ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

November 1, 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.

• After Mueller charges, what’s next for Manafort, Gates and Papadopoulos? (Washington Post)
• New York truck attack kills at least 8 in “act of terror” (Washington Post)
• LGTB advocates celebrate as judge blocks transgender troops ban (Politico)
• Conservative donor first paid Fusion GPS for Trump research (Washington Post)
• The Trump Dossier: What we know and who paid for it (New York Times)
• What you need to know about Hillary Clinton, Russia and uranium (Politifact)
• How Russian Propaganda Spreads On Social Media (NPR)
• IRS apologizes for unfair treatment of conservative groups  (CS Monitor)
• Sens. Rand Paul and Ron Wyden Unveil Long-Awaited, Privacy-Protecting Surveillance Reform Bill (Reason)
• Yulia Tymoshenko Warned Us About Paul Manafort Years Ago (Reason)
• Megan Phelps-Roper: If You're Raised To Hate, Can You Reverse It? (NPR)

WORLD

• Daughter Of Putin's Former Mentor Announces Presidential Run (NPR)
• A global culture to fight extremism (Ted.com)
• How China is targeting its Uyghur ethnic minority abroad (Globe and Mail)
• Women fail to crack China's glass ceiling as party picks new leaders (Reuters)
• Italy uses Anne Frank's diary to combat anti-Semitism at sports games (CS Monitor)
• Another first for Saudi women: legal attendance at sports matches (CS Monitor)
• Iran says no need to increase missile range as can already hit U.S. forces  (Reuters)

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

U.S.

After Mueller charges, what’s next for Manafort, Gates and Papadopoulos? (Washington Post)

The Post's Matt Zapotosky and Devlin Barrett explain what could come next following the indictment of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the guilty plea of former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos.

New York truck attack kills at least 8 in “act of terror” (Washington Post)

A 29-year-old man driving a rental truck plowed down people on a Manhattan bike path Tuesday in what authorities described as a terrorist attack that killed eight and injured 11 before the suspect was shot and arrested by police.

LGTB advocates celebrate as judge blocks transgender troops ban (Politico)

…In response to a lawsuit filed by GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction on the ban….District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly's ruling means the military cannot kick out transgender troops who are now serving and must continue to provide them medical care. But recruitment of transgender troops will still be delayed until Jan. 1 under an order previously issued by Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Conservative donor first paid Fusion GPS for Trump research (Washington Post)

A conservative publication said Friday it paid a Washington research firm to start probing Donald Trump’s background — a move that set in motion a chain of events leading to the explosive dossier alleging ties between Trump associates and Russia. In a statement, the Washington Free Beacon said it retained Fusion GPS to provide research on multiple Republican candidates in the 2016 presidential election.

The Trump Dossier: What we know and who paid for it (New York Times)

The so-called Steele dossier of research into President Trump’s connections to Russia is back in the news, with the revelation that it was at least partly funded by Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

What you need to know about Hillary Clinton, Russia and uranium (Politifact)

A 2016 campaign attack involving former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and her role in a uranium sale that involved Russia is back in the news.

How Russian Propaganda Spreads On Social Media (NPR)

Experts say such propaganda sows divisions within society by confirming beliefs. Facebook, Google and Twitter officials are testifying this week about Russian influence on the 2016 election. 

IRS apologizes for unfair treatment of conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status (CS Monitor)

The Internal Revenue Service admits delays and heightened scrutiny for conservative groups was wrong when determining tax-exempt status in 2013.The US Justice Department has since settled two lawsuits by conservative groups regarding the claims.

Sens. Rand Paul and Ron Wyden Unveil Long-Awaited, Privacy-Protecting Surveillance Reform Bill (Reason)

In this corner, Sen. Richard Burr (R–N.C.), head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wants to expand the feds' ability to snoop on citizens without a warrant. In this corner, Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) want to significantly restrain the federal government from accessing information collected without warrants. Let's fight it out.

Yulia Tymoshenko Warned Us About Paul Manafort Years Ago (Reason)

In a civil complaint, the former Ukrainian prime minister accused Manafort—who would go on to chair Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign—of conspiring with Ukrainian and Russian partners to launder dirty money through "a labyrinth of shell companies" in the U.S.

Megan Phelps-Roper: If You're Raised To Hate, Can You Reverse It? (NPR)

Megan Phelps-Roper grew up in the Westboro Baptist Church, which preaches a message of hate and fear. But after engaging with her critics--on Twitter, no less--she decided to leave the church. 

WORLD

Daughter Of Putin's Former Mentor Announces Presidential Run (NPR)

The daughter of Vladimir Putin's mentor announced her intention to run in next year's presidential election. Most observers suspect it's a Kremlin plot to make the election look more legitimate.

A global culture to fight extremism (Ted.com)

Why do transnational extremist organizations succeed where democratic movements have a harder time taking hold? Maajid Nawaz, a former Islamist extremist, asks for new grassroots stories and global social activism to spread democracy in the face of nationalism and xenophobia. 

How China is targeting its Uyghur ethnic minority abroad (Globe and Mail)

In a broad campaign to increase pressure on Uyghurs overseas, including those in Canada, Chinese authorities are using coercive measures on family members, recruiting people to spy and sending threats to get many from the ethnic minority group to return to China

Women fail to crack China's glass ceiling as party picks new leaders (Reuters)

The founding father of communist China, Mao Zedong, may have once said that women “hold up half the sky” but when the twice-a-decade party congress selected a new batch of top leaders this week, females weren’t holding up much at all.

Italy uses Anne Frank's diary to combat anti-Semitism at sports games (CS Monitor)

After anti-Semitic stickers were strewn around Italian soccer club Lazio's stadium, the team and the Italian soccer federation are taking steps to combat racism and anti-Semitism at games, including reading a passage aloud from Anne Frank's diary before matches.

Another first for Saudi women: legal attendance at sports matches (CS Monitor)

Two years after a woman disguised as a man was arrested for attending a soccer game, Saudi women will be allowed to attend games in stadiums, as long as they sit in the designated 'family' section.

Iran says no need to increase missile range as can already hit U.S. forces  (Reuters)

 Iran has no need to increase the range of its ballistic missiles as they could already reach U.S. forces stationed in the region, the head of the Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday.