October 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) --ECM 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.

• Obamacare open enrollment begins: What you need to know Oct. 1 (CBS)
• U.S. government shuts down as Congress can’t agree on spending deal (CNN)
• GOP puts new price on debt hike (The Hill)
• Why the healthcare law scares the GOP (New York Times)
• Soaring number of elderly women living in extreme poverty (RawStory)
• "For Their Own Protection": Children in Long-Term Solitary Confinement (Reason)
• Fighting fires with aging tankers from another era (Los Angeles Times)
• Immigrant activists will attempt to cross back into U.S. (Raw Story)
• US sending bankrupt Detroit $300 million. Think 'stimulus,' not 'bailout.' (+video) (CS Monitor)
• U.S. deputy nuclear commander suspended during investigation (Reuters)
• JPMorgan In Talks To Avoid Criminal Charges (NPR)

WORLD

• Defected Syrian general: Assad will never cede chemical arsenal
• How Likely is a Nairobi-Style Attack in the US? (Reason)
•  Unleashing Boy Scouts To Counter Drug Cartels (KPBS)
• Two Marine Generals Forced To Retire After Taliban Attack On Base(AP)
• Kenya says 'at war' with al Shabaab, faces security questions (Reuters)
•  New leak at Japan nuke plant due to tank overflow (U-T San Diego)
• Jellyfish invade, shutdown Swedish nuclear reactor (CS Monitor)
•  Pakistan rocked by another major earthquake (CS Monitor)
• Hundreds rally in Spain protesting the monarchy (U-T San Diego)
• Greek Neo-Nazi Party Arrests Follow High-Profile Murder
• Multiple Car Bombs Wreak Havoc In Baghdad, Killing Dozens (NPR)
• China's power capacity will double by 2030, report says (CS Monitor)
• Fugitive Snowden short-listed for European rights prize (Reuters)
• Tropical storm Wutip hammers Vietnam, Thailand (+video) (CS Monitor)
• Mexico rescues 73 suspected kidnap victims near U.S. border (Reuters)

Click “read more” and scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

September 18, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM 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.

• Obamacare, spending showdown heats up in house (CNN)
• Gunman opens fire at Washington D.C. naval yard; 13 dead (Reuters)
• U.S. oil group says FBI warns fuel storage operators to be on alert (Reuters)
• Time Magazine's "America's Weak and Waffling" Cover Not Featured in America (Reason)
• Better pay for home health care workers under U.S. Labor rule, CA Bill (Sacramento Bee)
• How Detroit went broke: The answers may surprise you - and don't blame Coleman Young  (Detroit Free Press)

WORLD

• ‘War crime’: UN finds sarin gas used in Syria chemical attack (CNN)
• Report: Syria is transferring chemical weapons to Hezbollah to avoid international inspection (JPost)-
• 34 dead as big storms hit Mexico on opposite coasts (KUSI)
• Deadly Mexico storms kill 42, floods strand thousands (Reuters)

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

Senate committee approves military strike; full Congressional authorization still needed to launch war

By  Miriam Raftery

September 4, 2013 (Washington D.C.) – Should the U.S. attack Syria? What are the potential remifications for the U.S. and the world?  What are the key issues and arguments on all sides of this compelling questions -- and where do your representatives stand?

President Barack Obama has asked Congress for approval to launch a military air strike against Syria amid indications that the Syrian president  used chemical weapons against civilians in his own country, including children.  Today, the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee voted 10-7 to approve limited authorization. Chairman John Kerry said there is "no question" that Syria used chemical weapons in violation of international law. The full Senate and the House of Representatives must both approve the action.

In the interest of providing our readers with a variety of views and information on this important issue, we’ve rounded up articles from around the world and across the nation in our special section below. Click any headline to view full text of these articles. We've even included "9 questions about Syria you were too embarassed to ask" for those who haven't kept up with the news on this emerging world crisis. 

Syria news stories:

August 28, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM 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 orders release of report justifying Syria strike (CNN)
• Facebook says countries sought data on 38,000 users in first half of 2013 (Reuters)
• After six budget showdowns, big government is mostly unchanged  (Washington Post)
• A face in the crowd: say goodbye to anonymity (CBS)
• Secret Ruling Found NSA's Surveillance Violated Constitution (NPR)
• Inside The Beef Industry's Battle Over Growth-Promotion Drugs (NPR)
• Beware of Warrior Cops (Reason)
• The FISA Court Didn’t Even Know NSA Was Collecting Some Domestic Communications (Reason)
• New Details On How U.S. 'Helped Saddam As He Gassed Iran'(NPR)
• Bradley Manning: 'I Am A Female,' Call Me Chelsea (NPR)  

WORLD

• Fears of food and water poisoning after Damascus gassings
• Tens Of Thousands Flee Syria After Alleged Chemical Attacks (NPR)
• Mexico officials find mass grave east of capital (U-T)
• Do rockets in Israel indicate Al Qaeda presence in Lebanon? (CS Monitor)
• Israel says bombed Lebanon in retaliation for rocket attack (Reuters)
• Israel military: 4 rockets fired, none hit country (AP)
• Bodies still being found after alleged Syria chemical attack: opposition (Reuters)

For excerpts and links to full stories, scroll down.

August 14, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM 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.

• Amber Alerts: How successful have they been in saving abducted kids? (CS Monitor)
• Why Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post (Business Week)
• U.S. Fast Food workers protests growing over ‘starvation’ wages (RawStory)
• Justice Department to Investigate DEA Surveillance Operations (Reason)
• Rep. McClintock Says the US Should Grant Snowden Amnesty  (Reason)

WORLD

• Yemen says it stopped massive militant operation (CS Monitor)
•  Drone strike kills six suspected militants in Yemen (Reuters)
•  Israel says it intercepts rocket launch near Egypt's Sinai
• US providing $15m to fund for Syrian opposition (AP)
• UN: Nearly 35 million migrants are under age 20 (AP)

 Click “read more” and scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

August 1, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM 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.

• 80 percent of adults in U.S. face near poverty, unemployment survey finds (CBS)
• 5 million could be kicked off food stamps under Republican cuts (Think Progress)
• More than 1,700 U.S. cities will be partially underwater by 2010 (Guardian)
• House passes bills to rein in IRS (The Hill)
• Congress approves student loan plan (Washington Post)
• Bradley Manning faces 136 years in prison (ABC News)
• FAA certifies first 2 drones for domestic flight (U-T San Diego)
• Halliburton admits destroying Gulf oil spill evidence  (USA Today)
• Legal Battles Increase Over Pipeline Projects (NPR)
• Perseid meteor shower: Coming soon to a sky near you (CS Monitor)
• Diverse Coalition Fights FCC Plan To Sell Wireless Airwaves (NPR)

INTERNATIONAL

• Gay athletes could be prosecuted at 2014 Olympics, Russian Lawmaker says (ABC)
• Death toll from Pakistan marketplace bombs now 57 (U-T San Diego)
• Egypt protesters defy cabinet threat  (BBC)
• Pope Francis on gays: “Who am I to judge?” (CNN)

Click “read more” and scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

July 11, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM 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.

• Snowden Seen as Whistle-Blower by Majority in New Poll (Bloomberg)
• Privacy Group to Ask Supreme Court to Stop N.S.A.’s Phone Spying Program (NY Times)
• Judge rejects state secrets defense in wiretapping lawsuit (Reuters)
• New Study Finds That Drones Kill 10 Times More Civilians Than Manned Aircraft (The Guardian)
• The gay marriage trap: same-sex divorce is in legal purgatory (Washington Post)
• Just How Reliable and Widespread is FBI Facial Recognition Technology? EFF Sues To Find Out (Reason)
• Don’t let DOMA fool you: The Supreme Court is restricting your rights (Washington Post opinions)
• Forced to work sick? (Mother Jones)
• Whitehouse.gov petition to pardon Snowden passes 100,000 signatures (Whitehouse.gov) 
• Judge bars Obamacare contraceptive requirement for a Christian-owned business (Christian Science Monitor)
• FBI seeks $1.2 million for NY Fed that vanished from SWISS jet
• How Concerned Should Ballot Initiative Lovers Be About the Prop. 8 Punt? (Reason)
• Exclusive: U.S. system for flagging hazardous chemicals is widely flawed (Reuters)
• Spitzer to run against madam (CNN)
• Issa sets sights on VA chief (UT San Diego)
• New Rules Put Brakes On Truck Drivers' Schedules (NPR)

WORLD

• Central African Republic in chaos, abandoned: MSF (Reuters)
•  Vatican approves second miracle, clears Pope John Paul II for sainthood (Christian Science Monitor)
• Blood, anger, bewilderment among wounded after Cairo attack (Reuters)
• Reeling Muslim Brotherhood vows 'intifada' after Morsi ouster (Jerusalem Post)
• Brotherhood sees Egypt coup fueling hatred of U.S. (Reuters)
• U.S. bugged EU offices, computer networks: German magazine  (Reuters)
• Memories of Stasi color Germans’ view of U.S. surveillance programs
• Rare bird flies into turbine (BBC)
• U.N. urged to consider drones, gunships for South Sudan mission (Reuters)
• Schools in Nigerian state close to avoid attacks (UT San Diego)

Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

June 20, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM 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.

• Supreme Court: For right to remain silent, a suspect must speak (Jewish World Review)
• Supreme Court rules that human genes cannot be patented (+video) (Christian Science Monitor)
• NSU admits listening to US phone conversations without warrants (CNET)
• ACLU sues to prevent dragnet collection of phone records (New York Times)
• New York lays out $20 billion to adapt to climate change (Reuters)
• How Regulators Enticed Verizon to Sell Out Customers to the NSA (Reason)
• Education crisis not limited to poor school districts (U-T San Diego)
• FEMA denies aid to Texas for blast (AP)
• Obama’s Supreme Court Losing Streak: 0-3 in Property Rights Cases (Reason)

WORLD

• Pentagon bracing for public dissent over climate change and energy shocks (Guardian)
• Japan formally OKs new nuke safety requirements (U-T San Diego)
• China puts up a green wall to US trash (Christian Science Monitor)
• Somali Islamist rebels launch deadly attack on U.N. compound (Reuters)

Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

June 6, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- ECM 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.

• Report: Secret court order requires Verizon to turn over phone records of millions (CNN)
• A new civil rights movement frees communities from corporate control (Positive News)
• Chinese cyberattacks hit key US weapons systems. Are they still reliable? (Christian Science Monitor)
• Mothers are breadwinners in record 40% of U.S. households: Study (Marketplace.org)
• Bike-Sharing Programs Roll Into Cities Across The U.S. (NPR)

WORLD

• U.S. genetically modified wheat strain stokes fears, Japan cancels tender to purchase U.S. wheat (Reuters)
• Israel warns Russia it's prepared to strike weapon shipments to Syria (Christian Science Monitor)
• Russians proving that small-scale organic farming can feed the world (Reclaim, ,Grow, Sustain)
• Report: Iranian and Russian arms giving Assad edge in Syria (Jerusalem Post)
• Ethiopia diverts Blue Nile for dam (BBC)
• Magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes Taiwan, some damage (Reuters)
• Court says Egypt legislature illegally elected (U-T San Diego)
• Thousands take to streets in Turkey, clash with police (Reuters)
• Thousands march for rights in rare Ethiopia protest (Reuters)  
• Czech PM declares emergency as floods threaten Prague (Reuters)  

UPBEAT STORY OF THE WEEK:

• A guerilla farmer in South Central Los Angeles (You Tube)

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

May 16, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- ECM 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.

• White House pushes media shield law (Washington Post)
• IRS: First heads roll (The Hill)

• Companies won't face charges in condor deaths    (Los Angeles Times)

• Senate overwhelmingly approves water infrastructure bill  (Sacramento Bee)
• U.S. Safety board is proposing tougher drunk driving standards (CNN)
• Associated Press: Feds Secretly Obtained Reporter Phone Logs (NPR)
• Holder Defends Subpoena Of Journalists' Phone Logs
• Monsanto: The behemoth that controls 90 percent of soybean production (Marketplace.org)
• Exactly what did the IRS want to know?  (NPR)
• Who is profiting from charters? The big bucks behind charter school secrecy, financial scandal and corruption (Alternet)
• Texas man held on pipe bomb charges denies role in fertilizer plant blast  (Chicago Tribune)
• Tsarnaev 2011 murders? Boston-bombing brothers also could be linked to earlier deaths. (Christian Science Monitor)

WORLD

• Award goes to Pakistani girl shot by Taliban (U-T San Diego)
• Mexico sets shelters as volcano shakes, spews ash (U-T San Diego)
• Ex-dictator convicted of genocide in Guatemala (U-T San Diego)
• Rat meat and Chinese food safety (BBC)

Click "read more" and sccroll down down for excerpts and links to full stories

May 1, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- ECM 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.

• Boston police: 3 more in custody for Boston bombing (10 News)
• Colorado court rules marijuana smokers may be fired (Christian Science Monitor)
• Bombing suspects' mom also in terror database (U-T San Diego)
• Tamerlan Tsarnaev Spoke Of Jihad With Mother, Reports Say (NPR)
• U.S. gives big, secret push to internet surveillance (CNet)
• Lawmakers, aides may get Obamacare exemption (Politico)
• As Injuries Rise, More Calls to Refuse The 'Cinnamon Challenge' (NPR)
• The FAA Strikes Again, the FAA Brags (Wall Street Journal)
• Congress Acts On Flight Delays, What's Next? (NPR)
• Court: State can block out of state use of FOIA

WORLD

• EU bans pesticides over bee fears (Reuters)
• Canada thwarts "al Qaeda-supported" passenger train plot (Reuters)
• Russia detains 140 suspected Islamic extremists (U-T San Diego)
• Once-touted corruption cases collapse in Mexico (U-T San Diego)
• Iraq: 51 dead in clashes, bombing as tensions rise (U-T San Diego)
• Defecting Syrian officer 'told to use WMD' (Jerusalem Post)
• Taliban vow suicide and "insider" attacks in new spring offensive (Reuters)
• Japan court rejects demand to evacuate children (U-T San Diego)
• Israel shoots down drone from Lebanon: Israeli military (Reuters)
• 14 killed in clashes in 3 western Mexico towns (U-T San Diego)
• More Than 50 Dead So Far in Run Up to Pakistani Elections (Reason)

April 17, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- ECM 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.

• Miss. Man arrested in ricin scare (CNN)
• After blast horror, many Bostonions extend kindness to runners (Reuters)
• Supreme Court to consider adoption case of American Indian girl (Reuters)
• Japanese Car Makers Recall Millions Of Vehicles Over Faulty Airbags (NPR)
• AP source: Immigration bill could exclude many  (Sacramento Bee)
• Postal Service backs down on cutting Saturday mail (Sacramento Bee)
• Pentagon study: N. Korea can launch nuke missile (Jerusalem Post)
• U.S. offers to help Iran after deadly quake (Reuters)
• Poverty plagues Obama’s America; press based in booming cities shrugs (Daily Beast)
• FOIA documents suggest IRS may have ignored court ruling on email privacy (Raw Story)
• Even 'Highly Motivated' Students Aren't Ready For College (NPR)
• Bailed-Out Banks Used Billions Meant For Small Business Aid To Repay TARP Funds (Huff Post)
• A Legal Twist In The Effort To Ban Cameras From Livestock Plants
• Idaho restricts drone use by police agencies amid privacy concerns
• Checks Threaten Gun Rights  (Reason)
• Internet-based attacks hit emergency call centers. What's the damage? (Christian Science Monitor)
• Secret Service investigating hack of director's information (Reuters)

WORLD

• Anonymous 'hacks' North Korea pages (BBC)
• Volcano spews ash in central Mexico (U-T San Diego)
• Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad resigns (U-T San Diego)
• Some 50,000 flee Sudan into Chad after Darfur clashes (Reuters)
• New leak found at Fukushima plant water storage pool: regulator (Reuters)
•  Report: Soil sample confirms WMD use in Syria (Jerusalem Post)
• Hungary promises changes after EU threat in amendment row (Reuters)
• 23,085 soldiers have fallen protecting Israel (Jerusalem Post)
• Palestinian funerals draw thousands in tense West Bank  (Reuters).  
• Turkish police uncover plot to bomb synagogue (Jerusalem Post)

Click "read more" and scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

March 21, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM 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.

• Assault weapons ban dropped from Senate bill (NBC)
• States' aid to public colleges has fallen 28 percent since 2008 (Reuters)
• Rand Paul wins  CPAC straw poll (The Hill)
• Sen. Rand Paul introduces fetal personhood bill to outlaw all abortions (RawStory)
• First-ever cyberattack on US election points to broad vulnerabilities (Christian Science Monitor)
• Prop. 37 Died, but the Food-Labeling Fight Lives (Voice of San Diego)
• Census shows record 1 in 3 US counties are dying (Sacramento Bee)
• Report makes chilling forecast on Northwest quake (Sacramento Bee)

WORLD

• Islamist law takes hold in rebel-held Syria (Washington Post)
• Syria, rebels accuse each other of firing a chemical weapon (Washington Post)
• Pope Francis wants Church to be poor, and for the poor (Reuters)
• New Pope Criticized For His Association With Argentina's Dirty War (NPR)
• Flight to nowhere: Refugees’ plight is worsening (The Economist)
• Venezuela to probe Chavez cancer poisoning accusation (Reuters)
• Israeli lawyer goes after Abbas, Hamas in ICC (Jerusalem Post)
• Co-Founder Of Khmer Rouge Dies; Ieng Sary Escapes Judgment For Genocide (NPR)
• Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says UN proposal on women will destroy the world (Christian Science Moitor)

SCIENCE AND HEALTH

• Could Brazilian waxing increase STD risk? (Fox)
• Driving coast to coast with no gas – on water and sunshine (USA Today)

November 2, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting 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 plan moves to ease mortgages, student loans (International Business Times)
• Victims of improper foreclosure practices can submit claims (Los Angeles Times)
• New Obama administration programs help veterans find jobs (Voice of America)
• Farming helps refugees put down roots (Voice of America)
• Millions without power after northeast snow storm (CNN)
• Herman Cain sexual harassment claims dog campaign (ABC)
• Bank of America cancels debit card fee (BBC)

WORLD

• World reaches 7 billion (Reuters video)
• Occupy London protesters celebrate after winning eviction battle (Guardian)
• Somalia’s agony tests limits of aid (New York Times)
• Wikileaks Assange loses extradition appeal (BBC)
• Suicide bomber kills 3, wounds 20 in SE Turkey (Jerusalem Post)

Click "read more" to see links, and  stories

October 13, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting 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.

·         Senate GOP votes to kill jobs bill (Washington Post)

·         Obama’s $447 billion jobs plan blocked with 50-49 Senate vote (The Hill)

·         Iranians charged in U.S. over assassination plot (Reuters)

·         Editor admits to infiltrating DC protest to undermine Occupy movement (RawStory)

·         Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan under fire from both left and right (The Hill)

·         Census: Housing bust worst since great depression (San Diego Union-Tribune)

WORLD

·         Coptic Christians in Egyt battle state’s version of deadly protest (Christian Science Monitor)

·         Japan quake: Fukushima children undergo thyroid tests (BBC)

·         Palestinians win a vote on bid to join Unesco (New York Times)

Click on "read more" to see links and stories.