ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

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June 21, 2017 (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.

Special prosecutor investigation

Other national news

WORLD

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

U.S.

Trump-Russia investigation

Lobbyist for Russian interests says he attended dinners hosted by Sessions (Guardian)

An American lobbyist for Russian interests who helped craft an important foreign policy speech for Donald Trump has confirmed that he attended two dinners hosted by Jeff Sessions during the 2016 campaign, apparently contradicting the attorney general’s sworn testimony given this week.

Donald Trump, Felix Sater and the job:  Lawyers push to unseal court documents they say could show fraud by president (Newsweek)

…The sealed documents are from a federal case against Felix Sater, who Trump reportedly tapped as a senior advisor for his real-estate business in the 2000s even after Sater’s earlier role in a Mafia-linked stock scheme became public… Lerner told Newsweek that if Trump knowingly did real estate with a convicted felon, that could constitute financial fraud.

Trump lashes out at Russia probe while Pence hires a lawyer (San Diego Union-Tribune)

A heightened sense of unease gripped the White House on Thursday, as President Donald Trump lashed out at reports that he's under scrutiny over whether he obstructed justice, aides repeatedly deflected questions about the probe and Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged hiring a private lawyer to handle fallout from investigations into Russian election meddling.

Senate approves new Russia sanctions (CNN)

The Senate on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to enact new sanctions against Russia and make it difficult for President Donald Trump to lift them. In a rare moment of bipartisan unity, the Senate voted 97 to two to approve the sanctions…The new Russia sanctions would create a congressional review process if the executive branch eases current sanctions. It also imposes new sanctions in a number of categories, including those "conducting malicious cyber activity on behalf of the Russian government" and "supplying weapons to the Assad regime."

Criminal investigation of Trump puts his presidency in peril (Wash. Post “Right Turn” column)

The special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 election is interviewing senior intelligence officials as part of a widening probe that now includes an examination of whether President Trump attempted to obstruct justice, officials said. The move by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III to investigate Trump’s conduct marks a major turning point in the nearly year-old FBI investigation, which until recently focused on Russian meddling during the presidential campaign and on whether there was any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Investigators have also been looking for any evidence of possible financial crimes among Trump associates, officials said.

Other national news

Russia warns U.S. after downing of Syrian warplane (New York Times)

Long-running tensions between the United States and Russia erupted publicly on Monday as Moscow condemned the American military’s downing of a Syrian warplane and threatened to target aircraft flown by the United States and its allies west of the Euphrates.

Phoenix flights cancelled because it’s too hot for planes (BBC)

As temperatures climb in Phoenix, Arizona, more than 40 flights have been cancelled - because it is too hot for the planes to fly. The weather forecast for the US city suggests temperatures could reach 120F (49C) on Tuesday. That is higher than the operating temperature of some planes.

Admin revokes blocked program to protect immigrant parents (Washington Post)

An Obama-era immigration program intended to protect parents of U.S. citizens and legal residents from deportation has been formally cancelled, fulfilling a key campaign promise from President Donald Trump, the Homeland Security Department announced late Thursday. Homeland Security John Kelly formally revoked a policy memo that created the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program.

Amazon to buy Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, wielding online might in brick-and-mortar world (Reuters)

Amazon.com Inc said on Friday it would buy Whole Foods Market Inc for $13.7 billion, in an embrace of brick-and-mortar stores that could turn the high-end grocer into a mass-market merchant and upend the already struggling U.S. retail industry.

U.S. Supreme Court strikes down sex offender social media ban (Reuters)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday moved to buttress free speech rights in the digital age, striking down a North Carolina law banning convicted sex offenders from Facebook and other social media services that play a vital role in modern life.

U.S. top court says law banning offensive trademarks is unconstitutional (Reuters)

 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a law forbidding official registration of offensive trademarks unconstitutionally limits free speech in a case involving a band called The Slants, an outcome the government has said could lead to a proliferation of racial slurs as sanctioned trademarks.

Trump owes lenders at least $315 million, disclosure shows (Reuters)

President Donald Trump had personal liabilities of at least $315.6 million to German, U.S. and other lenders as of mid-2017, according to a federal financial disclosure form released late on Friday by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.

Trump signs bill revoking Obama era gun checks for mental illness (NBC)

President Donald Trump quietly signed a bill into law Tuesday rolling back an Obama-era regulation that made it harder for people with mental illnesses to purchase a gun.

Emerging portrait of shooting suspect James T. Hodgkinson:  Anti-Trump rhetoric on social media, repeat visits to YMCA near Virginia ballfield (Washington Post)

 For weeks, James T. Hodgkinson sat in the lobby of the YMCA in Alexandria, focused on his laptop and carrying a gym bag, but never working out. His perch looked on to the field where the Republican baseball team had been practicing daily for about two months. On Wednesday…by 7:09, he had left the building and was firing dozens of rounds at the congressional team, wounding five people before being shot dead by police.

Legal services in unprecedented danger under Trump’s budget proposal (Guardian)

Pavita Krishnaswamy stands on the fifth floor of housing court in downtown Brooklyn and rattles off the programs that would be hurt if Donald Trump succeeds in pushing through cuts to legal services that are outlined in a budget proposal released by the White House on Thursday.“Domestic violence. Immigration. Predatory lending. Consumer protections. Foreclosures. HIV/LGBTQ cases.”

CEOs to Trump: You’re failing (CNN)

… A stunning 50% of the CEOs, business execs, government officials and academics surveyed at the annual Yale CEO Summit give Trump an "F" for his first 130 days in office. The survey, released earlier this week, found that another 21% give Trump's performance a "D" so far. Just 1% of the 125 leaders polled awarded the billionaire an "A."

Democratic lawmakers sue Trump, handing the president another legal challenge (NPR)

More than 190 Democrats in Congress joined together to sue President Trump on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They say Trump is violating the U.S. Constitution by profiting from business deals involving foreign governments — and doing so without congressional consent.

WORLD

Van rams Muslim worshippers in London; PM May condemns ‘sickening’ attack (Reuters)

A van plowed into worshippers near a London mosque in the early hours of Monday, injuring 10 people, two of them seriously, in what Prime Minister Theresa May said was a sickening, terrorist attack on Muslims….The driver, a 47-year-old white man, was grabbed at the scene by locals and pinned down until police arrived… He was held on suspicion of attempted murder which was later extended to preparing or instigating terrorism…After being seized, he said he had wanted to kill "many Muslim people," one witness told journalists.

Imam praised as hero for protecting Finsbury Park attacker (CNN)

The imam of a Muslim center in London has been praised for his "bravery and courage" in stopping an angry crowd turning on the driver involved in a van attack. One person died and eight people were wounded, two seriously, after the vehicle rammed into people leaving Ramadan prayers in Finsbury Park, north London, in the early hours of Monday morning.

Veteran aide expert Egeland warns of ‘Biblical famine’ in Yemen (Reuters)

Yemen faces a "famine of Biblical proportions", veteran aid expert Jan Egeland warned on Wednesday during a visit to the war-battered nation, expressing fury over the failure of the "men with guns and power" to end the crisis.

7 U.S. Service Members Wounded In 'Insider Attack' In Afghanistan (NPR)

The shooter, who was dressed in an Afghan military uniform, was killed in the attack at Camp Shaheen, officials at the base say. It's the second "green-on-blue" shooting in Afghanistan in a week.

Saudi king empowers young reformer son in succession shake-up (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was promoted to crown prince on Wednesday, replacing his cousin in a sudden announcement that confirms King Salman's 31-year-old son as next ruler of the kingdom.

Palestinian Authority has not sent medical shipments to Gaza for over three months (Jerusalem Post)

Source says Abbas is pressuring Hamas to cede its control of Gaza…. According to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, Gazan hospitals are no longer able to obtain one-third of essential medicines and more than 270 medical equipment items needed for operating rooms…. Abbas has taken a number of steps to pressure Hamas in the past several weeks including significantly cutting the salaries of PA employees in Gaza and asking Israel to reduce the amount of electricity it supplies Gaza by approximately 35%. 

Why Is China Snatching Up Australian Farmland? (NPR)

In the past year, Chinese investment in Australia's overall agricultural sector has skyrocketed, from $300 million to $1 billion. It's all to feed the world's largest, fastest-growing consumer class.

Attacks on Western cities prompt insurers to adapt (Reuters)

The changing nature of attacks in Western cities has led insurers to offer new policies, from straightforward cover for business lost due to police cordons to more risky compensation for declines in tourism. 

 FBI says probing Michigan airport stabbing as 'act of terrorism' (Reuters)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Wednesday it was investigating as an act of terrorism the stabbing of a police officer inside the main terminal of a small airport in Flint, Michigan.  According to a criminal complaint, Ftouhi yelled in Arabic "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) before stabbing Lieutenant Jeff Neville of the airport's Department of Public Safety.

Abortive Brussels attack could have been much worse -PM (Reuters)

A suitcase bomb packed with nails and gas bottles could have caused heavy casualties, Belgium's prime minister said on Wednesday, a day after a soldier shot dead a Moroccan national attempting an attack on Brussels' Central Station….  He then ran back up to the concourse where commuters had been milling around and rushed toward a soldier shouting "Allahu akbar" - God is greatest, in Arabic. The soldier, part of a routine patrol, shot him several times.

Explosion in Bogota shopping center kills three, wounds nine (Reuters)

 Three women were killed and nine wounded after an explosive device detonated in a restroom in a busy upscale shopping center in Colombia's capital on Saturday.

Jerusalem on high alert after police officer killed in Old City attack (JPost)

St.-Sgt.-Maj. Hadas Malka, 23, was stabbed to death Friday evening, and two other officers were moderately and lightly wounded, during coordinated attacks near Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate carried out by three Palestinian terrorists armed with an improvised automatic weapon and knives.


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