ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

February 5, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• What we know about the US strikes in Iraq and Syria (CNN)
• Three US troops killed, up to 34 injured in Jordan drone strike linked to Iran (Reuters)
• Biden gets the South Carolina victory he wanted (Politico)
• Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire Texas installed on US-Mexico border (NBC)
• Biden backs Senate border deal, vows to 'shut down the border' when overwhelmed (Reuters)
• Half of recent US inflation due to high corporate profits, report finds (Guardian)
• Pelosi claims some protesters calling for Gaza cease-fire are linked to Russia  (NPR)
• Nikki Haley targeted in 'swatting' incident at her home (Reuters)
• Ryan Samsel, Jan. 6 defendant who instigated breach, convicted of multiple felonies  (MSN)
• Hawaii officials identify the last of the 100 known victims of the wildfire that destroyed Lahaina  (CBS 8)
• Ex-FBI officials warn Congress the US is being invaded, calling it a 'new and imminent' danger (Law Enforcement Today)
• Religious 'Nones' are now the largest single group in the U.S. (NPR)
• Trump must pay $83 million for defaming E. Jean Carroll, jury says (CBS)

WORLD

• How Taiwan beat back disinformation and preserved the integrity of its election  (AP)
• Israeli intelligence accuses 190 Gaza U.N. staff of Hamas, Islamic Jihad roles (Reuters)
• Document spells out allegations against 12 UN employees Israel says participated in Hamas attack  (AP)
• Ukraine to start building 4 new nuclear reactors this year (Reuters)
• Taiwan begins extended one-year conscription in response to China threat
• U.S. Secretly Alerted Iran Ahead of Islamic State Terrorist Attack (WSJ)

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

U.S.

What we know about the US strikes in Iraq and Syria (CNN)

The United States on Friday conducted major airstrikes on dozens of targets across Iraq and Syria in retaliation for a drone attack in Jordan last month that killed three US troops.

The strikes were larger in number and scale than previous ones launched since October, when Iran-backed armed groups began attacking US forces across the region in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Three US troops killed, up to 34 injured in Jordan drone strike linked to Iran (Reuters)

Three U.S. service members were killed and dozens wounded during an unmanned aerial drone attack on U.S. forces stationed in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, President Joe Biden and U.S. officials said on Sunday. Biden blamed Iran-backed groups for the attack, the first deadly strike against U.S. forces since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October, sending shock waves throughout the Middle East.

Biden gets the South Carolina victory he wanted (Politico)

The president cruised to an easy win in the Dems’ first sanctioned contest... Biden looked poised to swamp the competition with roughly 95 percent or more of the vote.

Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire Texas installed on US-Mexico border (NBC)

A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire that Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.

Biden backs Senate border deal, vows to 'shut down the border' when overwhelmed (Reuters)



"What's been negotiated would – if passed into law – be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we've ever had in our country," Biden said in a statement.

Half of recent US inflation due to high corporate profits, report finds (Guardian)

Thinktank report says ‘resounding evidence’ shows companies continue to keep prices high even as their inflationary costs drop.

Pelosi claims some protesters calling for Gaza cease-fire are linked to Russia  (NPR)

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Sunday suggested that some protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza could be linked to Russia and urged the FBI to investigate.  

Nikki Haley targeted in 'swatting' incident at her home (Reuters)

Authorities responded to a fake emergency at the South Carolina home of Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley last month after a man claimed to have shot a woman and threatened to harm himself at her home … …. Reuters has documented at least 27 swatting incidents of politicians, prosecutors, election officials and judges since November 2023….

Ryan Samsel, Jan. 6 defendant who instigated breach, convicted of multiple felonies  (MSN)

The Jan. 6 defendant widely seen as the instigator of the violent breach of Capitol grounds was convicted Friday of multiple felonies for his role in the attack, including the assault of Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards, who was briefly knocked unconscious by the force of his charge.

Hawaii officials identify the last of the 100 known victims of the wildfire that destroyed Lahaina  (CBS 8)

The last of the 100 known victims of the wildfire that destroyed Maui's historic town of Lahaina in August….  The number of those who remain unaccounted for has also fallen….Three people remain on the list.

Ex-FBI officials warn Congress the US is being invaded, calling it a 'new and imminent' danger (Law Enforcement Today)

A warning from a coalition of former FBI officials has been given, telling of the potential of a “new and imminent danger” at the southern border.

Religious 'Nones' are now the largest single group in the U.S. (NPR)

A new study from Pew Research finds that the religiously unaffiliated – a group comprised of atheists, agnostic and those who say their religion is "nothing in particular" – is now the largest cohort in the U.S. They're more prevalent among American adults than Catholics (23%) or evangelical Protestants (24%). Back in 2007, Nones made up just 16%….

Trump must pay $83 million for defaming E. Jean Carroll, jury says (CBS)

Former President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million in damages for defamatory statements he made denying he sexually assaulted the writer E. Jean Carroll, a federal jury ruled Friday, handing down a stunning verdict after less than three hours of deliberation.... Those false denials and attacks continued while you were in this courtroom … while you were sitting in those seats," Kaplan said, before showing a clip of a press conference Trump held last week, when he again lashed out at Carroll.

WORLD

How Taiwan beat back disinformation and preserved the integrity of its election  (AP)

Worries that China would use disinformation to undermine the integrity of Taiwan’s vote dogged the recent election, a key moment in the young democracy’s development that highlighted tensions with its much larger neighbor.  In repelling disinformation, Chinese and domestic, Taiwan offers an example to other democracies holding elections this year./ This year , more than 50 countries that are home to half the planet’s population are due to hold national elections. From India to Mexico, the U.K. to Russia, the outcomes of the elections will test the strengths of democracies and countries with authoritarian leaders.

Israeli intelligence accuses 190 Gaza U.N. staff of Hamas, Islamic Jihad roles (Reuters)

An Israeli intelligence dossier that prompted a cascade of countries to halt funds for a U.N. Palestinian aid agency includes allegations that some staff took part in abductions and killings during the Oct. 7 raid that sparked the Gaza war.   The six-page dossier, seen by Reuters, alleges that some 190 UNRWA employees, including teachers, have doubled as Hamas or Islamic Jihad militants. It has names and pictures for 11 them... It accuses Hamas of "methodically and deliberately deploying its terrorist infrastructure in a wide range of U.N. facilities and assets", including schools. Hamas denies that.

Document spells out allegations against 12 UN employees Israel says participated in Hamas attack  (AP)

An Israeli document obtained Monday spelled out allegations against a dozen U.N. employees the country says participated in Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault — claiming seven stormed into Israeli territory, including two who participated in kidnappings. The allegations against staffers with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees prompted Western countries to freeze funds vital for the body, which is a lifeline for desperate Palestinians in Gaza. The U.N. fired nine of the 12 accused workers and condemned “the abhorrent alleged acts” of staff members….

Ukraine to start building 4 new nuclear reactors this year (Reuters)

Ukraine expects to start construction work on four new nuclear power reactors this summer or autumn, Energy Minister German Galushchenko told Reuters on Thursday, as the country seeks to compensate for lost energy capacity due to the war with Russia.  

Taiwan begins extended one-year conscription in response to China threat

The first batch of new recruits began serving their one-year compulsory military service in Taiwan on Thursday after the conscription period was extended from four months due to government concerns about China's rising military threat.

U.S. Secretly Alerted Iran Ahead of Islamic State Terrorist Attack (WSJ)

Washington passed actionable intelligence to Tehran about the plot that killed 84 and wounded many more