ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

November 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.

• Budget deal includes Social Security, Medicare reforms (The Hill)
• “We need an energy miracle” (The Atlantic)
• Exxon sealed our fate: The campaign of misinformation and outright lies that ensured planetary disaster (Salon)
• Update: U.S. military ignored child rape since 2003 (Examiner)
• Paul Ryan elected House speaker (CNN)
• House GOP moves to impeach IRS chief (The Hill)
• Shrinking naval forces need boost (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• GDP growth slows as inventories fall (Marketplace)
• Largest U.S. banks face $120 billion shortfall under new rule (Reuters)
• Walgreen’s buying Rite-Aid for $9.4 billion in cash (CBS)

Presidential campaign:

• Trump? Carson? Rubio steals the debate show (Politico)
• AP Fact check: The Republican debaters and the facts (Associated Press)
• Is Democratic socialism the right path for America? (CNN)
• Ben Carson once again compares something to slavery, this time abortion (HuffPost)

WORLD

• Russian plane crash over Sinai: was there an explosion? (CNN)
• U.S. signals shift in Syria-Iraq campaign against Islamic State (BBC)
• Parliament vote could lead to EU freedom for Snowden (CS Monitor)
• Beit Hagai mother of eight slashed by terrorist near Gush Etzion junction (JPost)
• Watch: ISIS threatens Jews, Israel with 'big war' in second Hebrew video(JPost)

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

U.S.

Budget deal includes Social Security, Medicare reforms (The Hill)

GOP leaders and the White House are pushing structural reforms to Social Security and Medicare that would avert the double-digit increases expected next year for many beneficiaries in both programs while saving billions in other areas... In addition… the deal would enact a series of changes to both the disability and Medicare programs — some of which could be tough for Democrats to stomach.

“We need an energy miracle” (The Atlantic)

Bill Gates has committed his fortune to moving the world beyond fossil fuels and mitigating climate change.

Exxon sealed our fate: The campaign of misinformation and outright lies that ensured planetary disaster (Salon)

New investigation finds oil company understood dangers of climate change a full 11 years before the public.

Update: U.S. military ignored child rape since 2003 (Examiner)

Three weeks ago a few media outlets, including San Diego 6 News, covered allegations that US military leadership told service members to look away when they saw indications of child sex abuse in Afghanistan. After reporting the lurid details that ended several military careers for standing up for the child victims, the Pentagon said they would finally investigate the allegations.

Paul Ryan elected House speaker (CNN)

… The vote was largely a formality after House Republicans nominated him for the position on Wednesday. But even some conservatives who did not support Ryan said that after weeks of infighting, they were eager to move on and give Ryan the space to unite the party's various factions and craft a legislative agenda.

Trump? Carson? Rubio steals the debate show (Politico)

The Florida senator ditches his low profile, confronting Bush head-on and attacking the media.

AP Fact check: The Republican debaters and the facts (Associated Press)

Ben Carson pitched a tax plan with numbers that didn't add up. Donald Trump boasted that he's paying his own way in the campaign, but he isn't. Chris Christie accused the government of stealing Social Security money that it has actually borrowed — and will pay back with interest.Reality got twisted out of shape on a number of fronts in the fast-paced Republican presidential debate Wednesday night.

Is Democratic socialism the right path for America? (CNN)

At the first Democratic debate, Sen. Bernie Sanders acquainted many Americans with the term he uses to describe his program: "democratic socialism”…What is democratic socialism and how would it change America's capitalist economy? And is it the right path for the United States? CNN Opinion invited political scientists, economists and other experts to weigh in.

Ben Carson once again compares something to slavery, this time abortion (Huffington Post)

The insurgent GOP candidate says no to exceptions for rape and incest.

House GOP moves to impeach IRS chief (The Hill)

House Republicans have moved to impeach IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, arguing he violated the public trust. Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) introduced an impeachment resolution Tuesday, days after the Justice Department concluded its investigation into IRS targeting of Tea Party groups with no charges filed.

Shrinking naval forces need boost (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Our shipbuilding program is so anemic that it imperils national security.

GDP growth slows as inventories fall (Marketplace)

The Commerce Department reports that gross domestic product — the total of all goods and services the U.S. economy produces — rose at a 1.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter of 2015. The preliminary estimate represents a significant decline from GDP growth in the second quarter of 2015 of 3.9 percent.

Largest U.S. banks face $120 billion shortfall under new rule (Reuters)

Six big U.S. banks need to raise an additional $120 billion, most likely in long-term debt, under a rule proposed on Friday by the Federal Reserve. The requirements are aimed at ensuring that some of the biggest and most interconnected banks…can better withstand another crisis.. without disrupting markets or requiring a government bailout.

Walgreen’s buying Rite-Aid for $9.4 billion in cash (CBS)

Walgreens, the biggest U.S. drugstore chain, on Tuesday confirmed it would buy Rite Aid (RAD) for $9.41 billion in cash.

WORLD

Russian plane crash over Sanai: was there an explosion? (CNN)

Was a midair heat flash that a U.S. satellite detected over the Sinai Peninsula when the flight went down a sign of an explosion aboard the plane? …There are a wide range of theories on what made the passenger jet plunge to the ground, killing all 224 people on board,…officials have downplayed an apparent claim by Islamic militants that they brought down the Airbus A321-200, saying technical failure is the most likely reason for the crash.

U.S. signals shift in Syria-Iraq campaign against Islamic State (BBC)

The US has indicated a shift in its campaign against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria, including the use of direct ground raids.

Parliament vote could lead to EU freedom for Snowden (CS Monitor)

On Thursday, the European Parliament voted 285 to 281 to call on EU member states to "drop any criminal charges against Mr. Snowden, grant him protection, and consequently prevent extradition or rendition by third parties.”

Beit Hagai mother of eight slashed by terrorist near Gush Etzion junction (JPost)

…Security forces surrounded and arrested the terrorist. This is the third attack in the Gush Etzion region since Sunday and the second at that junction. On Tuesday, soldiers killed two Palestinian terrorists who stabbed a 19-year-old soldier in the face at a bus stop.

Watch: ISIS threatens Jews, Israel with 'big war' in second Hebrew video(JPost)

Jihadi militant in clip threatens "all the Jews" that the fundamentalist group will "come for you from across the world and we will slaughter you like sheep."