August 17, 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:   

• Paul Ryan is Mitt Romney’s pick for Vice Presidential nominee (Washington Post)
• A brief introduction to the potential second lady:
• Flood won’t delay start of solar farm near Blythe:
• New homes burn faster, but states resist sprinklers (Reuters)
• For unpaid college loans, Feds doc Social Security (Smart Money)
• Right wing extremism terrorism as deadly a threat as Al Qaeda? (CNN)
• Blind mice given sight after device cracks retinal code (Bloomberg)

• Thousands rally in Tunisia for women’s rights(Reuters)
• Magnitude 7.3 quake hits eastern Russia (UT San Diego
• China’s ghost towns and shopping malls (BBC)
• Sewage-munching microbes may generate electricity (Reuters)   

U.S.

• Romney would let wind energy tax credits expire, campaign says (Denver Post)
• Leaders have agreement to avoid pre-election government shut-down (The Hill)
• Scathing report on for-profit colleges and their $32 billion in tax dollars (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
• Congress warned that Al Qaeda in Iraq is coming to America (Jewish World Review)
• Scalia: Guns may be regulated (National Journal)
• More worries for the wealthy? Inheritance taxes to jump unless Congress acts (Christian Science Monitor)
• U.S. raises taxes on Chinese wind turbine makers (NY Times)
• 14 reasons why this is the worst Congress ever (Wonkblog)

• India blackout affects millions, grid failure among world’s worst power outage (Reuters)
• Japan utility gets $12.8B nuclear crisis bailout (UT San Diego)
• Cuba broadens economic reforms, plans new measures (Reuters)
• In pictures: Olympics opening ceremonies (BBC)
• Thousands flee amid growing ethnic violence in India (NPR)

• Drug trial offers hope for Alzheimer’s treatment (USA Today)
• Worst drought in decades grips nation (Los Angeles Times)
• Why Democrats are willing to walk off the “fiscal cliff” (Washington Post)
• Can Obama save manufacturing? (Washington Post)
• Controversial GOP spending bill released (The Hill)
• Romney attacks on Bain questioned: Obama campaign accuses Romney of lying about Bain tenure (Boston Globe)
• Could Obama’s negative attacks on Mitt Romney backfire? (USA Today)
• NAACP crowd boos Romney for voting to repeal health reform (NBC)
• Condi Rice a possible VP pick for Romney: pros and cons (CNN)
• Supreme Court rejects ‘Stolen Valor’ law, says lying about military honors isn’t a crime (McClatchy News)

• Google searching for human traffickers, drug cartels  (Fox)
• Olympics security shambles is a “humiliating shambles”, boss concedes (CNN)
• Dutch, U.S. authorities investigating needles in airline sandwiches (CNN)
• Central Damascus hit by clashes (Reuters) 

• 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)

• Supreme Court says Montana cannot ignore Citizens United ruling (NPR)
• Supreme Court rules juvenile life without parole is cruel and unusual punishment (Chicago Tribune)
• GM Grass linked to Texas cattle deaths; fields found toxic with cyanide produced by crop (CBS)
• E-mail change angers Facebook users (CNN)
• Thousands evacuated as wildfire nears Colorado towns (USA Today)
• With no vote, taxpayers stuck with tab on bonds (New York Times)

• Issa: No evidence White House covered up `Fast and Furious’ fallout (Los Angeles Times)
• Obama invokes executive privilege over ‘Fast and Furious’ documents (Los Angeles Times)
• Rubio sticks to GOP doctrine over immigration (The Hill)
• Cash rules at Romney retreat while Condoleeza Rice steals the show (Yahoo news)

• Analysis: Mexican ruling party faces defeat but may back reforms (Reuters)
• Muslim Brotherhood’s Morsi named Egyptian president (CBS)
• Morsi quits Muslim brother hood, vows to unite country (NBC)

• Iberdrola to explore sale of U.S. wind plants and projects (Recharge News)
• Quatar takes state in Iberdrola (The National)
• Texas wind energy fails again (National Review)
• Presidential projects on wind power flawed according to new book (KXXV)
• The trouble with turbines: an ill wind (Nature) 

• Corporate political efforts don’t guarantee results—study (Reuters)
• Romney energy plan includes drilling virtually every part of U.S. – no protections even for national parks (Think Progress)
• Issa demands documents on green energy loans (Fox News)
• Presidential projections on wind power flawed according to new book (KXXV)
• Justice Department sues Florida over voter purge (Huffington Post)
• Mojave desert: Military wants to limit wind development (Riverside Press Enterprise)
• Sebelius:  Medicare stronger than ever due to healthcare law (The Hill)
• Family net worth drops to level of early ‘90s (NY Times)
• Colorado wildfire moving fast, not contained (BBC)
• California tribes suing to halt construction of wind factory on sacred land (Indian Country Today)
• Open letter asks Obama to meet with Tribal leaders on Ocotillo Express wind project (Indian Country Today)

• Russian protesters demand Putin resignation (CNN)
• U.N.: Syria children tortured, used as human shields (CNN)
• Syria in Civil War, says U.N. official (BBC)
• Solar-powered “super trees” breathe life into Sinagapore urban oasis (CNN)
• Scottish Power (a division of Iberdrola, developer of Tule Wind) tests U.S. tax breaks on interest (Reuters)
• Ruling on wind farm says countryside as important as climate change targets (UK Telegraph)

• 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)

• Forty-nine headless corpses found in Mexico (Reuters)
• Merkel’s conservative party routed in Germany (Reuters)
• France’s “Monsieur Normal” takes office…unmarried (NBC)
• Surfer recognized for riding biggest wave ever (Los Angeles Times-video)
  
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has explosive family secret (Business Insider)
• One in six cancers worldwide are caused by infections (BBC)

• Gouged by the wind: Renewable fuel mandates are raising electricity costs  (Wall Street Journal)
• Court rejects Iraq-Afghanistan veterans demand for better VA care
• Navy to demonstrate great green fleet (10 News)
• Bush convicted of war crimes in absentia (Foreign Policy Journal)
• The unbelievable brutality released on kids in for-profit prison (Alternet)
• Humane Society calls for reform of federal wildlife agency (Sacramento Bee)
• The killing agency:  wildlife services’ brutal methods leaves a trail of animal deaths (Sacramento Bee)
• Game over for the climate (New York Times)   

• Officials watch for body bombs on US bound planes (ABC news)
• Occupy activists breathe new life into May Day (The Nation)
• Why you should be worried about the California mad cow case (Mother Jones)
  
• Number of painkiller addicted newborns soars (USA Today)
• New world trade center surpasses Empire State Building (CBS News)
• Why is safety a divisive issue for nuclear regulatory commission? (Los Angeles Times)
• Wind farms warming earth in Texas: Turbines mixing air at night could affect local climate and farming (Discovery)
• CMS:  Obama healthcare law has saved seniors $34 billion on prescription drugs (The Hill)
• Romney: Osama hit was easy call (The Hill)

• Mexico passes crime victims’ law (BBC)
• 2-horse race in final stretch for Egypt presidency (Reuters)
• Ugandan army says Sudan is backingJoseph  Kony’s  LRA (BBC)
• Tokyo soil samples would be considered nuclear waste in U.S. (Fairewinds)
• Transcript: Obama hails 'light of a new day' in Afghanistan

• Taliban hits Kabul, other Afghanistan cities in coordinated attack (Washington Post)
• Man in nursing home awakens listening to music from his past (Time) 
• U.S. condemns North Korea missile launch, warns on nuclear (Reuters)    

• Politifact: Romney claim on women job losses under Obama is “mostly false” (Politifact)
• Just a few states could decide battle for Obama, Romney (Los Angeles Times)
• US homebuying season finally signaling a recovery (AP)
• Residents dig out after Midwest tornadoes (NPR) 
• Don’t wait for Social Security check  in the mail (Bloomberg Businessweek)
• 15 mind-blowing facts about wealth and inequality in America (Business Insider)

• ‘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) 

• CBO says GOP budget would double cost of healthcare for seniors (Forbes)
• Home sales show strength, prices rise (Reuters)
• GOP budget calls for fire sale of public lands (Think Progress)
• Wind energy poses threat to golden eagle population (Fox News)
• California could decide the GOP nominee (Washington Post)

• Hundreds of houses damaged after strong quake hits Mexico (CNN)
• France on high security alert after 4 killed in shootings at Jewish school (CNN)
• Chevron execs barred from leaving Brazil over spill (Reuters)
• Explosions rock Syrian capital (CNN)
• Europe’s chief scientist warns against climate delays (Reuters)
• Israel  issues travel warning on Turkey (UT San Diego)
• North Korea says it will launch long-range rocket (UT San Diego) 

March 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: 

• Strong solar storm to hit earth Thursday (BBC)
• Election irregularities reported across Russia (NPR)
• Syria’s deputy oil minister defects from Assad (Reuters)
• Satellite images show buildup in Syria (New York Times) 

• Romney wins Ohio, 4 other Super Tuesday states (Sacramento Bee)
• Seattle’s first urban food forest will be open to foragers (NPR)
• Where women stand on the political race (NPR)
• All the ads pulled from Rush Limbaugh’s show (Yahoo! News)
• Green firms get fed cash, give executives bonuses, fail (ABC)
• Big Pharma’s role in the contraception debate (Daily Beast)
• BP Settlement sells out victims: deal buries evidence of oil company willful negligence (GregPalast.com)
• Deaths from dangerous gut bacteria hit historic highs (NPR)
• Cash mobs profit locally owned stores (PRI)

General news

• Supreme Court takes up affirmative action case (ABC  News)
• Post Office closings isolate small towns and poor (MSNBC)
• Obama to float corporate tax overhaul (Reuters)

• 25 percent of Super PAC money comes from 5 rich donors (USA Today)
• Super PAC donors revealed: Who are the  power players in the GOP primary? (Washington Post)
• Is Santorum too extreme for the middle? (Los Angeles Times)
• Mitt Romney says spending cuts hurt economic growth (Huffington Post)
• A Republican platform for American women: barefoot and pregnant? (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

• U.N. nuclear inspectors barred from Iran site (Reuters)
• Obama administration opens door to aid for Syrian rebels (Fox News)

• FDA to ease critical cancer drug shortage (CBS News)

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)