ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS
June 19, 2024 (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.
- Retailers are finally cutting prices. Will it last? (Washington Post)
- Senate Republicans block Democratic bill to protect IVF nationwide (NBC)
- Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era ban on rapid-fire rifle bump stocks, reopening political fight (AP)
- CNN rules for first US presidential debate: no props, muted microphones (Reuters)
- A water war is looming between Mexico and the US. Neither side will win (CNN)
- Migrant arrests drop at US-Mexico border as Biden asylum ban rolls out (Reuters)
- Biden says he won’t pardon Hunter Biden or commute his sentence in first public remarks after guilty verdict (CNN)
- Violent crime is down and the US murder rate is plunging, FBI statistics show (CNN)
- Epoch Times Executive Accused of Laundering $67 Million (New York Times)
- Trump ally Bannon ordered to report to prison for defying Jan. 6 probe (Reuters)
- Congressional stock trading law has unintended, but profitable consequence (NPR)
- FAA investigates another midair incident with a Boeing 737 Max (NPR)
WORLD
- Tens of millions facing hunger and water shortages as extreme drought and floods sweep southern Africa (CNN)
- UN Security Council approves US proposal for permanent ceasefire in Gaza (CNN)
- Israeli tanks push deeper into Rafah, forcing people to flee again (Reuters)
- Israel rescues four hostages in Gaza; Hamas says 210 Palestinians killed in Israeli assault (Reuters)
- Russia co-opts far-right politicians in Europe with cash, officials say (AP)
- The far right made big gains in European elections. What’s next, and why does it matter? (AP)
- A year of elections in democracies around the world is revealing deep dissatisfaction among voters (AP)
- G7 agrees $50bn loan for Ukraine from Russian assets (BBC)
- Mexico City's metro still unsafe for women despite its women-only cars (NPR)
- Gunman captured after shootout outside US Embassy in Lebanon (AP)
- US Navy faces its most intense combat since World War II against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels (AP)
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
U.S.
Retailers are finally cutting prices. Will it last? (Washington Post)
5 takeaways from the latest markdowns by Walmart, McDonald’s, Best Buy and others.
Senate Republicans block Democratic bill to protect IVF nationwide (NBC)
Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic-led bill Thursday to codify broad federal protections for in vitro fertilization in the midst of a growing partisan clash over reproductive rights in the United States. The vote was 48-47.
Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era ban on rapid-fire rifle bump stocks, reopening political fight (AP)
The Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, the rapid-fire gun accessories used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, in a ruling that threw firearms back into the nation’s political spotlight.
CNN rules for first US presidential debate: no props, muted microphones (Reuters)
The first U.S. presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump on June 27 will include two commercial breaks, no props and muted microphones except when recognized to speak, CNN said Saturday.
A water war is looming between Mexico and the US. Neither side will win (CNN)
Tensions are rising in a border dispute between the United States and Mexico. But this conflict is not about migration; it’s about water. Under an 80-year-old treaty, the United States and Mexico share waters from the Colorado River and the Rio Grande, respectively. But in the grip of severe drought and searing temperatures, Mexico has fallen far behind in deliveries, putting the country’s ability to meet its obligations in serious doubt.
Migrant arrests drop at US-Mexico border as Biden asylum ban rolls out (Reuters)
Biden's policy generally bars migrants who illegally cross the border from claiming asylum. There are exceptions for unaccompanied minors, people who face serious medical or safety threats, and victims of trafficking.. U.S. Border Patrol arrested around 3,100 people crossing illegally, down roughly 20% from the days before, the official said, requesting anonymity to discuss preliminary figures.
President Joe Biden on Thursday offered his first public remarks about his son Hunter's conviction on federal gun charges earlier this week,...
Violent crime is down and the US murder rate is plunging, FBI statistics show (CNN)
Violent crime dropped by more than 15% in the United States during the first three months of 2024, according to statistics released Monday by the FBI...Meanwhile, property crime went down 15.1% in the first three months of this year. Burglaries dropped 16.7%, while motor vehicle theft decreased by 17.3%. The declines in violent and property crimes were seen in every region of the US.
Epoch Times Executive Accused of Laundering $67 Million (New York Times)
Weidong Guan was charged with three counts in a scheme that the Justice Department said caused revenue to surge for the company, which has promoted Donald Trump and conspiracy theories... The Epoch Times is affiliated with Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned in China... In recent years the outlet transformed itself into a prominent supporter of Donald J. Trump and his allies on the right.... According to prosecutors, Mr. Guan ran a “sprawling, transnational scheme” over four years to buy prepaid debit cards on the internet at a discount using cryptocurrency and then deposit the cards’ money into both personal and company accounts. The debit cards were loaded with illegally obtained funds, prosecutors said, some of which was fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits.
Trump ally Bannon ordered to report to prison for defying Jan. 6 probe (Reuters)
Steve Bannon, a former top adviser to Donald Trump, must report to prison by July 1 to serve a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress, a federal judge said on Thursday.
Congressional stock trading law has unintended, but profitable consequence (NPR)
Traders and market watchers are using publicly available data to track which lawmakers are reporting big stock market gains…. Funds marketed by financial services companies model what "political traders" in Congress are doing. Reports by industry analysts in the last few years show that these investment strategies are beating the market… These funds are all legal. But the products underscore that the problem that the law was designed to fix—…that lawmakers are profiting from information they learn in their official capacities — is still an issue.
FAA investigates another midair incident with a Boeing 737 Max (NPR)
A Boeing 737 Max 8 jet experienced a rare but potentially serious problem recently known as a Dutch roll before landing safely…. According to the FAA, a post-flight inspection revealed damage to a backup power control unit, known as a PCU. That system controls rudder movements on the plane's tail…. Earlier versions of the 737 were involved in several accidents and crashes during the 1990s that were ultimately blamed on problems with the tail rudder.
WORLD
More than 24 million people in southern Africa face hunger, malnutrition and water scarcity due to drought and floods, an aid group has warned, as experts say the situation risks spiraling into an “unimaginable humanitarian situation.” The warning from Oxfam on Wednesday came as Zimbabwe joined other southern African nations in declaring its drought a national disaster, following earlier declarations by Zambia and Malawi.
UN Security Council approves US proposal for permanent ceasefire in Gaza (CNN)
Security Council adopted a resolution proposed by the United States for a permanent ceasefire and release of the hostages in Gaza. The motion was adopted with 14 votes in favor and one abstention by Russia.
Israeli tanks push deeper into Rafah, forcing people to flee again (Reuters)
Israeli tanks backed by warplanes and drones advanced deeper into the western part of the Gaza Strip city of Rafah on Wednesday, killing eight people, according to residents and Palestinian medics.
Israel rescues four hostages in Gaza; Hamas says 210 Palestinians killed in Israeli assault (Reuters)
An Israeli military spokesperson said the hostage rescue operation took place under fire in the heart of a residential neighborhood, where he said Hamas had been hiding captives among Gaza civilians under guard by armed militants.
Russia co-opts far-right politicians in Europe with cash, officials say (AP)
A Kremlin-backed media outlet — the Prague-based Voice of Europe — funneled hundreds of thousands of euros to far-right politicians, officials say.
The far right made big gains in European elections. What’s next, and why does it matter? (AP)
For decades, the European Union — which has its roots in the defeat of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy — confined the nationalist far right to the political fringes. With a strong showing in elections Sunday, far-right forces could now influence or block joint EU-wide policies on migration, security and climate change.
A year of elections in democracies around the world is revealing deep dissatisfaction among voters (AP)
“In many ways we’ve never had it so good, objectively speaking, and yet people are so unsatisfied,” said Matthias Matthijs, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C. The reasons for the dissatisfaction are many, from social media’s ability to magnify problems to the painful recovery from the coronavirus pandemic to the backlash toward economic and cultural changes sparked by globalization and mass immigration... there is little ideological consistency globally to the unhappiness. In a recent Pew poll across 24 democracies, a median of 74% of respondents said they didn’t think politicians cared what people like them think, and 42% said no political party represented their viewpoint.
G7 agrees $50bn loan for Ukraine from Russian assets (BBC)
The G7 has agreed to use frozen Russian assets to raise $50bn (£39bn) for Ukraine to help it fight invading Russian forces. US President Joe Biden said it was another reminder to Russia "that we're not backing down", but Moscow has threatened "extremely painful" retaliatory measures.
Mexico City's metro still unsafe for women despite its women-only cars (NPR)
Mexico has a serious problem of gender violence. There is an average of 10 femicides, homicides committed on females and feminine people, a day and more than 40% of Mexican women have suffered a situation of violence before the age of 15, either psychologically, sexually or physically, according to official statistics. In the public metro system of Mexico City, nine out of 10 women say they have been a victim of sexual harassment…. At the root of the problem — impunity. Mexico is a country where an estimated 99% of crimes go unpunished.
Gunman captured after shootout outside US Embassy in Lebanon (AP)
A gunman who attacked the U.S. embassy near Beirut was shot and captured by Lebanese soldiers after a Wednesday morning shootout that injured an embassy security guard, the military and embassy officials said….Local media reported that there was a gunfight involving at least one attacker and lasting almost half an hour….Lebanese media have published photos that appear to show a bloodied attacker wearing a black vest with the words “Islamic State” written in Arabic and the English initials “I” and “S.”
US Navy faces its most intense combat since World War II against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels (AP)
The U.S.-led campaign against the Houthi rebels…has turned into the most intense running sea battle the Navy has faced since World War II, its leaders and experts told The Associated Press. / The combat pits the Navy’s mission to keep international waterways open against a group whose former arsenal of assault rifles and pickup trucks has grown into a seemingly inexhaustible supply of drones, missiles and other weaponry. Near-daily attacks by the Houthis since November have seen more than 50 vessels clearly targeted, while shipping volume has dropped in the vital Red Sea corridor that leads to the Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean.