ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

March 19, 2014 (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.

• Navy Seals seize rogue tanker (UT San Diego)
• NSA mimics criminals in bid to infect millions of computers, report says (+video) (CS Monitor)
• Owners of recalled GM cars feel angry, vindicated (Reuters)
• Gun control supporters turn to new front (The Hill)
• If Hilary doesn’t run, the democratic primary could be one for the ages (Washington Post)
• Jobless deal came down to wire (Politico)
• Louisiana sues MoveOn.org over Bobby Jindal billboard  (Times-Picayune)
• Editorial: Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell agree: Voters don’t need to know (SacBee)

WORLD

• Moscow wins overwhelming Crimea vote, West readies sanctions (Reuters)
• Fresh off triumph in Crimean vote, Moscow spells out conditions for Kiev (+video) (CS Monitor)
• In Eastern Europe, the talk is of 1939 (Monitor Global Outlook)
• Crimea to Russia: we're ready to be annexed (CS Monitor)
• Why China's new anti-satellite weapon worries US (CS Monitor)
• Missing Malaysian flight: Air traffic control heard from pilot after systems shut down (CS Monitor)
• NATO websites hit in cyber attack over Crimea stance Reuters)
• Nigeria: Attacks on Christians kill at least 100 (UT San Diego)
• Iran pursuing banned items for nuclear, missile work: U.S. official (Reuters)
• Cyber-war: In deed and desire, Iran emerging as a major power (CS Monitor)
• US delivers Hellfire missiles, ammunition to Iraq (UT San Diego)
• Israel bombs Gaza militants after intensive rocket fire (Reuters)
• Assad and Hezbollah gain control of Lebanon border, choke off supply line to rebels (Jerusalem Post)
• Egypt arrests 'Israel lover' for Star of David tattoo, contacting Israelis on Facebook (Jerusalem Post)

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

U.S.

Navy Seals seize rogue tanker (UT San Diego)

Navy SEALs seized a rogue oil tanker controlled by armed Libya militiamen on Sunday night at the request of the Libyan and Cypriot governments, the Pentagon said Monday.

NSA mimics criminals in bid to infect millions of computers, report says (+video) (CS Monitor)

 The NSA is moving far beyond the collection of data in an attempt to implant malicious software on potentially millions of computers worldwide, mimicking a criminal 'botnet,' according to the newest Edward Snowden leak.

Owners of recalled GM cars feel angry, vindicated (Reuters)

 As details emerge about how General Motors Co dealt with faulty ignition switches in some of its models, car owners are increasingly angry after learning that the automaker knowingly allowed them to drive defective vehicles

Gun control supporters turn to new front (The Hill)

The American gun control movement is going corporate. Still reeling from the stinging legislative defeats of 2013, proponents of tougher firearm regulations are increasingly turning their focus to private sector campaigns. Gun control groups have claimed victories in recent months, successfully pushing Starbucks to declare guns unwelcome in stores and persuading Facebook to crack down on unregulated firearm solicitations.

If Hilary doesn’t run, the democratic primary could be one for the ages (Washington Post)

…One thing that everyone — those who want Clinton to run and those who don’t — agrees on is that she has simply not made up her mind yet and probably won’t for some time. So, what happens if she decides not to campaign for the White House? In a word: chaos. Here’s why:

Jobless deal came down to wire (Politico)

Senators struck a bipartisan deal on Thursday to revive expired long-term jobless benefits following months of dramatic stops and starts on the issue.

Louisiana sues MoveOn.org over Bobby Jindal billboard  (Times-Picayune)

Louisiana is suing national left-leaning policy group MoveOn.org in federal court, saying it violated trademark rules when it put up a billboard and commissioned television ads critical of Gov. Bobby Jindal that use the state's tourism logo and motto. …MoveOn parodied the aforementioned "Pick Your Passion" brand by erecting their billboard around March 4, which reads: "LOU!SIANA Pick your passion! But hope you don't love your health. Gov. Jindal's denying Medicaid to 242,000 people."

Editorial: Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell agree: Voters don’t need to know (SacBee)

 U.S. senators refuse to file their campaign finance reports online. Why? They make their own rules.

WORLD

Moscow wins overwhelming Crimea vote, West readies sanctions (Reuters)

Crimea's Moscow-backed leaders declared a 96-percent vote in favour of quitting Ukraine and annexation by Russia in a referendum Western powers said was illegal and will bring immediate sanctions.  As state media in Russia carried a startling reminder of its power to turn the United States to "radioactive ash", President Barack Obama spoke to Vladimir Putin, telling the Russian president that he and his European allies were ready to impose "additional costs" on Moscow for violating Ukraine's territory..

Fresh off triumph in Crimean vote, Moscow spells out conditions for Kiev (+video) (CS Monitor) -- Following the overwhelming, if legally dubious, vote by Crimea to join Russia on Sunday, Moscowhas laid down its road map for peace in Ukraine.... The road map looks certain to be a tough sell for Kiev’s struggling interim government and its Western supporters. Among other demands, it calls for Kiev’s acceptance of the Crimean peninsula's right to self-determination, radical constitutional restructuring, and the adoption of a permanent non-aligned status for Ukraine....

In Eastern Europe, the talk is of 1939 (Monitor Global Outlook)

While Washington is talking about diplomacy, Poles in cafés and on social media are talking about the land-grabbing of the late 1930s that led to World War II.....

Crimea to Russia: we're ready to be annexed (CS Monitor)

Officials announced that Sunday's referendum showed 96.77 percent support to break away from Ukraine and join Russia – a tally that seems dubious....  Even if every Russian voter opted in favor of annexation, majorities of the Ukrainian and Tatar populations would also have had to vote to meet the 83-percent participation figure. And nearly all of those Ukrainian and Tatar voters would have had to have supported annexation for the 96.7-percent in-favor result to be accurate. Given Ukrainian and Tatar resistance to the move, such a result seems unlikely. 

Why China's new anti-satellite weapon worries US (CS Monitor)

China appears to be testing a kinetic interceptor launched by a new rocket that could reach geostationary orbit. China's new anti-satellite weapon appears to be based on a road-mobile ballistic missile

Missing Malaysian flight: Air traffic control heard from pilot after systems shut down (CS Monitor)

The final words from the missing Malaysian jetliner's cockpit gave no indication anything was wrong even though one of the plane's communications systems had already been disabled, officials said Sunday, adding to suspicions that one or both of the pilots were involved in the disappearance....  

NATO websites hit in cyber attack over Crimea stance Reuters)

Unidentified hackers brought down several public NATO websites with cyber attacks on Saturday, the alliance said, in what appeared the latest escalation in cyberspace over growing tensions over Crimea.

Nigeria: Attacks on Christians kill at least 100 (UT San Diego)

Officials say Fulani Muslim herders attacked three Christian villages and killed more than 100 civilians. Hundreds of thatched-roof huts were set ablaze.  Thousands have been killed in recent years in competition for land and water between mainly Muslim Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers across Nigeria's Middle Belt.

Iran pursuing banned items for nuclear, missile work: U.S. official (Reuters)

 Iran has pursued a longstanding effort to buy banned components for its nuclear and missile programs in recent months, a U.S. official said on Sunday, a period when it struck an interim deal with major powers to limit its disputed atomic activity.

Cyber-war: In deed and desire, Iran emerging as a major power (CS Monitor)

Iran is being recognized in the US intelligence community and in cyber-security firms protecting corporate America as having vaulted into the top 10 of the world’s offensive cyber-powers.

US delivers Hellfire missiles, ammunition to Iraq (UT San Diego)

The United States delivered 100 Hellfire missiles, along with assault rifles and ammunition to Iraq as part of its anti-terrorism assistance to the country, the U.S. embassy to Iraq said on Sunday.

Israel bombs Gaza militants after intensive rocket fire (Reuters)

 Israel bombed 29 targets in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Israeli military said, after Palestinian militants in the coastal territory fired 60 rockets into Israel in the heaviest such barrage since 2012.

Assad and Hezbollah gain control of Lebanon border, choke off supply line to rebels (Jerusalem Post)

Government forces backed by Hezbollah fighters took full control of the Syrian town of Yabroud on Sunday after driving out rebel fighters, state media said, helping President Bashar Assad to secure the land route linking the capital Damascus to the former commercial hub of Aleppo and the Mediterranean coast.  

 Egypt arrests 'Israel lover' for Star of David tattoo, contacting Israelis on Facebook (Jerusalem Post)

A 24-year-old Egyptian has been arrested by authorities in Egypt for allegedly committing the crime of "loving Israel."