ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

August 13, 2014 (San Diego's East County)-- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide 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.

U.S. Attorney launches Civil Rights investigation into Michael Brown shooting (Time)

A U.S. attorney announced Wednesday that his office is investigating whether Missouri police violated any federal civil rights laws during Saturday’s shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager.

Police fire tear gas, stun guns in Missouri; Obama briefed (Reuters)

Police in Ferguson, Missouri, fired tear gas, stun grenades and smoke bombs, to disperse some 350 protesters late Wednesday, the fourth night of racially-charged demonstrations after police shot to death an unarmed black teen.

The O'Bannon ruling: College athletes win (New York Times editorial)

There are two important consequences of a long-awaited ruling last week by a federal judge, Claudia Wilken, in the so-called O’Bannon case. College athletes will almost certainly be better off financially. And the notion that these athletes are pure amateurs — “students first, athletes second” — will be impossible to sustain. In her 99-page decision, Judge Wilken issued an injunction against a ban on payments to players for the commercial use of their names, images and likenesses, which she said violated antitrust law.

U.S. Homeland Security contractor reports computer breach (Reuters)

A company that performs background checks for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday it was the victim of a cyber attack, adding in a statement that "it has all the markings of a state-sponsored attack."

As Texas steps up border security, critics decry militarization (CBS)

On Wednesday, Texas Governor Rick Perry visited National Guard troops who will soon beef up patrols along the border with Mexico. Perry says Texas had to act because the federal government has failed to secure the border.

WORLD

Iraq's Power Struggle: What You Need To Know (NPR)

 Iraq's Nouri al-Maliki is refusing to give up his position as prime minister, as the U.S. congratulates Shiite politician Haider al-Abadi.

ISIS gains control of key infrastructure in Iraq  (Marketplace.org)

ISIS militants in Iraq have managed to gain control of a key piece of infrastructure in the country, the Mosul Dam. It’s not the first time the group has taken over a supply of water, electricity, or oil.  It’s likely they will attempt to extort Iraqis in the area, who rely on the dam for water and power. ISIS has shown a “great ability to be self-supporting and self-financing and a great ability to carry out extortion schemes,” says Tim Arango, the Baghdad Bureau Chief for the New York Times.  The worry is that ISIS could open the Mosul Dam and flood the area, as they did with the Fallujah Dam earlier this year.

Pentagon 'very concerned' by IS threat, sees limits to air power, general says (+video) (CS Monitor)

 US operations against Islamic State (IS) fighters are 'limited in scope to protect US citizens and facilities' and are 'unlikely to affect' their advances in Iraq, a top Pentagon official says.

Gaza truce holds for second day (Reuters)

Both sides say talks are 'difficult' while UK threatens partial arms embargo on Israel if fighting resumes.

‘This Is a Full Blown Genocide’ (Voice of SD)

 One of the first and loudest voices to speak up for Iraqi citizens besieged by extremist group ISIS came from San Diego. 

 Will more Iraqis settle in San Diego?(U-T)

 San Diego County's more than 60,000 Iraqi immigrants could see their numbers swell. 

2 Top Khmer Rouge Leaders Sentenced To Life In Prison

(AP) -- A U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal on Thursday sentenced two top leaders of the former regime to life in prison on war crimes charges for their roles during the country's 1970s terror.

Pro-Israel students ‘assaulted’ at Boston protest (Times of Israel) -- Jewish students called ‘Jesus killers’ and swarmed by dozens of anti-Israel demonstrators at rally outside Israeli consulate

The Global Pogrom (Tower.org)

There comes a time when we have to start seeing the pattern, understanding its depth and meaning, and recognizing just how high are the stakes for the world we know…. The Global Pogrom has been under way for more than a decade. It has taken lives. It has destroyed property. It has injured, brutalized, and terrified Jews and Jewish communities in many nations. And it is creating a silent exodus, a de facto expulsion, an ethnic cleansing in slow motion.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

Comments

Violence in Missouri

Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I saw a "rubber bullet" and it's a huge steel slug with a thin rubber coating. Fired from a 12 gauge shotgun and police are trained to aim for your chest. Heart and lungs.