ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

April 20, 2016 (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.

• Criminal charges expected in Flint water crisis (USA Today)
• Federal court overturns transgender bathroom policy (Time)
• U.S. government worse than all major industries on cyber security: report(Reuters)
• Obama backs cable competition and infuriates industry (Huffington Post)
• How much warmer was your city in 2015? (New York Times)
• Your Conversation On The Bus Or Train May Be Recorded (NPR)
• U.S. agency advises Windows PC users remove Apple's QuickTime over bugs (Reuters)
• 15 years of labor shortages predicted for the U.S. economy  (Marketplace)
• Why Houston keeps flooding (Marketplace)
• Utah becomes first state to declare porn a 'public health crisis' (CS Monitor)
• Microsoft Sues Justice Dept., Seeking To Inform Customers About Seized Data (NPR)
• Russia jets make 'simulated attack' passes near U.S. destroyer: U.S. (Reuters)
• Six years after BP spill, U.S. sets new offshore oil safety rules  (Reuters)
• Sanders Has Been Losing In States Where Income Inequality Is Worse (NPR)

It's one of the more unexpected patterns in this year's election data...but why is it happening?

WORLD

• Kabul Attack Kills Dozens, Wounds Hundreds; Taliban Claim Responsibility(NPR)
• Rescue efforts under way after two major earthquakes rock Japan (CS Monitor)
• Vatican Conference (But Not Necessarily Vatican) Wants to Do Away With 'Just War' Theory (Reason)
• Declassified U.S. document suggests Pakistani link to attack on CIA agents (Reuters)
• Muslim nations accuse Iran of supporting terrorism: summit communique (Reuters)
• On ground in Syria, scant evidence of draw down trumpeted by Kremlin (Reuters)
• Afghan air strike against Islamic State kills 40: official  (Reuters)
• Forget Czech Republic, meet 'Czechia' (CS Monitor)
• Russia jets make 'simulated attack' passes near U.S. destroyer: U.S. (Reuters)

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

U.S.

Criminal charges expected in Flint water crisis (USA Today)

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette will announce criminal charges Wednesday in connection with his ongoing investigation of the Flint drinking water crisis, three sources familiar with the investigation told the Detroit Free Press Tuesday.

Federal court overturns transgender bathroom policy (Time)

A federal appeals court has overturned a policy barring a transgender student from using the boys’ restrooms at his Virginia high school.

U.S. government worse than all major industries on cyber security: report(Reuters)

 U.S. federal, state and local government agencies rank in last place in cyber security when compared against 17 major private industries, including transportation, retail and healthcare, according to a new report released Thursday.

Obama backs cable competition and infuriates industry (Huffington Post)

“Competition is good for consumers,” Obama said. Cable industry might not agree. The Obama administration on Friday weighed in on the debate over allowing consumers to switch from pricey cable television boxes to less expensive devices, urging regulators to set an example for the rest of government on how to boost competition. Consumers can spend nearly $1,000 over four years renting cable set-top boxes. Allowing consumers to chose devices or apps they can own could mean quick savings, according to the administration.

How much warmer was your city in 2015? (New York Times)

Scientists declared that 2015 was Earth’s hottest year on record. In a database of 3,116 cities provided by AccuWeather, about 90 percent of them were warmer than normal. Enter your city in the field below to see how much warmer it was last year.

Your Conversation On The Bus Or Train May Be Recorded (NPR)

In a number of cities, what riders say may be recorded. Transit agencies are adding audio recording for security reasons, but civil liberties advocates say it's an invasion of privacy.

Russian jets buzz US ship: Why the White House says it's a big deal (CS Monitor)

Russian jets flew dangerously close to a US ship earlier this week - and they did so over 30 times. Russian military officials think the US is making a big deal out of nothing, but the Pentagon insists such flyovers are anything but protocol.

U.S. agency advises Windows PC users remove Apple's QuickTime over bugs (Reuters)

 The U.S. government has recommended that Windows PC users uninstall Apple Inc's QuickTime video player after security software maker Trend Micro Inc said on Thursday it had discovered two new bugs in the software.

15 years of labor shortages predicted for the U.S. economy  (Marketplace)

The Conference Board reports that retiring Baby Boomers, strong job creation, and weak productivity growth are combining to create labor shortages across the country.

Why Houston keeps flooding (Marketplace)

Flooding in and around Houston has killed at least five people and prompted mass rescues

Utah becomes first state to declare porn a 'public health crisis' (CS Monitor)

Utah's resolution could open the door to other states considering similar public-health-based measures against pornography. 

Microsoft Sues Justice Dept., Seeking To Inform Customers About Seized Data (NPR)

Microsoft is asking a judge to declare part of a 1986 federal law unconstitutional under both the First and Fourth Amendments.

Six years after BP spill, U.S. sets new offshore oil safety rules  (Reuters)

The Obama administration on Thursday unveiled new oil well control rules to prevent the kind of blowout that happened six years ago on a BP Plc (BP.L) rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sanders Has Been Losing In States Where Income Inequality Is Worse (NPR)

It's one of the more unexpected patterns in this year's election data...but why is it happening?

WORLD

Kabul Attack Kills Dozens, Wounds Hundreds; Taliban Claim Responsibility(NPR)

A suicide car bombing was followed by an attack staged by gunmen. The attack hit during morning rush hour; the wounded included women and children, Afghan officials say.

Rescue efforts under way after two major earthquakes rock Japan (CS Monitor)

A pair of strong earthquakes in southwestern Japan killed at least 41 people, injured about 1,500 and left 200,000 homes without electricity or water.  

Vatican Conference (But Not Necessarily Vatican) Wants to Do Away With 'Just War' Theory (Reason)

As 80 Catholics from a number of organizations were convening for a Vatican-sponsored conference on the Church's "just war" theory this week, Pope Francis prepared a letter urging them to offer "thoughts on revitalizing the tools of non-violence." Instead, participants released a document forcefully rejecting the idea that there is such a thing as a just war at all in the modern world.

Declassified U.S. document suggests Pakistani link to attack on CIA agents (Reuters)

 A Pakistani intelligence officer paid $200,000 to an extremist network to facilitate a deadly suicide bomb attack on CIA operatives at a base in Afghanistan in 2009, according to a declassified U.S. government document obtained by an independent research group.

Muslim nations accuse Iran of supporting terrorism: summit communique (Reuters)

Leaders from more than 50 Muslim nations accused Iran on Friday of supporting terrorism and interfering in the affairs of regional states, including Syria and Yemen, a condemnation that may widen the divide between Iran and its main rival, Saudi Arabia.

On ground in Syria, scant evidence of draw down trumpeted by Kremlin (Reuters)

- A month since Vladimir Putin announced the withdrawal of most Russian forces from Syria, his military contingent there is as strong as ever, with fewer jets but many more attack helicopters able to provide closer combat support to government troops.

Afghan air strike against Islamic State kills 40: official  (Reuters)

 Afghan aircraft killed more than 40 fighters loyal to Islamic State in a raid in the eastern province of Nangarhar, officials said on Friday.

Forget Czech Republic, meet 'Czechia' (CS Monitor)

The Czech Republic is submitting an official name change of 'Czechia' to the world.

Russia jets make 'simulated attack' passes near U.S. destroyer: U.S. (Reuters)

 Two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, the U.S. military said, with one official describing them as one of the most aggressive interactions in recent memory.