Daily Archives: March 8, 2020

2020-03-08: News Headlines

RT (2020-03-08). 'Open your gates': Erdogan tells Greece how to 'fix' migrant standoff. rt.com Greece should follow Turkey's suit and simply "open the gates" for migrants amassed at the Turkish-Greek border, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, insisting that thousands of people would simply go to other EU countries. | Erdogan shared his wisdom on how to free Athens from the refugee "burden" while speaking in Istanbul on Sunday. | Hey Greece! I appeal to you… open the gates as well and be free of this burden. Let them go to other European countries. | Turkey's president also confirmed he will travel to Brussels on Monday to discuss the migrant situation with the head honchos of the EU, expressing hope…

RT (2020-03-08). 'Everything depends on where you got virus': US & Russian top specialists explain odds of catching Covid-19 & surviving. rt.com Some scientists believe coronavirus, which has already killed thousands around the world, could be a pandemic. RT talked to US & Russian medics about the challenges of containing the virus and chances of surviving the disease. | The novel coronavirus which originated in China has long expanded beyond its borders, infecting thousands in South Korea, Iran and Italy. It seems that the sometimes drastic measures taken by the Chinese and other governments to contain the deadly disease were only partly successful. | So, what exactly are we facing? And should we prepare for the worst? | What is the novel coronavi…

teleSUR (2020-03-08). Erdogan Urges Greece to Take in Migrants at the Turkish Border. telesurenglish.net Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the Greek authorities Sunday to open its border gate for the passage of illegal immigrants, who have been waiting in Turkey's northwestern border for the last 10 days to enter Europe. | RELATED: | "These people will not stay in Greece. They will transit to another European country from there," Erdogan said at a meeting in Istanbul, marking International Women's Day. | H…

Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (2020-03-08). Humpback Whale Songs & the Search for Alien Intelligence. indybay.org San Francisco Zoo, Zoo Road at Sloat, San Francisco CA…

sputniknews (2020-03-08). Refugees Gather Near Turkey-Greece Border — Video. sputniknews.com Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered the Turkish coast guard to bar refugees from crossing the sea border with Greece, which claimed its national security was threatened.

yenisafak (2020-03-08). Turkey rescues 60 migrants from boats off Aegean coast. yenisafak.com A total of 60 asylum seekers — over half of them children — were rescued off Turkey's Aegean coast, security sources said on Sunday.Turkish Coast Guard teams said in a statement that a group of Afghans in a rubber boat, including 33 children, were rescued while attempting to cross to Greek islands.Turkey has been a key transit point for hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.Last week, Turkish officials announced that they would no longer try to stop asylum seekers from reaching Europe, but added that boa…

yenisafak (2020-03-08). Two YPG/PKK terrorists surrender to Turkish forces. yenisafak.com Two YPG/PKK terrorists surrendered to security forces in southeastern Turkey, the National Defense Ministry said on Sunday. Terrorists deserting the terror group in northern Syria turned themselves in at border posts in Suruc of the Sanliurfa province, the ministry said on Twitter.As of Feb. 27, a total of 48 terrorists have surrendered this year after being persuaded by Turkish security forces, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.Turkish officials have cited rising numbers of desertions and dwindling recruitment as signs of the terrorist group's disintegration.In its more than 30-year terror campaign a…

yenisafak (2020-03-08). Death toll in Iran from coronavirus reaches 194. yenisafak.com The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Iran rose to 194 on Sunday, the country's Health Ministry has announced.Authorities said 49 people died in the last 24 hours, while 743 new cases were found, pushing up the total number of confirmed cases to 6,566, spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a news conference in the capital Tehran.At least 22,177 people are currently under medical care, while the number of discharged patients stands at 55,404, he said.Turkey — where there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus — last month closed its land borders and suspended air travel to Iran.Besides China, Ital…

The Canary (2020-03-07). Tear gas fired from both sides as refugee crisis continues on Turkey-Greece border. thecanary.co More violence has erupted at Turkey's land border with Greece after Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government said it will no longer prevent refugees from crossing over to EU territory. Thousands of people remain stranded between the two countries.Greece has deployed riot police and border guards to repel people trying to enter the country from the sea or by land.A statement from Erdoğan's office said he would travel to Brussels on 9 March, though the nature of his visit was not specified.That announcement came hours after European Union foreign ministers meeting in Croatia on 6 March criticised Turkey, saying…

The Canary (2020-03-07). Refugee women face horrifying conditions as aid workers flee Lesbos. thecanary.co Aid workers in Lesbos have warned that refugee women are facing even harsher conditions this International Women's Day. An escalation in violence has forced many humanitarian workers to withdraw.Evacuations from Lesbos have drastically reduced access to food, sanitary products and medical help for desperate refugee women, aid workers told the PA news agency.Clashes erupted between refugees and Greek authorities earlier this week, after Turkey opened its borders for people trying to cross into Europe.: Confrontation between a refugee and a Greek policeman during clashes at the port of Mytilene (Panagiot…

Staff (2020-03-07). Tear Gas Sprayed Across Migrants at Turkey-Greece Border. truthdig.com EDIRNE, Turkey — A group of migrants on Saturday tried to bring down a fence in a desperate attempt to bust through the border into Greece while others hurled rocks at Greek police. Greek authorities responded, firing volleys of tear gas at the youths. | At least two migrants were injured in the latest clash between Greek police and migrants gathered on the Turkish side of a border crossing near the Greek village of Kastanies. As in previous confrontations this week. officers in Greece fired tear gas to impede the crowd and Turkish police fired tear gas back at their Greek counterparts. | Groups of mostly y…

WSWS (2020-03-07). Trump administration moves forward with unconstitutional DNA testing of immigrants. wsws.org The Trump administration's plan to collect DNA samples from immigrants in US custody has proceeded while nothing has been done to prepare for the spread of the coronavirus.

The Canary (2020-03-06). Police raided innocent family's home because they got the time zone wrong. thecanary.co Police raided the home of an innocent family after recording the wrong time zone during a child abuse probe, according to a watchdog.The "serious error" occurred when officers confused Greenwich Mean Time with British Summer Time, as they tried to track who was uploading and sharing indecent images on public WiFi, a report from the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPC) said.The mix-up put the information in the investigation out by one hour and led to the warrant mistakenly being carried out at the address.The body, set up in 2017 to scrutinise spying powers used by police, intelligence agencies and other publi…

The Canary (2020-03-06). Refugees attacked with water cannons and tear gas on the Greek-Turkish border. thecanary.co Refugees faced more attacks on the Greek-Turkish border as people attempted to enter Greece, while the European Union's foreign ministers held an emergency meeting to discuss the situation on the border and in Syria, where Turkish troops are fighting.Greek authorities used tear gas and a water cannon to repulse an attempt by refugees to push through the border from Turkey in the morning, while Turkish authorities fired volleys of tear gas onto the Greek side of the frontier.Thousands of refugees have been trying to get into Greece through the country's eastern land and sea borders over the past week, after Turkey…

Staff (2020-03-06). Virus Hits 100,000 Cases as Its Economic Impact Snowballs. truthdig.com BANGKOK — Crossing more borders, the new coronavirus hit a milestone Friday, infecting more than 100,000 people worldwide as it wove itself deeper into the daily lives of millions, infecting the powerful, the unprotected poor and vast masses in between. | The virus, which has killed more than 3,400 people, edged into

Staff (2020-03-06). The United States' Disappeared Children. truthdig.com In the fifth floor of the tall glass federal building in Portland, Oregon, the immigration court hums in hushed tones, an air of reverence coming from a dozen or so fidgety children and teenagers. They sit in two long pews that line the back of the room, facing the elevated bench of the immigration judge. | A massive Department of Justice seal towers over the bench, flanked by giant windows that allow a glimpse of the downtown skyline. At one table, an attorney representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement faces the judge. Every 10 minutes or so, a new young client makes their way around the table, ready to fa…

Daniel Warner (2020-03-06). Will COVID-19 Finally Bring Down Trump's Virtual Presidency? counterpunch.org The "pussy grab video" didn't do it. The Stormy Daniels's revelations didn't do it. The Mueller investigation didn't do it. The impeachment trial didn't do it. The cruel handling of children and the desperate at the border didn't do it. The unrevealed tax returns didn't do it. Will Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus epidemic

Alan Macleod (2020-03-06). "People Are Being Hunted Down" — ICE Launches Rights-Busting Onslaught Against Sanctuary Cities. mintpressnews.com Rights are routinely being violated as hundreds of ICE agents storm New York City and other sanctuary cities in a fresh attempt to round up undocumented immigrants.

Naureen Shah (2020-03-05). Trump is Sending Special Forces-style Agents into Pro-Immigrant Cities. aclu.org As part of its governments that choose not to collaborate with Immigration and Customs | Enforcement (ICE), Trump administration officials have confirmed plans for two new tactics in their anti-immigrant | agenda. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will deploy Border Patrol's | special forces-style unit, known as BORTAC, and other Customs and Border | Protection (CBP) agents — dressed in plainclothes [m…

Staff (2020-03-05). Headlines for March 5, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Cases Near 100,000 Worldwide as U.S. Death Toll Reaches 11, President Trump Contradicts WHO's Warning over Coronavirus Death Rate, Billionaire Mike Bloomberg Ends Presidential Bid, Endorses Joe Biden, Bernie Bashes Biden's Billionaire Backers as Healthcare Stocks Surge Post-Super Tuesday, International Criminal Court to Investigate Taliban, Afghan and U.S. Troops for War Crimes, 15 Civilians Killed in Latest Syrian Airstrikes in Idlib, Turkey Accuses Greece of Killing Migrant as Greek Riot Police Fire Tear Gas at Border, EU Ministers Support Greek Crackdown on Asylum Seekers Despite Protests, Federal…

news.un (2020-03-05). 'Unanimous' ICC gives go-ahead to probe Afghanistan alleged war crimes. news.un.org Prosecutors have been given the green light to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan – and beyond its borders — linked to Afghan, Taliban and US troops, the International Criminal Court said on Thursday.

splcenter (2020-03-03). Deportation is a death sentence, and our government's hands are bloody. splcenter.org Deadly violence is inescapable for hundreds of returned Salvadoran migrants. This small, Central American country is the murder capital of the world.

Staff (2020-03-03). Headlines for March 3, 2020. democracynow.org Super Tuesday Kicks Off as Moderate Dems Coalesce in Support of Joe Biden, 6 Dead in Washington from Coronavirus, as Criticism Mounts over CDC Handling of Outbreak, U.S. to Start Troop Withdrawal as Taliban Vows to Resume Attacks and Afghan Gov't Rejects Prisoner Swap, Migrant Child Drowns Off Greek Coast, Refugees Attacked as Asylum Crisis Deepens, Iraqi Power Vacuum as Caretaker PM and Designated Successor Both Walk Away from Post, Benjamin Netanyahu Holds Lead Over Rival Benny Gantz But Falls Short of Outright Majority, Report: 80,000+ Uyghur Muslims Forced into Factory Labor for Nike, Apple, Revolutionary Nic…

Staff (2020-03-02). Meet the 26-Year-Old Immigration Lawyer Challenging "Trump's Favorite Democrat" in Texas Primary. democracynow.org A wave of young progressives are campaigning in races across the U.S., following in the footsteps of Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who unseated a 10-term incumbent Democrat in New York City two years ago. A key candidate to watch is 26-year-old Jessica Cisneros, who is running in a South Texas Democratic primary to replace Rep. Henry Cuellar, one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress. The 64-year-old centrist is backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Cisneros has branded him "Trump's favorite Democrat" because he voted with Donald Trump nearly…

Staff (2020-03-02). Headlines for March 2, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Sees First 2 Coronavirus Deaths in Washington as Cases Worldwide Mount, U.S. and Taliban Sign Deal Aimed at Ending 18-Year War, Joe Biden Claims Decisive South Carolina Victory, Buttigieg & Steyer Drop Out Ahead of Super Tuesday, North Korea Fires Projectiles as It Carries Out Military Drill, Study Reveals No Fraud in 2019 Bolivian Election That Ousted Evo Morales, Voters in Israel Go to Polls for 3rd Time in Under a Year, Greece Attacks Refugees After Turkey Loosens Restrictions on Border, Assange Extradition Hearings Suspended Until May, Wet'suwet'en Chiefs in Talks with Canadian Ministers as Fight Against…

Staff (2020-02-28). No Way Out: Report Finds Central American Asylum Seekers Trapped in Mexico in Dangerous Conditions. democracynow.org A new report by Médecins Sans Frontières — or Doctors Without Borders USA — shows how migration policies imposed by the United States and Mexico have trapped thousands of Central American migrants in dangerous conditions. Called "No Way Out," it is based on nearly 500 interviews with Central American migrants and asylum seekers, most of whom say they were victims of extreme violence prior to leaving their home country or along the migration route through Mexico. Because of the so-called Migrant Protection Protocols, which serve to deter immigration, asylum seekers are often forced to remain in Mexico,…

Staff (2020-02-28). Doctors Without Borders: Cheap Coronavirus Diagnostic Kits Needed in War-Torn Areas & Refugee Camps. democracynow.org Across the U.S., officials report a severe shortage of test kits for coronavirus. New York officials say they're preparing their own kits, after kits distributed by the Centers for Disease Control failed validation tests. Meanwhile, new cases of coronavirus continue to spring up worldwide, with Nigeria reporting its first case and one of Iran's vice presidents testing positive. We discuss how MSF USA, or Doctors Without Borders USA, is responding to coronavirus, with the organization's executive director, Avril BenoàÆt.

Hannah Gais (2020-02-28). Knowingly or Unknowingly, CIS Newsletters Promote the Work of White Nationalist Kevin DeAnna. splcenter.org Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), has attempted to distance his organization from the far-right actors he has cited over the years to promote CIS's anti-immigrant agenda.

Staff (2020-02-28). Headlines for February 28, 2020. democracynow.org California Monitoring 8,400 People for Coronavirus as Fears of Pandemic Grow, Syrian Airstrike Kills 33 Turkish Soldiers in Idlib, Escalating Tensions, New Justice Department Task Force Seeks to Strip Naturalized Immigrants of Citizenship, Joe Biden's Campaign Walks Back False Claims of Arrest in 1970s South Africa, Democratic Superdelegates Overwhelmingly Oppose Bernie Sanders Campaign, Mike Bloomberg Refuses to Apologize for Spying on Muslims, As NYC Mayor, Mike Bloomberg Called for Cuts to Social Security "Ponzi Scheme", ProPublica: Mike Bloomberg Advised Billionaire Sackler Family on Opioid Crisis, Emails Sho…

Staff (2020-02-27). "Dead Bodies Everywhere": Hindu Nationalist Violence Rocks Delhi as Trump Visits Modi in India. democracynow.org In India, the death toll from anti-Muslim violence in Delhi has risen to at least 34, with police accused of turning a blind eye to assaults on Muslims committed by Hindu nationalist mobs. The violence began Sunday, when groups of Hindus attacked peaceful sit-ins of Muslims protesting against Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new citizenship law, which widely restricts Muslim immigration to India. Modi said nothing as the violence continued for days, instead hosting President Donald Trump on a two-day state visit in which Trump heaped praise on the Indian prime minister. We speak with Neha Dixit, i…

Eva Lopez (2020-02-27). Defending Immigrants' Rights and Reproductive Freedom in the U.S. Supreme Court. aclu.org The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a number of cases this term that will have a crucial impact on civil rights and civil liberties — from LGBTQ equality to reproductive freedom and immigrants' rights. Earlier in the term, the ACLU had two cases asking whether workers can be fired for being LGBTQ. On March 2, we will be arguing a case on immigrants' rights, and we have filed or will file friend-of-the-court briefs in major cases involving reproductive freedom, contraceptive access, and religious freedom. | We sat down with David | Cole, the ACLU's national legal director, to discuss what's in store for the…

Anjali Salvador (2020-02-26). Stopping the Anti-Abortion Ordinances of East Texas. aclu.org Waskom. | Naples. Joaquin. Tenaha. Rusk. Gary. Wells. These names might sound unfamiliar | now, but you'll be hearing more about them soon enough. | They | are seven cities in East Texas that, within the last several months, each | passed so-called "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinances — moves that are | blatantly unconstitutional. | Waskom, Texas was the

splcenter (2020-02-11). Desperate asylum seekers 'starving for justice' in immigrant prison hunger strikes across Louisiana. splcenter.org Guards shackled Sai Mahad to a chair, placed a mask over his mouth and snaked a long tube through one of his nostrils.