February 21, 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:

NATIONAL

• States join battle over drone fights (The Hill)
• The Voting Rights Act: Under fire (Ebony)
• Sequestration could mean across the board pain (CBS)
• FTC advises consumers to keep eye out for unauthorized charges on credit card bills (ABC)
• Kerry comes out swinging on climate change (The Hill)
• Pentagon informs Congress of plans to furlough 800K civilian workers (The Hill)
• In US, big strides in reducing domestic violence (CS Monitor)
• Farmer's Fight With Monsanto Reaches The Supreme Court (NPR)
• Who will clean up after the nuclear plants? (Christian Science Monitor)
• Alaska brewery plans to use beer as source of green energy (Fox)

WORLD

• Meteor blast injures 1,000 in Russia (CNN)
• Ozone hole shrinks to new low (Christian Science Monitor)
• Journalist rips ‘pro-life’ Republicans for seeking to cut infant nutrition program (Raw Story)
• GOP lawmakers propose $30 million a year to fund cops in schools program (The Hill)
• India farmers’ rice revolution (UK Guardian)
• U.K. Slaughterhouses Raided As Europe's Horse Meat Scandal Widens (NPR)
• A glimpse of Mexico's new crime fighting strategy (Christian Science Monitor)
• Chernobyl hit by roof collapse (BBC)
• The Afghan Battle Over A Law To Protect Women (NPR)
• Foreigners arrested for trying to spread Christianity in Libya (Reuters)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

By Miriam Raftery

November 27, 2012 (La Mesa)—ECM writer Kristin Kjaero has asked us to post a request from a friend stationed in Afghanistan with the Army Corps of Engineers.  He seeks donations of twin-sized blankets for 300 female students.  Below is his letter, which tells their remarkable story.

Please read it, and consider donating new or second-hand blankets to bring some much-needed comforts to these courageous and determined young women.

September 6, 2012 --  (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 reflecting 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.

        GENERAL NEWS

• The way ahead: U.S. hands of war to Afghan troops (UT San Diego)
• Sorry savers, interest rates set record lows (ABC News)
• Federal  Reserve audit finds $16 trillion in secret loans  (Senator Bernie Sanders, author of amendment requiring the audit)
• Residents impacted by Isaac return home (CBS News)
• National Conference of American Indians opposes Dept. of Interior fast-tracking on renewable energy projects near Colorado River
• Are small businesses being heard this election year? (Entrepreneur)
• Dumped by home insurance after a disaster?  (BankRate.com)
• VA phone calls won’t solve massive problems (The Reno dispatch)

        PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

• Obama’s 2008 promises:  kept or broken? (CBS)
• Democratic convention to make case for 4 more years (BBC)
• Romney and Ryan fault Obama’s economic maneuvers (Los Angeles Times)
• Romney on the offensive (CBS)
• Video: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7420224n&tag=stack
• Obama: GOP ideas “better for the last century” (Yahoo News)
• Video: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-gop-ideas-better-last-century-191555406--election.html
• Obama finds key asset in Bill Clinton’s support (Washington Post)

WORLD

• More than 100,000 Syrians flee in one month (CNN)
• 7.6 quake in Philippines triggers tsunami alert (CNBC)
• Syrian rebels hit back at Assad’s air power (Reuters)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

• Obama spending binge never happened (Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch)
• GOP Senators push for Medicare cuts (The Hill)
• Wall Street rebounds, but investors dump Facebook (Reuters)
• As NATO summit wraps, Romney and Obama trade attacks (USA Today)
• This terrifying amendment legalizes use of propaganda on the U.S. public (Business Insider)
• Republican-led House votes to allow military action against Iran (RawStory)
• CEOs who delivered the most and least bang for the buck (Wall Street Journal)
• Facebook users file class action over online tracking (RawStory)
• Romney, Obama in dead heat, new poll finds (Washington Post)
• Troops face same risk of brain-wasting disease as football players (KPBS)

• U.S. Senate approves bill to toughen Iran sanctions (BBC)
• Italy earthquake: Monti prepares for state of emergency (BBC)
• Suicide bomber kills 90 in Yemen (Reuters)
• Despite end to Afghan war in 2014, U.S. to shoulder burden of funding (Fox News)
• A look at ‘wind turbines of the deep’ (BBC)

• Feds make first arrest in BP Gulf Coast oil spill (CBS)
• Justices to hear appeal over controversial Arizona immigration law (CNN)
• Obama takes on college costs, eyes young voters (Bloomberg)
• Radioactive particles from Japan detected in California kelp (Los Angeles Times)
• Romney sweeps five northeast primaries (USA Today)
• Mitt Romney: Mothers should be required to work outside home or lose benefits (HuffingtonPost)

• Stirring Mexico volcano closes schools, raises alert (Reuters)
• Afghan girls in school after poison attack (BBC)
• Japan fears nuclear plant sits atop active geological fault (Reuters)
• Hollande and Sarkozy head for runoff in French election (NY Times)

• 7 U.S. soldiers wounded after Afghan naval base attacked (Reuters)
• Cruiseline: 22 passengers robbed in Mexico resort (CNN)
• National gas prices up 18 cents in last two weeks (San Francisco Chronicle)
• House GOP leaders announce vote on jobs creation package as early as next week (The Hill)

• Romney wins Michigan, Arizona, in big night (CNN)
• Presidential race highlights California GOP convention (KPBS)
• Obama mocks GOP on gas price issue (USA Today)
• Poll: Romney overtaking Santorum nationally (The Hill)
• UAW to protest Romney at Daytona 500 (Detroit News)
• Maher donates $1 million to Obama super pac  (USA Today)
• Santorum says he “almost threw up” after reading JFK speech on separation of church, state (Washington Post)

• Karzai urges Afghans to avoid violent retaliations over Koran burnings  (Washington Post)
• Children left behind in world’s city boom: UNICEF (RawStory)
• Nigeria unrest: Suicide bomb targets church in Jos (BBC)
• Iran poised for big nuke jump (UT San Diego)

• FDA adds new safety warnings to statin drugs (USA Today)
• Why doctors die differently (Wall Street Journal)

• Obama announces new housing refinance plan (Washington Post)
• Facebook and Zuckerberg embark on mega-IPO(Reuters)
• Obama offers plan to help small businesses, start-ups (Washington Post)
• Proposed jobs bill would target outsourcing by U.S. firms (Washington Post)
• USDA to require healthier meals in schools with updated nutrition standards (NPR)
• Common chemical could make kids vaccines less effective (NPR)  

• Romney wins big in Florida, routing Gingrich (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Jailed Rep. Cunningham endorses Gingrich (Daily Beast)

• Villagers scramble for fuel in Europe's big chill (Reuters)
  
• U.S. plans to end Afghan combat role early; Kabul surprised (BBC)
• Child slavery and chocolate: all too easy to find (CNN)
• Fair trade chocolate creations (CNN)
• Al Qaeda in northern Africa an “afterthought” no more (CNN)

January 26, 2012 --  (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 reflecting 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:  

• State of the Union: Obama calls for tax fairness (BBC)
• Starbucks pro-gun policy prompts gun victims’ advocate group to announce nationwide boycott on Valentine’s Day
• Army says suicides down, but violent crimes up (MSNBC)
• Senate Dems make Mitt Romney the poster boy for tax reform (The Hill)
• Wisconsin recall petition of Gov. Walker gets 1 million signatures (Washington Post)

• South Carolina primary: Newt Gingrich defeats Mitt Romney (ABC)
• Obama launches swing state tour (CNN)
• Santorum hails delayed Iowa win as huge upset (CNN)
• Bain Capital owns Clear Channel:
• Romney parks millions in Cayman Islands offshore tax haven (ABC News)
• Ex-wife claims Gingrich sought open marriage, Gingrich says allegation false (Fox News)
• Perry drops out, endorses Gingrich (CNN)

• Navy Seal raid frees Somali hostages (BBC)
• Israel rattled as hackers hit bourse, banks, El Al (Reuters)
• The secret document that transformed China (NPR)
• Recent attacks by radical Islamist sect in Nigeria (San Diego U-T)
• Afghan asylum bids hit 10-year high (San Diego U-T)

• Blind can see again: First patients seen to improve with stem cell tissues (Reuters)