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Total Views: 40 October 11, 2018 (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. Dow drops over 500 points, with stock market extending slide following Wednesday’s plunge (USA Today) Kavanaugh sworn in as Supreme Court justice after divided Senate votes for confirmation (Washington Post) Haley resigns as U.N. Ambassador (AP) Hurricane Michael caused estimated $8 billion in insurance losses (Time) Last surviving prosecutor at Nuremberg trials says Trump’s family separation policy is ‘crime against humanity’ (UK Independent) WORLD Missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi tortured, dismembered in Saudi consulate, report says (USA Today) UNRWA pulls some staff from Gaza amid threats (CNN) Interpol’s President Is Reported Missing In China, Prompting Inquiry Espionage scandals show Russian army’s growing clout (Reuters) Ex-Guatemala vice president sentenced to 15-1/2 years in prison (Reuters) U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley leaving administration ‘at the end of the year’ (ABC 6 ) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. U.S. Dow drops over 500 points, with stock market extending slide following Wednesday’s plunge (USA Today) The Dow plunged 500 points on Thursday, exacerbating a 800-point drop the day before that marked the blue-chip average’s largest rout since February. Kavanaugh sworn in as Supreme Court justice after divided Senate votes for confirmation (Washington Post) The Senate confirmed Brett M. Kavanaugh as the 114th Supreme Court justice on Saturday by one of the narrowest margins in history amid mass protests, ending a vitriolic battle over his nomination and solidifying a conservative majority on the court. Haley resigns as U.N. Ambassador (AP) U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is leaving the administration at the end of the year, she and President Donald Trump announced Tuesday. She gave no reason for her departure after two years, though there is speculation she will return to government or politics at some point. Hurricane Michael caused estimated $8 billion in insurance losses (Time) … Michael made landfall as a 155 mph, Category 4 storm Wednesday afternoon in Mexico Beach, Florida. The hurricane left a path of destruction through the Florida Panhandle and entered Georgia as a Category 3 storm. Last surviving prosecutor at Nuremberg trials says Trump’s family separation policy is ‘crime against humanity’ (UK Independent) He asks: “What could cause more great suffering than what they did in the name of immigration law?” WORLD Missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi tortured, dismembered in Saudi consulate, report says (USA Today) Turkish officials have told the U.S. that they have proof that a missing Washington Post columnist was tortured, murdered and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month, the Post reported…the case may strain U.S.-Saudi relations and threaten to block billions of dollars in arms sales to America’s strong ally in the Middle East. UNRWA pulls some staff from Gaza amid threats (CNN) The United Nations agency responsible for looking after Palestinian refugees has pulled some of its international [non-essential] staff out of Gaza, amid threats and ongoing protests against the agency as its faces a multimillion-dollar shortfall. Interpol’s President Is Reported Missing In China, Prompting Inquiry Interpol President Meng Hongwei has been reported missing after leaving France for a trip to his native China, triggering a police investigation and search for the official, who hasn’t been seen since Sept. 29. Meng’s whereabouts are unknown. But the South China Morning Post, citing an anonymous source, reports that he was “taken away” by Chinese authorities immediately after he arrived in China. No reason was given for any potential investigation into the official. Espionage scandals show Russian army’s growing clout (Reuters) Russia’s military spies are being mocked abroad as bunglers but the army’s influence over Kremlin foreign policy is growing and there is little likelihood it will halt its “black operations”. Ex-Guatemala vice president sentenced to 15-1/2 years in prison (Reuters) Former Guatemalan Vice President Roxana Baldetti was sentenced to 15-1/2 years in prison on Tuesday for fraud, influence peddling and illicit association related to a government contract to clean up a polluted lake, in the first of several cases she faces. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley leaving administration ‘at the end of the year’ (ABC 6 ) President Donald Trump said Tuesday U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is leaving the administration “at the end of the year.” Printer-friendly version
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Total Views: 30 July 18, 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. Senate will vote on Obamacare repeal after GOP reform plan dies (NBC) Debate over use of jumbo bomber as wildfires rage in the West (AP) Trump’s budget would mean a $720 billion deficit over 10 years, Congressional Budget Office says (Los Angeles Times) Insurers warn Cruz: provision will ‘skyrocket’ premiums for sick people (The Hill) White House posted emails from critics, without censoring personal information (Vox) Get ready, America: Vehicles as weapons of terror coming here(Jewish World Review) DHS to American Citizens: Let Us Scan Your Faces, or No International Travel (Reason) U.S. attorney general says to hire 300 prosecutors to fight crime (Reuters) U.S. appeals court upholds Wisconsin ‘right-to-work’ law (Reuters) House Democrats want to know why a major Russian money laundering case was abruptly settled (Business Insider) South Carolina hit with 150,000 election day hacks (Engadget) WORLD Fukushima nuclear waste will be dumped into ocean, plant owner decides (Yahoo News) Massive ice berg breaks off from Antarctica (NASA) Those Islamic virgins will now come with a hefty price tag (Jewish World Review) Wildfires rage across Europe (BBC) Russia: Jehovah’s Witnesses banned after Supreme Court rejects appeals (U.S. Commission on International Freedom) U.S. targets Iran with new sanctions over missile program (Reuters) China Dispatches Troops To Djibouti To Set Up Its First Overseas Base(NPR) Inside the Ring: Russia, China undermining U.S. (Washington Times) UAE to UN: Al Jazeera antisemitic, promotes terrorism (JPost) A year after failed coup, crackdown shakes pillar of Turkish state (Reuters) Terror attack on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, 2 Israeli police killed (JPost) For excerpts or links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. U.S. Senate will vote on Obamacare repeal after GOP reform plan dies (NBC) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said late Monday the Senate would vote to repeal “Obamacare” but include a two-year delay for the development of a new health care plan. His announcement came after the latest GOP effort to repeal and replace “Obamacare” was fatally wounded in the Senate Monday night when two more Republican senators announced their opposition to the legislation strongly backed by President Donald Trump. Debate over use of jumbo bomber as wildfires rage in the West (AP) …The operators of the Boeing 747 converted from a passenger jet into a firefighting air tanker say it has proven itself battling forest fires in countries outside the U.S. The modifications allow it to drop more than 19,000 gallons (72,000 liters) of a flame-squelching combination of ammonium phosphate and sulfate mixed with water that comes billowing out in a red-colored line….But the company says the U.S. Forest Service is seeking to keep the plane grounded by offering a contract limiting firefighting aircraft to 5,000 gallons (18,900 liters) of fire suppressant and won’t say why. The company says the federal agency is putting homes and lives at risk … Trump’s budget would mean a $720 billion deficit over 10 years, Congressional Budget Office says (Los Angeles Times) A government analysis of President Trump’s budget plan says it wouldn’t come close to balancing the federal ledger like the White House has promised. A report from the Congressional Budget Office this week says that Trump’s budget, if followed to the letter, would result in a $720-billion deficit at the end of 10 years instead of the slight surplus promised. Insurers warn Cruz: provision will ‘skyrocket’ premiums for sick people (The Hill) The two leading health insurer trade groups sent a strongly-worded letter Friday expressing opposition to a controversial conservative provision included in the latest GOP ObamaCare replacement bill.America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association warned that the provision from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) would mean “premiums will skyrocket for people with preexisting conditions” and “millions of more individuals will become uninsured.”The letter expresses opposition to a provision, included in the new GOP repeal bill, that would allow insurers to sell plans that do not meet ObamaCare regulations, including the ban on discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, if they also sold plans that did meet the requirements. The White house just posted emails from critics – without censoring personal information (Vox) The White House just responded to concerns it would release voters’ sensitive personal information by releasing a bunch of voters’ sensitive personal information. Last month, the White House’s “election integrity” commission sent out requests to every state asking for all voters’ names, party IDs, addresses, and even the last four digits of their Social Security numbers, among other information. The White House then said this information would be made available to the public. A lot of people …sent emails to the White House, demanding that it rescind the request. This week, the White House decided to make those emails from concerned citizens public through the commission’s new website. Get ready, America: Vehicles as weapons of terror are coming here, too(Jewish World Review) Attacks with vehicles used as improvised weapons became the single most lethal form of attack in Western countries for the first time last year, according to the London-based Risk Advisory Group, which keeps track of every terrorist attack worldwide. Just over half of all the terrorism-related deaths in the West were the result of vehicle-ramming attacks, the data show. DHS to American Citizens: Let Us Scan Your Faces, or No International Travel (Reason) Prepare to get your faces scanned whether you like it or not, U.S. citizens, if you want to fly to other countries. It won’t be those other countries scanning your mug to make sure it’s safe to let you in. These facial recognition and biometric systems will be foisted on you by your own government. U.S. attorney general says to hire 300 prosecutors to fight crime (Reuters) U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions
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Total Views: 49 May 25, 2016 (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. Presidential primary Donald Trump Is About To Start Getting Intelligence Briefings (NPR) Unanimous: Senate approves bill allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia (The Hill) Hillary Clinton accuses Donald Trump of rooting for housing crisis (Sacramento Bee) Trump once revealed his income tax returns: they showed he didn’t pay a cent (Washington Post) Other national news Our water, our future: Voters in Oregon defeat Nestle’s attempt to privatize water (Truthout) GOP blocks provision to require women to register for the draft (San Diego Union-Tribune) Faced with a fracking giant, this small town just legalized civil disobedience (Yes) New Pell grants to pay for college classes in high school (CS Monitor) Why the sugar industry hates the FDA’s new nutrition facts label (Washington Post) Nile crocodiles identified in South Florida (CNN) The Controversy Over Boycott, Divestment And Sanctions On Israel (NPR) He Was Caught Trying To Join ISIS, Now He’s In Jihadi Rehab (NPR) INTERNATIONAL Wait, now Bayer is trying to buy Monsanto? (Mother Jones) Human trafficking survivor who smashed triathlon record (CNN) Gazans say Jordan restricting movement (San Diego Union-Tribune) “Un-Islamic” modeling leads to eight Instagrammers’ arrests in Iran(CS Monitor) The EU Should Be Focusing on Its Own Countries’ Transgender Laws, Not North Carolina’s Bathrooms (Reason) Sweden: Refugee from Rwanda convicted in 1994 genocide (San Diego Union-Tribune) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. U.S. Presidential Primary Donald Trump Is About To Start Getting Intelligence Briefings (NPR) When it’s obvious who the nominees will be, presidential candidates get intelligence briefings. That’s about to start. Hillary Clinton accuses Donald Trump of rooting for housing crisis (Sacramento Bee) Hillary Clinton, increasingly turning her focus to a general election contest with Republican Donald Trump, on Tuesday accused the New York businessman of rooting for the 2008 housing market collapse so that he could profit from it. “He actually said he was hoping for the crash that caused hardworking families in California and across America to lose their homes,” said Clinton, flanked by laborers at a union hall in Los Angeles County. “All because he thought he could take advantage of it and make some money for himself.” Trump once revealed his income tax returns: they showed he didn’t pay a cent (Washington Post) The last time information from Donald Trump’s income-tax returns was made public, the bottom line was striking: He had paid the federal government $0 in income taxes. The disclosure, in a 1981 report by New Jersey gambling regulators, revealed that the wealthy Manhattan investor had for at least two years in the late 1970s taken advantage of a tax-code provision popular with developers that allowed him to report negative income. Today, as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Trump regularly denounces corporate executives for using loopholes and “false deductions” to “get away with murder” when it comes to avoiding taxes. Other national news Our water, our future: Voters in Oregon defeat Nestle’s attempt to privatize water (Truthout) Blue yard signs bearing the words “Yes on 14-55: Our Water, Our Future” dotted lawns throughout Hood River County, Oregon, in the run-up to the primary election held on May 17. Just as many of these signs appeared to share a lawn with a Cruz or Trump yard sign as with a Clinton or Sanders sign. The issue that brought conservatives and progressives together in this way was clear-cut: keeping Nestlé Waters North America from building a water bottling plant and extracting over 118 million gallons annually from a spring in a small, rural community 45 miles east of Portland. Unanimous: Senate approves bill allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia (The Hill) The Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would allow victims of the 9/11 terror attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, defying vocal opposition from the White House. The upper chamber approved the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act by unanimous consent…President Obama has threatened to veto the bill. Schumer said he wouldn’t uphold a veto, and expects that most senators wouldn’t, either. “I think we easily get the two-thirds override if the president should veto,” Schumer said. GOP blocks provision to require women to register for the draft (San Diego Union-Tribune) Buckling under conservative pressure, the Republican-led House Rules Committee pulled a legislative sleight of hand and stripped a provision from the annual defense policy bill that would have required women between the ages of 18 and 25 to sign up for a military draft. Faced with a fracking giant, this small town just legalized civil disobedience (Yes) A new first-in-the-nation law will shield residents from arrest as they use direct action to stop fracking-wastewater injection wells. New Pell grants to pay for college classes in high school (CS Monitor) The Obama administration will spend about $20 million in the 2016-17 school year to help about 10,000 students. Why the sugar industry hates the FDA’s new nutrition facts label (Washington Post) For more than two decades, the label had gone unchanged, which, for the most part, food manufacturers seemed to like. Specifically, the industry was content that the label did not reveal the amount of “added sugars” in a product — the sugar content not present before the food was produced and packaged — or how much of these added sugars people should consume daily. Nile crocodiles identified in South Florida (CNN) …A team of scientists has identified three reptiles captured near Miami as Nile crocodiles, a species native to Africa…Nile crocodiles have a dangerous reputation in their native homeland. Between 2010 and 2014, they were responsible for about 480 attacks on people and 123 fatalities in Africa. The Controversy Over Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
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Total Views: 45 July 23, 2014 (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. Charge your phone, or you can’t fly with it (APM Marketplace) USA Court ruling creates new uncertainty for Obamacare (Reuters) Candidate pool for Congress is missing moderates, study finds (CS Monitor) Inmate’s execution takes over two hours (USA Today) Lapses at high-security CDC labs reveal culture of negligence (CS Monitor) Florida airport staff get lesson in nation’s geography WORLD Malaysian Airlines flight 17 was shot down for money (Huffington Post) Great Wall of Japan? Locals balk at tsunami-protection plan. (CS Monitor) 2 Ukranian fighter jets shot down over rebel-held territory (Reuters) Israelis express anger over U.S. flight ban to Tel Aviv (Washington Post) Seized nuclear material in Iraq ‘low grade’: U.N. agency Anti-Israel protesters besiege Paris synagogue (JTA.org) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. U.S. Charge your phone, or you can’t fly with it (APM Marketplace) The Transportation Security Administration is announcing new security measures at certain overseas airports with flights to the U.S. / Security screeners will ask flyers to turn their devices on. Those that don’t power up will not be allowed on the plane. / The move is meant to foil plots to use smartphones and tablets to disguise bombs, amid concerns Al Qaeda terrorists are planning to attack airlines. USA Court ruling creates new uncertainty for Obamacare (Reuters) Two U.S. judicial panels on Tuesday injected new uncertainty into the future of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, with conflicting rulings over whether the federal government can subsidize health insurance for millions of Americans. Candidate pool for Congress is missing moderates, study finds (CS Monitor) In state legislatures, long a pipeline for congressional candidates, moderate lawmakers are less likely to run for higher office than are those with hardcore views, a study finds. Inmate’s execution takes over two hours (USA Today) The Wednesday afternoon execution of convicted murderer Joseph Rudolph Wood III took nearly two hours, confirming concerns that had been raised by his attorneys about a controversial drug used by the state of Arizona. Lapses at high-security CDC labs reveal culture of negligence (CS Monitor) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is under fire after lapses in safety – including the exposure of 80 workers to anthrax – came to light in the past week. Florida airport staff get lesson in nation’s geography (Reuters) – Federal security officers at Orlando International Airport were getting a geography lesson this week after one failed to recognize the nation’s capital as part of the United States. WORLD Malaysian Airlines flight 17 was shot down for money (Huffington Post) Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in Ukraine last week because three crucial actors all played a role, and they all had something in common — a desire for money. If any one of them had not contributed to the perfect storm in the manner they did, the crash would never have happened. In spite of all the collective finger-pointing, Malaysia, Russia and the Ukraine all bear culpability. Great Wall of Japan? Locals balk at tsunami-protection plan. (CS Monitor) Concrete walls could ultimately stretch 140 miles along Japan’s tsunami-damaged northeast coast. The project’s breathtaking scale and cost – as well as doubts about its effectiveness – are drawing ire. 2 Ukranian fighter jets shot down over rebel-held territory (Reuters) Kiev said two of its fighter jets were shot down over the rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, and the missiles that brought them down might have been fired from Russia. A spokesman for Ukraine’s military operations said the planes were shot down near Savur Mogila, not far from where a Malaysian airliner was brought down last week, killing all 298 passengers on board. Israelis express anger over U.S. flight ban to Tel Aviv (Washington Post) The United States on Wednesday put the most direct pressure yet on its ally Israel to cut short its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, but Secretary of State John F. Kerry did not get a deal from Israel or the Palestinians to stop the bloodshed. Seized nuclear material in Iraq ‘low grade’: U.N. agency (Reuters) – The U.N. atomic agency said on Thursday it believed nuclear material which Iraq said had fallen into the hands of insurgents was “low grade” and did not pose a significant security risk. Anti-Israel protesters besiege Paris synagogue (JTA.org) At least three Jews were taken to the hospital as a result of the clashes that erupted Sunday between the protesters and young Jewish men who guarded the Don Isaac Abravanel Synagogue in Paris, a witness told JTA Printer-friendly version
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Total Views: 59 March 29, 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. Top global and national news stories include: Japan • Japan finds plutonium at stricken nuclear plant (Reuters) • Extreme radiation detected at No. 2 reactor (NHK) • Japan’s PM Pessimistic about crippled nuclear reactors (Voice of America) • Tsunami was more than 77 feet at its peak (NPR) Libya • Gaddafi troops force rebels back (Reuters) • Air rades force Gadhafi retreat: rebels seize the East (AP/Huffington Post) • President Obama acted correctly on Libya (Congressman Duncan Hunter, editorial in San Diego Union-Tribune) • Mother “offered cash” if Libya woman changes story United States • Ten giant U.S. companies avoiding income taxes (Chicago Sun-Times) • GOP Lawmakers announce own plan to wind down Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (Washington Post) • U.S. and U.K. uncut: `Austerity is not the solution’ (The Nation) Israel • Israel deplys first anti-missile defense system • Gaza rockets strike deeper inside Israel • Israel braces for flare-up as Gazan rockets hit Other world news • 6 dead in port city as Syrian crisis grows • Canada to vote for new government May 2 • Large quake hits Myanmar near Northern Thailand LIBYA GADDAFI TROOPS FORCE REBELS BACK March 29, 2011 (BBC)– Pro-government forces have intensified their attacks on Libyan rebels, driving them back tens of kilometres over ground they had taken in recent days. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12892798 AIR RAIDS FORCE GADHAFI RETREAT: REBELS SEIZE THE EAST March 26, 2011 (AP/HUFFINGTON POST)) – Libyan rebels clinched their hold on the east and seized back a key city on Saturday after decisive international airstrikes sent Moammar Gadhafi’s forces into retreat, shedding their uniforms and ammunition as they fled. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/26/air-raids-force-gaddafi-r_n_841030.html PRESIDENT OBAMA ACTED CORRECTLY ON LIBYA Editorial by Congressman Duncan D. Hunter March 27, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)–Any decision involving the commitment of American military personnel and combat resources is never easy. It requires as much personal reflection as it does strategic evaluation, all with the understanding of what is at stake and what is at risk. With Libya, it is improbable to think that the decision to create and enforce a no-fly zone was treated any differently. The president and his administration were confronted with a tough choice. Either avoid the fight altogether and watch a humanitarian crisis unfold, or stand with the international community to protect others and assist rebel elements that are outnumbered and outmatched. http://hunter.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=347&Itemid=61 MOTHER “OFFERED CASH” IF LIBYA WOMAN CHANGES STORY March 28, 2011 (Reuters)– (Reuters) – The mother of a Libyan woman who said she had been raped by pro-government militiamen said she had been asked to convince her daughter to retract the allegations in return for her freedom and cash or a new home. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/29/us-libya-woman-mother-idUSTRE72S0LK20110329?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FworldNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+International%29 JAPAN JAPAN FINDS PLUTONIUM AT STRICKEN NUCLEAR PLANT March 28, 2011 (Reuters) – Plutonium found in soil at the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm on Tuesday over Japan’s protracted battle to contain the world’s worst atomic crisis in 25 years. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/29/us-japan-quake-idUSTRE72A0SS20110329?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FworldNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+International%29 EXTREME RADIATION DETECTED AT NO. 2 REACTOR March 27, 2011 (NHK)–Tokyo Electric Power Company says it has detected radioactive materials 10-million-times normal levels in water at the No.2 reactor complex of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/27_12.html JAPAN’S PM PESSIMISTIC ABOUT CRIPPLED NUCLEAR REACTORS March 25, 2011 (Voice of America)– Two weeks after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a huge tsunami that severely damaged a Japanese nuclear power plant, the situation is still not under control. …Japan’s prime minister, Naoto Kan, looking somber in a nationally televised briefing, described the situation at the plant as remaining "very grave and serious." …Scientists say chloride in the salt could also break open the zirconium alloy layer of protection around the fuel rods which prevents volatile radioactive elements from escaping. Tokyo Electric Power confirms that zirconium 95 in sea water several hundred meters from the Fukushima plant has been detected since Wednesday when testing began there for additional radioactive elements. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Japans-PM-Pessimistic-about-Crippled-Nuclear-Complex-118650114.html TSUNAMI WAS MORE THAN 77 FEET AT ITS PEAK March 23, 2011 (NPR)–"A tsunami wave that hit a coastal city in Iwate Prefecture after the March 11 massive earthquake is estimated to have reached 23.6 meters in height, a government-commissioned field survey by the Port and Airport Research Institute showed Wednesday," Kyodo News reports. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/23/134793643/tsunami-was-more-than-77-feet-high-at-its-peak?ps=cprs UNITED STATES TEN GIANT U.S. COMPANIES AVOIDING INCOME TAXES March 27, 2011 (Chicago Sun Times)–With federal income taxes due in a few weeks, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent allied with Democrats, on Sunday released a list of ten big profitable U.S. companies paying little or no taxes. Sanders wants to close the loopholes that make this tax avoidance legal. Some people call the income tax system with generous loopholes for big companies corporate welfare or corporate entitlements. As Congress returns to work this week–after yet another break–to negotiate over big budget cuts–with social safety net programs facing reductions–Sanders is pushing for corporations to pay more of a fair "share." The Bernie Sanders Ten, per release…. 1) Exxon Mobil made $19 billion in profits in 2009. Exxon not only paid no federal income taxes, it actually received a $156 million rebate from the IRS, according to its SEC filings. 2) Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS last year, although it made $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion. 3) Over the past five years, while General Electric made $26 billion in profits in the United States, it received a $4.1 billion refund from the IRS. Full list: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2011/03/ten_giant_us_companies_avoidin.html GOP LAWMAKERS ANNOUNCE OWN PLAN TO WIND DOWN FANNIE MAE, FREDDIE MAC March
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