment if Sweden and Finland join NATO (Reuters)
  
  What Would Happen If Russia Invaded Finland? Experts Weigh In (Newsweek)
• Mariupol mass grave: Satellite images suggest location of up to 9,000 bodies (NPR)
• Pentagon monitoring reports of possible Russian chemical weapons attack in Mariupol (CNBC)
• Russia says flagship missile cruiser has sunk after explosion off coast of Ukraine (Washington Post)

Other world news stories

• Afghanistan's Taliban order women to cover up head to toe in hardline pivot, confirming rights groups' fears (USA Today)
• Brazil’s Amazon deforestation hits April record, nearly double previous peak (Reuters)
• At least three people were killed and four others injured in a terrorist attack in the Israeli city of Elad (Jerusalem Post)
• Gaza violence intensifies as Jerusalem clashes resume (NPR)

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

U.S.

Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows (Politico)

The Supreme Court has voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, according to an initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito circulated inside the court and obtained by POLITICO. The draft opinion is a full-throated, unflinching repudiation of the 1973 decision which guaranteed federal constitutional protections of abortion rights . . .

Why overturning Roe v. Wade would threaten access to birth control (Today)

Dismantling Roe v. Wade could have far-reaching implications for reproductive health care and beyond… Undoing Roe v. Wade and eliminating the right to abortion access opens up the door to dismantling other rights that have previously been protected under that implied right to privacy. That can include the right to same-sex marriage and interracial marriage, as well as the right to decide certain aspects of your child's education…

Abortion law could soon be in the hands of states — creating new issues (NPR)

Abortion law could soon be in the hands of states. A draft opinion leaked earlier this week suggests the Supreme Court may soon overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion ruling. If that happens, more than two dozen states are expected to ban abortion. Some lawmakers are also trying to keep people from pursuing options in states where abortion will remain legal. All this is gray legal territory…

‘Potentially historic’ wildfire event threatens New Mexico, Southwest (Washington Post)

Critical-to-extreme wildfire conditions are about to take hold of the southwestern United States and parts of Colorado, leading into what could be a lengthy, multiday and memorable outbreak of wildfires and/or wildfire conditions…a number of ongoing fires will continue to burn and be made worse by this weekend’s weather. New ignitions are also anticipated, which could rapidly grow out of control. Earlier this week, the Calf Canyon fire became New Mexico’s second-largest on record.

Trump election probe special grand jury selected in Atlanta (Associated Press)

A special grand jury was selected Monday for the investigation into whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia.

Brooklyn Subway Attack Suspect Is Ordered Held Without Bail (New York Times)

A judge ordered the suspect to be detained until trial, after prosecutors said he carried out an “entirely premeditated” shooting that left at least 30 injured.

Cheney says Jan. 6 committee has enough evidence for a criminal referral for Trump (Politico)

Her statement followed a New York Times report that said the panel is divided on whether to move forward.

GOP votes to withdraw from presidential debate panel (The Hill)

The Republican National Committee (RNC) voted Thursday to withdraw from the commission responsible for organizing presidential debates, taking a line from former President Trump, who has repeatedly leveled accusations of anti-Republican bias against the group. The unanimous vote by the RNC effectively bars its presidential nominees from participating in events organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), which has run such debates since 1988. 

WORLD

Ukraine war

Ukrainian farmers struggle after Russian forces damage and destroy farmland  (NPR)

Ukraine's Ministry of Agriculture now says that 30% of the country's farmland is occupied or unsafe.

Russia warns of nuclear, hypersonic deployment if Sweden and Finland join NATO (Reuters)

One of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies warned NATO on Thursday that if Sweden and Finland joined the U.S.-led military alliance then Russia would deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles in a European exclave.

What Would Happen If Russia Invaded Finland? Experts Weigh In (Newsweek)

The Nordic nations of Finland and Sweden will consider applying to join the NATO military alliance despite warnings from Russia that the countries should not change their current status.

Mariupol mass grave: Satellite images suggest location of up to 9,000 bodies (NPR)

The grave is located just 12 miles west of Mariupol, along the northwestern edge of Manhush. And it may be 20 times larger than the mass grave in Bucha, according to a Telegram post by the Mariupol City Council, and could hold up to 9,000 bodies.

Pentagon monitoring reports of possible Russian chemical weapons attack in Mariupol (CNBC)

Defense Department press secretary John Kirby said the Pentagon was closely monitoring reports Monday evening of a possible Russian chemical weapons attack on the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol. If Russia were found to have used chemical weapons in the strategic holdout city, it would represent a major escalation of the conflict and present a direct challenge to NATO to act.

Russia says flagship missile cruiser has sunk after explosion off coast of Ukraine (Washington Post)

The flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet sank after an attack from Ukrainian forces triggered a “significant explosion” as the vessel floated off the coast of Ukraine, U.S. officials said Thursday, with Moscow offering a competing claim about the cause of the destruction.

Other world news stories

Afghanistan's Taliban order women to cover up head to toe in hardline pivot, confirming rights groups' fears (USA Today)

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers on Saturday ordered all Afghan women to wear head-to-toe clothing in public – a sharp, hardline pivot that confirmed the worst fears of rights activists and was bound to further complicate the militant group's dealings with an already distrustful international community. It was the latest in a series of repressive edicts issued by the Taliban leadership…

Brazil’s Amazon deforestation hits April record, nearly double previous peak (Reuters)

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon surged to record levels for the month of April, nearly doubling the area of forest removed in that month last year -- the previous April record -- preliminary government data showed on Friday, alarming environmental campaigners.

At least three people were killed and four others injured in a terrorist attack in the Israeli city of Elad (Jerusalem Post)

…. according to reports, the victims were injured by two men, one wielding an ax, in two different locations including near Elad Amphitheater Park…. The attack comes toward the end of Independence Day, with many families gathering outdoors to celebrate the country’s 74th anniversary on Thursday evening. 

Gaza violence intensifies as Jerusalem clashes resume (NPR)

The latest Israeli-Palestinian tensions boiled over after a series of deadly attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, which then sparked days-long arrest raids by the military in a flashpoint West Bank city and spread into daily clashes in Jerusalem.