Daily Archives: March 22, 2020

2020-03-22: News Headlines

RT (2020-03-22). Russia shuts down all foreign flights except between world capitals or those carrying evacuees. rt.com Russia has further tightened its border controls on Sunday after all flights to and from foreign nations have been banned. An exception is made for those between foreign capitals or necessary for evacuation. | Starting Monday, no passenger flights will be made to and from Russia, the national air regulator has announced. An exception is made for regular flights connecting the Russian capital with 146 foreign capitals and charter flights that are necessary to carry repatriated individuals to their home nations, including Russia. | Similar restrictions were earlier imposed on air traffic with countries more seri…

IWOC Oakland (2020-03-22). Santa Rita Jail Solidarity During the Coronavirus Pandemic. indybay.org As businesses, schools, and institutions close to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, many people are wondering how to support people in jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers.

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-03-22). Jewish Activists Demand Governor Newsom Release Detainees In Light of Covid-19 Outbreak. indybay.org In a March 21 press release, Never Again Action Bay Area calls on Governor Newsom to take immediate steps to release migrants from unsanitary, overcrowded "death camp" detention centers…

sputniknews (2020-03-22). Beirut Put on Lockdown Amid Coronavirus Pandemic – Video. sputniknews.com The COVID-19 virus that originated in China back in December has since spread across the globe, infecting over 300,000 people and killing around 13,600. Numerous countries have introduced severe quarantine measures and closed their borders, also urging their citizens to stay home to stop the outbreak.

yenisafak (2020-03-22). Afghanistan reports 10 new coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com Authorities in Afghanistan on Sunday reported 10 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, including two in the capital Kabul for the first time, taking the total to 34.Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz told a press conference that the 10 new cases nationwide — out of 97 tests — include two foreign diplomats based in Kabul, but declined to give more details.Feroz demanded the government declare a complete lockdown in the frontline state of Herat bordering Iran, which has emerged as the epicenter behind the spread of virus in Afghanistan, with thousands of deportees entering on a daily basis.

yenisafak (2020-03-22). Iraq confirms 3 more deaths from coronavirus. yenisafak.com Iraq confirmed three more deaths from coronavirus in Baghdad on Sunday, bringing the country's total fatalities to 20, according to the health ministry.A ministry statement said 19 people tested positive for the virus over the past 24 hours, taking the overall infections to 233, while 57 people have recovered from the disease.As precautionary measures due to the coronavirus, most of Iraq's provinces decided to close their borders, including Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, while some provinces decided to impose a lockdown.Last week, Baghdad shut down schools and universities for 10 days and banned travel to virus-hit pro…

yenisafak (2020-03-22). Turkey 'neutralizes' 5 YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Iraq. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces "neutralized" five YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry announced on Sunday.The terrorists were neutralized in the Hakurk region in air-backed operations, the ministry said on Twitter.Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.The ministry added that the country's anti-terror operations will continue without letup.YPG/PKK terrorists often seek shelter in northern Iraq, just across the Turkish border, to plan terrorist attacks in Turkey.In its more than 30-year terror campaign…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-03-22). Because of the Threat of Coronavirus Turning ICE Detention Into 'Death Camps,' Groups Rallying to Free Families Held Around Country. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/border_3.jpg

The Canary (2020-03-21). Coronavirus crisis causes surge in dangerous channel crossings by desperate refugees. thecanary.co Fears around the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have caused a surge in refugees trying to cross the English channel to the UK. The refugees risk their lives making these journeys in dangerous inflatable boats.Border patrols have blocked more than a 100 refugees from entering the UK this week. There are fears that 3,000 refugees living in desperate conditions in northern France are at high risk of contracting coronavirus.Desperation: Care4Calais founder Clare Moseley said it was only a matter of time before the virus swept through refugee camps.Bella Sankey, director of charity Detention Action, told the P…

WSWS (2020-03-21). New York, California order locked down in response to COVID-19. wsws.org US President Trump closed the border to Mexico as the World Health Organization continued to call for urgent action to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.

Nick Turse (2020-03-20). America's Commandos Deployed to 141 Countries and "Criminal Misconduct" Followed. counterpunch.org Last October, a group of eight Apache attack and CH-47 Chinook helicopters carrying U.S. commandos roared out of an airfield in Iraq. They raced through Turkish airspace and across the Syrian border, coming in low as they approached a village just north of Idlib Province where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, his bodyguards, and

RT (2020-03-20). US suspends routine visa services worldwide amid Covid-19 crisis. rt.com The US State Department has temporarily suspended all "routine visa services" at its embassies and consulates around the world as part of its efforts to tackle the spread of the Covid-19 virus. | Embassies and consulates will cancel "all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 20, 2020," a note on the department's website said on Friday. | The department said that it will continue to provide "urgent and emergency" visa services "as resources will allow." | It said routine services will resume "as soon as possible" but that it was "unable to provide a specific date" at this time. | Serv…

RT (2020-03-20). US to close border with Mexico for 'non-essential' travel in effort to stem coronavirus spread. rt.com Starting Saturday, the US-Mexico border will be closed to nonessential travel in order to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, US President Donald Trump announced Friday. | The closure is open-ended and "will last as long as necessary," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added. | Trade is exempt from the restriction, which will focus on curbing tourism and recreational activities. President Trump said that Mexico is also suspending air travel from Europe. The Mexican government, however, has not yet announced a European travel ban. | "As we did with Canada, we're also working with Mexico to implement new…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-03-20). Death at the Greek Border: Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns. counterpunch.org In a surprising move, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on February 29 that he will be re-opening his country's border to Europe, thus allowing tens of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Greece and other European countries. Expectedly, over 100,000 people rushed to the Ipsala border point in the Edirne province separating Turkey from

Andrea Flores (2020-03-20). How the ACLU Organized to end Racial Profiling on Greyhound Buses. aclu.org Two years ago, the ACLU set a clear goal: push Greyhound to refuse Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers access to their buses to conduct warrantless searches. As part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, CBP officers were targeting bus passengers around the country, boarding their buses to racially profile, harass, and too often, detain people who they suspected of being undocumented. Of course, you can't tell someone's immigration status by how they look or sound — this practice is unconstitutional and blatantly racist. By pushing aggressively with the help of our membership and…

teleSUR (2020-03-20). Canada To Return Asylum Seekers Crossing Border To US. telesurenglish.net Canada will no longer accept migrants trying to cross the shared border with the United States and will instead return them to U.S. authorities, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday. | RELATED: | The move marks a significant change in tactics from the Liberal government, which earlier this week had said those traversing the frontier would be put into quarantine. | "This is a temporary measure which we'll put in…

splcenter (2020-03-20). Weekend Read: Amid the pandemic, SPLC continues fight against injustice. splcenter.org We are only beginning to feel the impacts of the coronavirus, but we know that the communities we serve — including low-income people, immigrants and people of color — are already among the most affected.

teleSUR (2020-03-20). South Africa to Build 40-Km Fence at Border to Halt Migration. telesurenglish.net The South African government will erect a 40-km barrier on the border with Zimbabwe to prevent migrants from entering the country without documentation. | RELATED: | "The fence will also stop the spread of the new coronavirus in the country," Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille said, even though no Covid-19 cases have been detected in Zimbabwe. | The fence will be erected at Beitbridge, a border town in Mata…

Sasha Abramsky (2020-03-20). What Does Trump Do, in the Midst of a Pandemic? Beat Up On Immigrants. Again. thenation.com What Does Trump Do, in the Midst of a Pandemic? Beat Up On Immigrants. Again.

teleSUR (2020-03-20). Africa, Latin America Fragile Targets for Coronavirus Spread. telesurenglish.net The West African nation of Mali has roughly one ventilator per 1 million people — 20 in all to help the critically ill with respiratory failure. In Peru, with more than 32 million people, about 350 beds in intensive care units exist. | RELATED: | Many of their nations are slamming shut borders and banning large gatherings in the hope of avoiding the scenes in wealthier countries such as Italy and the U.S., but…

commondreams (2020-03-20). Farmworkers and Conservationists Sue EPA for Re-Approving Monsanto Cancer-Causing Pesticide. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Hatewatch Staff (2020-03-19). California Anti-Immigrant Activist Robin Hvidston Seeking State Assembly Seat. splcenter.org Robin Hvidston, a longtime anti-immigrant activist, is running as a Republican for a California Assembly seat in District 41.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-03-19). Death at the Border: Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns. mintpressnews.com Turkey's use of Syrian refugees as political pawns was one of the most tragic, heart-rendering episodes of the Syrian war and subsequent refugee crisis saga.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-03-18). Death at the Greek Border. dissidentvoice.org In a surprising move, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on February 29 that he will be re-opening his country's border to Europe, thus allowing tens of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Greece and other European countries. Expectedly, over 100,000 people rushed to the Ipsala border point in the Edirne province separating Turkey from …

news.un (2020-03-18). Treat migrants with dignity and respect during pandemic: UN migration agency. news.un.org The importance of treating migrants with dignity and respect has not changed, UN migration agency (IOM), spokesperson Joel Millman has told UN News, adding that the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on migrants, highly represented in the food industry, which is now seeing widespread shutdowns, is 'a huge concern' to the agency.

Staff (2020-03-18). Headlines for March 18, 2020. democracynow.org Global COVID-19 Cases Top 200,000 Worldwide with Over 8,000 Dead, Researchers: Left Unchecked, Coronavirus Could Kill 2.2 Million in U.S. , New Yorkers Prepare to Shelter in Place as Hospitals Face Severe Shortages, Coronavirus Fears Grow for Prisoners and Migrants in ICE Jails, Trump Admin Pushes Economic Stimulus Package Worth Over $1 Trillion, WHO Considers Airborne Precautions for Medical Workers After Coronavirus Found in Aerosols, Rewriting History, Trump Says "I've Always Known" About Pandemic, Internet Providers Drop Data Caps as Calls for Net Neutrality Grow, Biden Wins 3 States as Coronavirus Fears Caus…

Shaw Drake (2020-03-18). The Military Should not be Searching Cars or Checking Documents at the Border. aclu.org There's an old saying that goes, "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." This adage is especially applicable to the Trump administration's approach toward border policy, which is ever more militarized. On March 6th, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials

Staff (2020-03-16). Headlines for March 16, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Pandemic Death Toll Tops 6,500 Worldwide, About 170,000 Confirmed Cases, U.S. Coronavirus Cases Reach 3,600 as True Number of Infections Continues to be Unknown, Trump Tests Negative for Coronavirus After Being in Contact with Brazilian Official Infected with COVID-19, States Across U.S. Ramp Up Measures to Control Spread of Coronavirus, Including Massive School, Business Closures, Federal Judge Blocks Trump Rule That Would Have Thrown 700,000 People Off Food Stamps, AOC Confronts ICE Agent at LaGuardia Airport as 6 Migrant Children Detained in Texas Were Relocated to New York, Sanders, Biden Faced Of…

Staff (2020-03-13). Headlines for March 13, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Infections Around the Globe Reach 135,000 People, Nearly 5,000 Dead, U.S. Coronavirus Infections Rise to 1,650 as Actual Number Believed to Be Higher | , Dow Jones Plummets 10% in Biggest Drop Since 1987 | , Trump Administration Faces Backlash for Handling of Coronavirus Outbreak, Testing | , Brazilian President Bolsonaro's Aide Tests Positive for COVID-19 Days After Meeting with Trump, Philippines President Duterte Orders Lockdown in Manila Amid Coronavirus Pandemic | , Advocates Afraid of Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak in Immigration Jails Plagued by Medical Neglect, Democratic Presidential Debate Relo…

Ashley Gorski (2020-03-12). The Government Has a Secret Plan to Track Everyone's Faces at Airports. We're Suing. aclu.org U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration are putting us on an extraordinarily dangerous path toward the normalization of face surveillance. But because key facts about this surveillance are still secret, the public lacks the information it needs to hold these agencies to account. We're

Chelsey Birgisdóttir (2020-03-10). San Diego Police Stop Black People at a Rate 219 Percent Higher Than White People. aclu.org "They did what human beings looking for | freedom, throughout history, have often done. They left." | These | are the words of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson in her book, "The | Warmth of Other Suns." The book | follows the story of three Black Southerners and their journey escaping racial | violence — a sharecropper's wife who | left Mississippi in the 1930s for Chicago, an agricultural | worker who left Florida for New York City in the 1940s, and a doctor who left Louisiana in the early 1950s. | Their | journey was part of the Great Migration that occurred between 1916 and 1970,…