ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

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December 5, 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.

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

U.S.

Senate passes landmark protections for same-sex marriage (The Hill)

Senators on Tuesday passed legislation cementing federal protections for same-sex marriage, a historic step that follows months of bipartisan negotiations and puts the landmark bill just steps away from becoming law..

Trump calls for the termination of the Constitution in Truth Social post (CNN)

 Former President Donald Trump called for the termination of the Constitution to overturn the 2020 election and reinstate him to power Saturday in a continuation of his election denialism and pushing of fringe conspiracy theories.

Stewart Rhodes and fellow member of Oath Keepers found guilty of sedition (CNN)

The US attorney general and federal investigators said the conviction of several members of the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia group, for their role in the Jan. 6 insurrection sends a message that attempts to undermine democracy will not be tolerated.

Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the world's biggest active volcano, erupts after 38 years (NPR)

The [U.S. Geological Survey] designated the volcano alert level as "warning," meaning "hazardous eruption is imminent, underway or suspected."  As of Monday morning there had been no calls for evacuation. The mayor of Hawaii County, Mitch Roth, said the eruption does not appear to be threatening any downslope communities. But as a precaution, the Hawaii government opened shelters for those who chose to evacuate at the Old Kona Airport in Kailua-Kona and Ka'u gym in Pahala.

McConnell says there’s ‘widespread agreement’ among leaders on need for omnibus (The Hill)

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) announced Tuesday that there is “widespread agreement” among leaders in Washington about the need to pass an omnibus spending package next month, despite calls from conservatives to punt such decisions into next year.  But the GOP leader cautioned there are “significant hurdles” to reaching a deal, which means talks could drag right up until Christmas to avoid a government shutdown.  

Olivia Pichardo is the first woman to make roster of Division I baseball team  (NPR)

When Brown University's baseball season starts in February, one of the players taking the field will make history. Olivia Pichardo, a first-year student from Queens, N.Y., will be first woman on the roster of a Division I college baseball team in the U.S.

Supreme Court hears challenge to Biden rules narrowing ICE immigration arrests (CBS)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard oral arguments in a case that could have major implications on the power of the executive branch to issue rules governing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, as well as the ability of states and organizations to challenge those directives.

Trump Owed Hidden Debt While In Office (Forbes)

Buried in a heap of recently released financial paperwork sits a surprising revelation: Donald Trump had a foreign creditor he failed to disclose while running for president in 2016 and after assuming office in 2017. …The debt stems from an agreement Trump struck to share some of his licensing fees with Daewoo, a South Korean conglomerate ...There’s little doubt that if the world had known about the debt while Trump was president, it would have sparked conflicts-of-interest concerns, perhaps heightened by Daewoo’s historical ties to North Korea.

Owing nearly $1.5B to Sandy Hook families, Infowars host Alex Jones files for personal bankruptcy (PBS)

Infowars host Alex Jones filed for personal bankruptcy protection in Texas on Friday as he faces nearly $1.5 billion in court judgments over conspiracy theories he spread about the Sandy Hook school massacre…. A Connecticut jury in October awarded the families $965 million in compensatory damages, and a judge later tacked on another $473 million in punitive damages.

WORLD

China clamps down on ‘zero covid’ protests, loosens some pandemic measures  (Washington Post)

Beijing relaxed some “zero covid” measures while stepping up censorship and making arrests amid more small protests.

A ‘barbed wire curtain’ rises in Europe amid war in Ukraine (AP)

The long border between Finland and Russia runs through thick forests … Earlier this month, Polish soldiers began laying coils of razor wire on the border with Kaliningrad, a part of Russian territory separated from the country and wedged between Poland and Lithuania. Cameras and an electronic monitoring system also will be installed on the area that once was guarded only by occasional patrols of border guards.   The fall of the Berlin Wall more than 30 years ago symbolized hope for cooperation with Moscow. Now, Russia’s war in Ukraine has ushered in a new era of confrontation in Europe — and the rise of new barriers

NATO vows more help for Ukraine as Russia attacks on multiple fronts (Reuters)

NATO allies promised more arms for Kyiv and equipment to help restore Ukrainian power and heat knocked out by Russian strikes, as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Moscow's forces were attempting to advance in multiple regions.  Ukrainians on Tuesday fled for bomb shelters after air-raid warning sirens, although the all-clear later sounded across the country. In the eastern Donetsk region Russian forces pounded Ukrainian targets with artillery, mortar and tank fire.

U.S. Pledges $53 Million to Help Fix Ukraine’s Electrical Grid  (New York Times)

U.S. officials said they hoped the commitment would spur allies to make similar donations, as many Ukrainians head into winter without power or heat.

Scotland cannot hold an independence referendum without UK government approval, top court rules (CNBC)

The U.K.'s Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Scottish government it cannot hold a fresh independence referendum without the U.K. government's consent. / Supreme Court President Lord Reed said in broadcast remarks that the Scottish Parliament did not have the power to legislate on matters reserved to the U.K. Parliament, including the union.

Twin blasts near bus stops shake Jerusalem, killing a teen and hurting 18 other people  (NPR)

Two blasts went off near bus stops in Jerusalem at the height of morning rush hour on Wednesday, killing a Canadian-Israeli teenager and injuring at least 18, in what police said were suspected attacks by Palestinians.

Georgians alarmed at the arrival of tens of thousands of Russian exiles  (NPR)

A small country bordering Russia and partly occupied by it is alarmed by the recent arrival of tens of thousands of Russian men fleeing conscription into the Ukraine war.

For Afghans who fought against the Taliban, life is fraught under their rule  (NPR)

When the Afghan republic collapsed last year, so too did its U.S.-backed military. Overnight, tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers lost their jobs and suddenly found themselves living under the thumb of those they spent two decades fighting. Ever since, life has radically changed for them.



 

 


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