ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

November 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.

• Obama will allow insurance companies to extend current plans (Los Angeles Times)
• Home Ownership At Lowest Level In Nearly Two Decades (NPR)
• Custody battles rage over rape conceived kids (MSNBC)
• Invasion: 7,500 drones in U.S. airspace within 5 years, FAA warns (Washington Times)
• Welcome Back, Carter! Labor Participation Drops to 1978 Levels. (Reason)
• Philadelphians Elect First Whig Since 19th Century (NPR)
•  Navy scandal spans globe, climbs ranks (UT San Diego)

WORLD

• One of world’s strongest storms slams into Philippines (CBS)
• Philippine typhoon survivors beg for help as rescuers struggle (Reuters)
• Putin allies submit bill to punish separatism with prison (Reuters)
•  Survey Finds Anti-Semitism 'On The Rise' In Europe (NPR)
• Mexico frees 61 kidnap victims held near U.S. border (Reuters)
• Pakistani private schools ban Malala's book (UT San Diego)
• Public executions in North Korea? Report raises fear of new repression (+video) (CS Monitor)
• The Coming Betrayal of Israel (Jewish World View)
• Saudi rejects U.N. Security Council seat, opening way for Jordan (Reuters)
• China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi elected to top U.N. rights body (Reuters)

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

U.S.

Obama will allow insurance companies to extend current plans (Los Angeles Times)

President Obama will allow insurance companies to continue offering individual health plans that do not meet the standards of the Affordable Care Act through next year, according to a Democratic source on Capitol Hill familiar with the plans. The plan, which the president will announce Thursday morning, is intended to placate millions of consumers who have received cancellation notices from insurers in recent weeks. Obama had repeatedly promised that consumers would be able to keep plans that they liked.

Home Ownership At Lowest Level In Nearly Two Decades (NPR)

The home ownership rate in the U.S. is at its lowest since 1995. That's despite what was thought to be a rip-roaring recovery in real estate, and a long stretch of record low mortgages. Guest host Celeste Headlee learns more from Bloomberg Business Week contributor Roben Farzad.

Custody battles rage over rape conceived kids (MSNBC)

In some states rapists are demanding custody for children conceived from the rape. Angela Grogg and Kyle Karges discuss.

Invasion: 7,500 drones in U.S. airspace within 5 years, FAA warns (Washington Times)

The chief of the Federal Aviation Administration predicted Thursday that U.S. airspace could be crowded with as many as 7,500 commercial drones within the next five years, as he unveiled a long-awaited regulatory blueprint that seeks to protect Americans’ privacy while requiring testing for law enforcement and private companies seeking to operate unmanned aerial vehicles… Christopher Calabrese, American Civil Liberties Union legislative counsel, told The Washington Times that while the FAA’s requirement for public disclosure of data and retention policies are needed and welcome, the safeguards do not go far enough.

Welcome Back, Carter! Labor Participation Drops to 1978 Levels. (Reason)

The unemployment rate may have ticked back up to 7.3 percent, partially reflecting furloughed federal workers, but more concerning is that the share of the population actively looking for work dropped to Carter-era levels. That's right, the labor participation rate in October was down to 62.8 percent, a rate that hasn't been seen since March of 1978.

Philadelphians Elect First Whig Since 19th Century (NPR)

 After winning an election on a platform of pragmatism and compromise, Robert "Heshy" Bucholz is set to become what many believe will be the first Whig to hold elected office in Philadelphia since before the Civil War.

Navy scandal spans globe, climbs ranks (UT San Diego)

The expanding probe could end up being the biggest scandal for the Navy since the Tailhook sexual harassment case in the early 1990s.

WORLD

One of world’s strongest storms slams into Philippines (CBS)

Weather officials said Haiyan had sustained winds of 235 kph (147 mph) with gusts of 275 kph (170 mph) when it made landfall.

Philippine typhoon survivors beg for help as rescuers struggle (Reuters)

 Dazed survivors begged for help and scavenged for food, water and medicine on Monday after a super typhoon killed an estimated 10,000 in the central Philippines.

Putin allies submit bill to punish separatism with prison (Reuters)

 Russian lawmakers introduced legislation on Friday that would make spreading separatist views or expressing sympathy for separatist groups a criminal offence punishable by jail.

 Survey Finds Anti-Semitism 'On The Rise' In Europe (NPR)

 Nearly half of those surveyed in Hungary and France said they had considered emigrating over safety concerns.

Mexico frees 61 kidnap victims held near U.S. border (Reuters)

Mexican authorities freed 61 kidnapping victims in the northern border city of Reynosa, the government said on Friday, liberating a mix of foreign nationals that included at least nine minors and one American.

Pakistani private schools ban Malala's book (UT San Diego)

Pakistani education officials said Sunday that they have banned teenage activist Malala Yousafzai's book from private schools across the country, claiming it doesn't show enough respect for Islam and calling her a tool of the West.

Public executions in North Korea? Report raises fear of new repression (+video) (CS Monitor)

A South Korean newspaper reports that dozens have been executed in North Korea; in at least one case, in front of 10,000. If true, it could signal a new wave of repression for the brutal regime.

The Coming Betrayal of Israel (Jewish World View)

While the negotiations between Secretary of State John Kerry andIran were taking place in Geneva, writes Ynetnews.com, "...the Iranian government sent a different message with a broadcast on state television of a simulated missile attack on Israel."  

Saudi rejects U.N. Security Council seat, opening way for Jordan (Reuters)

 Saudi Arabia officially notified the United Nations on Tuesday of its decision to reject a seat on the U.N. Security Council, which U.N. diplomats said clears the way for the likely election of Jordan as a replacement.

China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi elected to top U.N. rights body (Reuters)

 China, Cuba, Russia and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday won three-year seats on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, the United Nations' top rights body, despite concerns about abuses and restrictions on freedoms in all four nations. / Also winning seats on the 47-nation council were Algeria, Britain, France, Mexico, Maldives, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Vietnam, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.