• Al Jazeera: tests suggest Arafat died of radioactive polonium poisoning (USA Today)
• Mexico’s president-elect may double security spending – aide (Reuters)
• Iran long range missiles attack ‘mock’enemy  bases (ABC news)
• Report describes brutal torture centers in Syria (CNN)

• Obama, Romney campaign to square off over energy (The Hill)
• Congress passes student loan bill (Huffington Post)
• The bomb buried in Obamacare explodes today – Hallelujah! (Forbes)
• More state leaders considering opting out of Medicare expansion (Washington Post)
• Romney campaign enters ‘message mayhem’ on insurance mandate (USA Today)
• The Nation: Guns blamed for started wildfires in parched west  (North County Times)
• This summer is ‘what global warming looks like’ (AP/Associated Press)
• Deadly land hurricane strikes Midwest, Atlantic states  (Accuweather)
• A health care Judas recounts his conversion  (CNN)

• Almost half of new vets seek disability (AP)
• Romney tells vets dangerous world demands powerful military (Reuters)
• Op-ed by President Obama: Keeping faith with our veterans (White House)
• How Memorial Day glosses over the real horrors of war (AlterNet)

• Iberdrola drops two wind projects  (Tribune-Democrat)
• Help wanted, but not for mid-level jobs (NPR)
• More relatives, friends caring for kids (Reuters)
• Democrats to offer a ‘lifeline’ for single payer healthcare (ThinkProgress)
• Romney hits magic number for GOP nomination (CNN)
• Military campaign money favors Obama (USA Today)

• Official: 160 girls poisoned at Afghan school (CNN)
• U.S. officials among the targets of Iran-aimed assassination plots (Washington Post)
• Syria condemned for massacre (BBC)
• Iran hit by new cyber-weapon “Flame” (Jerusalem Post)
• Sudyei dispute, Sudan to ‘withdraw troops’ (BBC)

• ‘9-11 planners’ set for Guantanamo Bay trial (BBC)
• Stocks resume their strong ride (Wall Street Journal)
• Bankrupt meat processor cites “pink slime” uproar (Reuters)
• With autism rising, researchers step up search for a cause (USA Today)
• Romney sweeps Tuesday primary contests (CNN)
• Arizona bill would declare pregnancy begins two weeks before conception (RawStory)
• Does a chocolate habit help you learn? (NPR)

• Bombing shatters Mogadishu bid to showcase peace (Seattle Times)
• Like the U.S., Europe wrestles with healthcare (NPR)
• Invisible Children to release “Kony 2012” sequel today (10 News)
• Greek pensioner left suicide note of economic despair (VOA)
• U.N. spells out Syria peace plan deadline amid skepticism (LA Times) 

February 9, 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:  

General news  

• Group urges FTC action on Google privacy (USA Today)
• Dems fight back against GOP in contraception battle (CBS)
• Forgetting a key lesson of Watergate? (CNN)
• Child labor for Victoria’s Secret cotton examined by U.S. (Bloomberg Business)
• U.S. Brigadier General dies in Afghanistan (CNN) 

• Santorum sweeps Minnesota, Missouri, Colorado (CNN)
• Mitt Romney wins overwhelming victory in Nevada caucuses (Washington Post) 

• NATO vs. Syria (American Conservative)
• Syrians storm embassies after uprising's worst violence (Reuters)
• Activists: Syrian assault leaves 250 dead (NPR)
• U.N. vote on Syria fails (NPR)
•  ‘Hezbollah will hit Israel if Syria attacked’ (Jerusaleum Post)
• Iran vows to hit any country that stages attack (San Diego UT)
• Thousands stranded by rising floodwaters in Australia (CNN) 

• Blind doctor can see again (Jerusalem Post)

 
Update February 4, 2012 -- The Department of Defense still has not listed the death of Jay Polk, nor has any notice of his death been published in New Iberia, Louisiana, where he claimed to live.  A source informs ECM further that his name has not been provided for addition to a memorial for special forces soldiers. Thus it now appears he was not killed in service to his country and likely fabricated the "report" of his death and possibly his military service as well. Now a blog site claims to have obtained military records showing a Jamond Polk was thrown out of the military at Fort Jackson. We do not know if this is the same Jay Polk referenced below, but include this information for anyone who may be able to confirm or disprove the connection: 

We are leaving this story posted, with this disclaimer, because the research on special forces operations includes numerous well documented links on that issue  even if Polk's tale is a hoax.  

By Nadin B. Abbott

January 17, 2012 (San Diego)— On January 2, a soldier in San Diego claiming links to Special Forces posted on his Facebook page that he was deploying to Syria. This tantalizing piece of information startled readers, leading many to ask: does our country have troops in Syria and if so, why?

July 6, 2011 (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.

• Obama to meet Congress leaders Thursday on debt
• Syrians stage mass protest in Hama
• Mexican gangs threaten to behead DEA agents
• Southern Sudan to become newest nation
• Greece officially bans flotilla ships from departing
• Cuba plans limited housing and auto market
• Poland takes over EU presidency at time of crisis
• After 90 years, graft threatens China's communists