August 19, 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.

Presidential race

• More than 300 of Hillary Clinton's emails may have classified data (CS Monitor)
• Where does Bernie Sanders, the Jewish candidate, stand on Israel? (Jerusalem Post)
• Donald Trump: The 14^th Amendment is unconstitutional (Mother Jones)
• Huckabee backs denying abortion to 10-year-old raped by stepfather (Huffington Post)

Other national news

• Senator 'alarmed' by reports U.S. military families harassed (Reuters)
• The New, New Framework For AP U.S. History (NPR)
• Victims of attacks sue U.S. to keep Iran sanctions in place (Reuters)
•  Inside the Ring: NSA pinpoints China's cyberattacks (Washington Times)
• NSA Spying Relies on AT&T’s ‘Extreme Willingness to Help’ (Pro Publica)
• Federal Agencies Fight for Warrantless Access to Emails (Reason)

WORLD

• China Evacuates Tianjin Blast Site As Sodium Cyanide Found (NPR)
• Kayla Mueller: Why US hostage raped by ISIS leader refused to escape (CS Monitor)
• Toxic Wastewaster Spill In Colorado Highlights Problem Of Abandoned Mines (NPR)
• Fidel Castro to Obama: You owe us millions (+video) (CS Monitor)
• 'New York Times': Islamic State Uses Quran To Justify Rape Of Yazidi Women (NPR)
• '19 women refused to have sex with ISIS fighters - and were put to death' (JPost)
• The village where men are banned (Guardian)
• Journalist, five others killed in Mexico state of Veracruz
• Iran Already Sanitizing Nuclear Site, Intel Warns (Bloomberg)
• Obama warns of dangers to Israel if Iran deal blocked (Reuters)
• Japan prepares to restart its nuclear power plants (APM Marketplace)
• U.S. believes Islamic State likely used mustard agent in Iraq attack: WSJ

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August 12, 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.

• GOP gathering drops Trump over Megyn Kelly comments (CBS)
• GOP takes on Donald Trump (CNN)
• Fiorina won happy hour debate (Washington Post)
• Sanders surges into lead over Clinton in New Hampshire, poll finds (Fox)
• Hillary Clinton agrees to provide private e-mail server to FBI (Washington Post)
• Court puts limits on cell-phone tracking (U-T)
• Ferguson protesters arrested as county declares state of emergency  (CNN)
• When did MLK first say 'I have a dream?' Earlier than you might think. (CS Monitor)

WORLD

• Flight MH17: Possible Russian missile parts found at MH17 site, say prosecutors (+video)  (CS Monitor)
• 9 People Accused In $30 Million Hacking And Insider-Trading Scheme (NPR)
• Europe's migration wave: Latest developments (AP)
• Pakistan stunned as child sex abuse ring is uncovered (CS Monitor)
• In Mali, hotel siege and village massacre highlight Islamist threat (+video)  (CS Monitor)
• Blast kills around 50 in Nigeria's Borno state (Reuters)
• How this hacker can virtually 'kill' you, and what to do about it  (CS Monitor)

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Congresswoman Davis wants to speak with family members of detained Chaldeans

By Miriam Raftery

August 3, 2015 (Otay) –After our story  yesterday on efforts by local Chaldeans to free more than 20 Iraqi Chaldean Christians detained for months at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Homeland Security facility in Otay Mesa, we received a response from Lauren Mack, public affairs officer for ICE in San Diego. 

Mack advised us via e-mail, “There are currently 28 Iraqi nationals in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Otay Detention Facility in San Diego. One of those individuals was criminally charged this week in federal court with providing false information on an immigration application. Five others in the group have now been ordered removed (i.e., deported) by an immigration judge.”

Asked if these six individuals are Chaldean Christians or not, Mack declined to reveal the religion of these detainees. However she did provide a copy of the criminal complaint filed against Reta Morrogi (a.k.a. Zina Hormes Oraha Delli. It states that Morrogo communicated through an interpreter in the Chaldean dialect. She is charged with failing to disclose time spent in Germany on her flight from Iraq to the U.S.

July 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.

• US to investigate airlines for price gouging after Amtrak derailing (CS Monitor)
• Under Obama, Blacks Are Worse Off --- Far Worse (JWR)
• House votes to revoke passports of US citizens with terror links (CS Monitor)
• Clinton: I did not send or get classified emails on private account (Reuters)
• Some Guantanamo inmates would go to U.S. under new plan: Obama aide (Reuters)

WORLD

• Mexico search for missing students turns up 129 bodies (AP)
• The illusion of containing druglord ‘El Chapo’ (San Diego Union-Tibune)
• U.S., allies conduct 20 air strikes in Iraq: U.S. Military (Reuters) 
• Turkey stages first airstrikes on Islamic State while rounding up Kurds (JPost)
• Protests show migrant crisis has reached Italian doorsteps (Reuters)
• Putin OKs maritime code calling for strong Atlantic presence (AP)
• WATCH: Police release footage of clashes with Palestinian rioters on Temple Mount (JPost)
• Police say gunmen kill local US Embassy employee in Pakistan (AP)
• Authorities order mosques closed in north Cameroon (AP)
• Gazans, Jordanians stage protests against UNRWA decision to cut services to Palestinian population (JPost)
• In Syria, Chlorine Attacks Continue To Take A Toll (NPR)

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July 17, 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.

• Gunman kills 4 marines at Chattanooga military site (New York Times)
• 1,800 undocumented immigrants re-arrested after release, report says (CS Monitor) 
• Boy Scouts committee approves allowing gay adults as leaders (Reuters)
• Why is the US Army cutting troops? (CS Monitor)
• Land Rover Recalls 65,000 Vehicles Over Unlatching Doors (NPR)
• CIA documents raise questions about spy agency's domestic data collection (CS Monitor)
• Report: Mergers Have Cut Airline Competition At Many Airports, Raising Fares (NPR)
• Canada cools to resisters of US's Iraq War. What's changed since Vietnam? (CS Monitor)

 Mexico

• Mexico kingpin 'Chapo' Guzman stages brazen jailbreak in blow to president (Reuters)
• DEA documents show 'El Chapo' began escape plots in 2014 (AP)
• Mexican cops arrest 2 allegedly building cartel radio system (San Diego Union Tribune)

Middle East

• Iran Nuclear Pact Could Spark Buildup Of Conventional Weapons (NPR)
• Interview: Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu On Iran Nuclear Deal (NPR)
• Iran nuclear deal should be scrutinized carefully: Khamenei (Reuters)
• Iraq gets first funding to rebuild war-struck regions (Reuters)
• UN report: 15,000 civilians killed in Iraq in 16 months (AP)
• U.S. steps up air strikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq: statement (Reuters)
• UN calls on Palestinians for information on missing Israelis (AP)
• Houthi attack sets refinery ablaze in Yemeni city Aden (Reuters)

Europe and Asia

• Greece licks wounds after bailout vote, ECB move expected (Reuters)
• IMF criticizes EU bailout of Greece. Other paths to economic stability?  (CS Monitor)
• Hungary starts building anti-migrant fence on Serbian border (San Diego Union-Tribune)
•  Which aid relief charities spend the most on fundraising? (Reuters Foundation)
• Crackdown on human rights lawyers intensifies in China (CS Monitor)

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Arabo supports action, but criticizes effort as coming too late

East County News Service

Photo: Department of Defense, by Glenn Fawcett

July 13, 2015 (Washington D.C.) –President Barack Obama discussed his strategy to degrade and destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in a July 6^th meeting with civilian and military leaders of his national security team at the Pentagon. Afterwards he spoke with press.

July 1, 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.

• After Charleston, black churches targeted by arsonists across south (Think Progress)
• Washington state wildfire destroys at least 23 homes (Reuters)
• Economic Crisis Looms For Puerto Rico, Report Says (NPR)
• Hillary Clinton's missing Libya e-mails: Do they add to 'trust' problem? (CS Monitor)
• Texas wants its gold back and promises to build it a safe home (Reuters)

INTERNATIONAL

• International terror attacks follow jihadist call for Ramadan 'calamity' (CS Monitor)
• U.S. allies target Islamic State with 28 air strikes in Syria, Iraq (Reuters)
• Greece officially announces bank closures for 6 days, limits on ATM transactions (AP)
• If The Mess In Greece Is All Greek To You, Then Read This (NPR)
• In Saudi Arabia, An Uphill Fight To Out-Shout The Extremists (NPR)
• Turkish police use water cannon to disperse gay pride parade (Reuters)
• EU nixes migrant-quota plan. A sign of a deeper division within Europe? (+video) (CS Monitor)
• Weeklong heat wave in southern Pakistan kills 1,233 people (AP)
• Car bomb attack kills Egypt's top public prosecutor (Reuters)
• In Lac-Megantic disaster, oil train operators face criminal charges (CS Monitor)
• NSA wiretapped two French finance ministers: Wikileaks (Reuters)
• Analysis: In Iran talks, Khamenei calls the shots, not Obama (JPost)

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By Miriam Raftery

June 23, 2015 (Vatican City)—Pope Francis has issued a rare encyclical urging a global “revolution” to address climate change.  An encyclical is one of the church’s most authoritative teaching documents traditionally addressed to the 1 billion Catholics worldwide. But this time, the Pope says his message is aimed at “every person living on this planet” to save our “common home.”

Re-vote expected early this week

Photo:  Potential  Trans-Pacific Partnership members, by en:User:Japinderum, en:User:Phospheros en:User:Orser67

By Miriam Raftery

June 14, 2015 (San Diego) – The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal has stalled in the House of Representatives, after one of two measures needed for passage failed to win enough votes. Opposition came from both left and right, with even House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) joining with conservative Duncan Hunter in standing up against President Obama to help defeat the proposal. 

There were two bills—and both needed to pass in order for the TPP to move forward. But Speaker John Boehner has called for another vote early this week on the failed portion of the proposal.

June 3,  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.

Texas floods:

• After 35 trillion gallons of rain, Texans search for the missing – and closure (+video)
• Cattle Drive Saves Hundreds Of Cows Stranded By Texas Flooding (NPR)
• Soaked Texans Brace For More Storms After 7 More Inches Of Rain Fall (NPR)
• IsraAID sending team to join Texas flood relief effort (JPost)

Other national news:

• As The Arctic Opens Up, The U.S. Is Down To A Single Icebreaker (NPR)
• U.S. removes Cuba from list of terrorism sponsors (LA Times)
• Leaked Repot: DHS and soverign citizens   (Reason) 
• It's a Match (Reason)
• What Beau Biden represented in American politics (CS Monitor)
• If NSA surveillance program ends, phone record trove will endure (LA Times)
• Silk Road mastermind: drug kingpin or libertarian ideologue gone astray? (CS Monitor)
• Yahoo must face email spying class action: U.S. judge (Reuters)
• Appeals court blocks 12-week ban on abortion as unconstitutional (CS Monitor)
• San Diego State Study: Millennials Might Be Least-Religious Generation (KPBS)
• IRS believes massive data theft originated in Russia (CNN)

WORLD

• Russia moves to silence civil society and its 'undesirable' contacts (CS Monitor)
• Putin classifies Russian soldiers' deaths while denying Ukraine buildup (CS Monitor)
• Islamic State suicide attack kills 38 Iraqi policemen (Reuters)
• Cyber-Archeologists Re-Create Destroyed Artifacts (NPR)
• Did Russia impose a secret travel ban on European politicians?
• Under Cover Of Conflict, Hamas Killed Palestinians, Amnesty Alleges (NPR)
• Cyberattack tied to Hezbollah ups the ante for Israel's digital defenses (CS Monitor)
• Five weeks after big quake, Nepal's schools reopen (CS Monitor)
• Squeezing Somalia (Reason)
• Man arrested in Cyprus suspected of planning terror attack against Israelis (JPost)
• Video shows Canada Parliament gunman praying before attack (Reuters)
• Gravely ill Russian opposition figure won't be sent abroad (AP)
• Assad regime kills dozens with barrel bombs, rights group says (JPost)

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May 20, 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.

• House approves bill that would end NSA bulk collection of data (Huffington Post)
• FBI: hacker claims to have taken over flight’s engine controls (CNN)
• Picking strawberries for U.S. tables has workers in Mexico asking for more (Reuters)
• Wreckage of U.S. chopper found in Nepal (10 News)
• Extreme El Nino expected to wreak havoc on weather this year  (New Scientist)
• Drought drains nation’s largest reservoir  (New Scientist)
• Amtrak train that derailed sped up before crash (Time)

WORLD

• Islamic state seizes ancient Palmyra city from Syrian forces (Reuters)
• Islamic State seizes Iraqi army base  (Reuters)
• ISIS seizes capital of Iraq’s largest province (Washington Post)
• Fighting continues in Yemeni city despite truce (Reuters)
•  Israel intercepts 40 diving suits en route to Gaza (JPost)

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

May 7, 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:

NATIONAL

• NSA phone surveillance not authorized: U.S. appeals court (Reuters)
• How Utah reduced homelessness by more than 90 percent (CS Monitor)
• U.S. government to pay New Mexico $73 million over radiation leak (Reuters)
• Exclusive: U.S. boosts bird flu emergency funds as Hormel cuts jobs (Reuters)
• Small town evacuated after oil train derails in North Dakota (Reuters)
• Ferry service between US and Cuba to resume (CS Monitor)
• Power Problems: Puerto Rico's Electric Utility Faces Crippling Debt (NPR)
• Surveillance planes spotted in the sky for days after West Baltimore rioting (Washington Post)

INTERNATIONAL

• European Union wants new rules for its digital economy (APM Marketplace)
• Virtual Volunteers Use Twitter And Facebook To Make Maps Of Nepal (NPR)
• Rocket-propelled grenade forced down Mexican helicopter(AP)
• On becalmed sea, Italy rescues nearly 4,000 migrants in 24 hours (CS Monitor)
• More than 50 Thai police punished over human trafficking links (Reuters)
• German spies curb Internet snooping for U.S. after row: media (Reuters)
• Kenya Pushes For Close Of Word's Largest Refugee Camp (NPR)
• Israel veterans group alleges Israeli misconduct in Gaza war (AP)
• Africa's richest economy surviving on borrowed cash (AP)

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April 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.

• Obama apologizes for attack that killed two hostages (Washington Post)
• US, Japan release new defense guidelines for Japanese global role (CS Monitor)
• High costs hinder outfitting of U.S. cops with body cameras (Reuters)
• Graffiti artists’ move to national parks shocks nature lovers (Los Angeles Times)
• Minnesota declares state of emergency over bird flu in poultry (Reuters)
• Goldman Paid Bill Clinton $200000 For Speech Before Bank Lobbied Hillary Clinton
• (International Business Times)
• Oklahomans Feel Way More Earthquakes Than Californians; Now They Know Why (NPR)
• Hostage locations difficult to track - and may be getting harder (Reuters)
• Exclusive: Clinton charities will refile tax returns, audit for other errors (Reuters)
• Russian hackers read Obama's unclassified emails last year: NYT (Reuters)

WORLD

•  Russian spacecraft 'out of control' (BBC)
• Iranian Revolutionary Guards seize cargo ship in Gulf (Reuters)
• If You Find $1.3 Billion in Missing Aid to Afghanistan, Please Contact the Pentagon at Your Earliest Convenience. (Reason)
• Signaling from the Supreme Court: Justices Mostly Show Their Cards on Gay Marriage (Reason)
• Experts gathered in Nepal a week ago to ready for earthquake (U-T San Diego)
• Spanish tax agency uncovers wind farm payoff scheme (WCN)
• Mexico recovers stolen radioactive material (AP)
• China warns on rising North Korea nuclear capability: WSJ  (Reuters)
• 'Bookkeeper of Auschwitz', 93, on trial in Germany: 'I did not question that the Jews were our misfortune' (JWR)
• Rocket fired from Gaza lands in Israeli territory; IDF strikes terror site (JPost)
• Chinese experts reportedly say North Korea may have 20 nuclear warheads (CS Monitor)
• Putin accuses US of supporting separatists in Russia (AP)
• Russian Justice Ministry annuls opposition party registration (Reuters)
• 
EU border agents too busy to screen migrants (AP)
• Saudi says arrests 93 Islamic State suspects, foils U.S. embassy attack (Reuters)

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By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left, by CalFlier 001 on WIkipedia:  Famed Dharahara Tower, Khatmandu in 2013, was reduced to a stump by the April 25, 2015 quake

Photo, right: Google executivfe Dan Fredinburg, who perished on Mt. Everest, reported on Instagram by his sister, Megan.

April 27, 2015 (San Diego) -- A devastating earthquake has struck Nepal on Saturday, April 25th,  killing over 3,700 people  in India,  Nepal, Bangladesh and the Tibetan region of China.  The quake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale,  stronger than the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the strongest to hit the Nepal region in more than 80 years.

An avalanche on Mt. Everest killed at least 18 mountain climbers and sherpas, including Google executive Dan Fredinburg,  whose father and stepmother live in Carlsbad in San Diego’s North County.

Cultural resources have also been devastating particularly in Khatmandu Valley, including the landmark Dharahara Tower, which collapsed. Multiple temples have also been damaged or destroyed.

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2015 (San Diego)—A video released by the Islamic State, or ISIS, shows the apparent killings of 15 Christians in Libya—half by beheading, the rest by shooting. The victims are believed to be Ethiopian Christians, CNN reports.  A message in the graphic 29-minute video makes clear the executions were motivated by religious hate, stating “Muslim blood shed under the hand of your religion is not cheap.”