ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

September 29, 2015 (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.

• Pope tells Congress U.S. should reject hostility toward immigrants (Reuters/Moderate Voice)
• Here’s what’s in Donald Trump’s tax plan (Washington Post)
• FBI finds Hillary Clinton’s deleted 'personal' emails: What now? (+video)  CS Monitor
• NSA chief says Clinton emails were 'opportunity' for foreign powers (Reuters)
• No Fly Zone: Why TSA soon won't take some states' driver's licenses as ID (CS Monitor)
• Chinese activists in US blame Beijing for relentless cyberattacks (CS Monitor)
• Professor takes care of toddler: Should colleges provide free day care? (CS Monitor)
• American trained rebels gave equipment to al-Qaida Syria affiliate (JPost)
• OPM: millions more government fingerprints stolen in cyberattack (CS Monitor)
• Chinese jet buzzes US spy plane: Pattern of aggressiveness?  CS Monitor
• Banks must turn over Sudanese assets to USS Cole victims: U.S. court (Reuters)

WORLD

• Putin plans air strikes in Syria if no U.S. deal reached: Bloomberg (Reuters)
• Build a solar-powered school in rural Kenya – in 48 hours (CS Monitor)
• NHS uncovers 1,000 FGM cases in England  (BBC)
• Iraq says Russia, Iran, Syria cooperating on security issues in Baghdad (Reuters)
• Germany's Merkel says U.N. Security Council must be reformed (Reuters)
• As Europe embraces Syrians, a cooler reception for other refugees (CS Monitor)
• VW scandal exposes cozy ties between industry and Berlin (Reuters) - Angela Merkel learned early in her political career that taking on the German car industry carries risks.
  
  Volkswagen CEO Resigns, Saying He's 'Shocked' By Emissions Scandal (NPR)

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

U.S.

Pope tells Congress U.S. should reject hostility toward immigrants (Reuters, via the Moderate Voice)

Pope Francis told Congress on Thursday that the United States should reject hostility to immigrants and treat them humanely, directly addressing a thorny subject that is dividing the country and stirring debate in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Here’s what’s in Donald Trump’s tax plan (Washington Post)

Donald Trump unveiled a tax plan on Monday morning that he called a "common sense" proposal to simplify the tax code. The plan would increase taxes on the "very rich"; reduce taxes for most taxpayers; and eliminate federal income taxes for workers making less than $25,000 per year -- although they would be required to send a one-page document to the Internal Revenue Service that states, "I win."

FBI finds Hillary Clinton’s deleted 'personal' emails: What now? (+video)  CS Monitor

Presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's previously deleted emails are now in the hands of FBI agents. 

NSA chief says Clinton emails were 'opportunity' for foreign powers (Reuters)

It would present an "opportunity" for spy agencies if the foreign minister of Russia or Iran were to use a private email server for official business, the chief of the U.S. National Security Agency said on Thursday.

No Fly Zone: Why TSA soon won't take some states' driver's licenses as ID (CS Monitor)

New enforcement of a 10-year-old law could mean that residents of at least four states can't use their driver's licenses to get through airport security in 2016.  

Chinese activists in US blame Beijing for relentless cyberattacks (CS Monitor)

While criticism aimed at President Xi during his state visit has focused on China's suspected cyberattacks on US agencies and businesses, activists also say they are under constant digital assault from the Chinese government.

Professor takes care of toddler: Should colleges provide free day care? (CS Monitor)

According to the American Association of University Women, the college drop-out rates of female students who are also full-time parents is a growing problem in the US.

American trained rebels gave equipment to al-Qaida Syria affiliate (JPost)

Syrian rebels trained by the United States gave some of their equipment to the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in exchange for safe passage, a US military spokesman said on Friday, the latest blow to a troubled US effort to train local partners to fight Islamic State militants. 

OPM: millions more government fingerprints stolen in cyberattack (CS Monitor)

The number of federal security clearance holders whose fingerprint images were stolen in one of the worst government data breaches is now believed to be 5.6 million, not 1.1 million as first thought, the Office of Personnel Management announced Wednesday.

Chinese jet buzzes US spy plane: Pattern of aggressiveness?  CS Monitor

Last week, the Pentagon says a Chinese jet performed an 'unsafe' maneuver near a US aircraft. What does this say about China-US relations? 

Banks must turn over Sudanese assets to USS Cole victims: U.S. court (Reuters)

Three banks must turn over Sudanese funds to victims of al Qaeda's deadly 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen to help satisfy a $315 million judgment, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday.

WORLD

Putin plans air strikes in Syria if no U.S. deal reached: Bloomberg (Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for unilateral air strikes against Islamic State in Syria if the United States rejects his proposal to join forces, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the matter.

Build a solar-powered school in rural Kenya – in 48 hours (CS Monitor)

The flat-packed building kit from Aleutia, a British tech company, includes computers preloaded with educational resources.

NHS uncovers 1,000 FGM cases in England  (BBC)

There were more than 1,000 newly recorded cases of female genital mutilation in England between April and June, NHS data reveals.

Iraq says Russia, Iran, Syria cooperating on security issues in Baghdad (Reuters)

Iraq said on Saturday that its military officials were engaged in intelligence and security cooperation in Baghdad with Russia, Iran and Syria to counter the threat from the Islamic State militant group, a pact that could raise concerns in Washington.

Germany's Merkel says U.N. Security Council must be reformed (Reuters)

It is high time the United Nations Security Council is reformed to reflect the real distribution of power across the world in the 21st century, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday.

As Europe embraces Syrians, a cooler reception for other refugees (CS Monitor)

Europe is trying to fast-track asylum processing for Syrians. But that could leave other equally persecuted refugees tarred as 'bad' or 'lesser.'  

VW scandal exposes cozy ties between industry and Berlin (Reuters)

Angela Merkel learned early in her political career that taking on the German car industry carries risks.

Volkswagen CEO Resigns, Saying He's 'Shocked' By Emissions Scandal (NPR)

One day after acknowledging that 11 million Volkswagen-made cars have software that dupes emissions tests, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn says he is resigning from his post.