Daily Archives: 2020-03-24

2020-03-24: News Headlines

RT (2020-03-24). Egypt imposes nighttime curfew, partially closes shops to fight coronavirus spread. rt.com The Egyptian government has imposed a two-week long curfew and is shutting down shops and restaurants to curb the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in the country. | The curfew will be in force between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. starting Wednesday and apply to all citizens and transport, Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly announced in a televised address. Violators would be subjected to fines and prison terms. | Businesses will have to stay shut between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. on all days except Fridays and Saturdays, when they will not be allowed to open at all. | Cafes and restaurants will be allowed to deliver foo…

RT (2020-03-24). President Rouhani says about half of Iran's state workers are staying home. rt.com Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday about half of all government employees were staying at home as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. | Another measure to contain the outbreak, the temporary release of prisoners, will be extended until the end of the current Iranian month of Farvardin, about April 18, he said, according to state TV. | Iran is one of the hardest hit countries outside China. The country's death toll from the coronavirus outbreak increased by 122 in the past 24 hours to 1,934, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Tuesday. | The total number of people…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-03-24). 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…

WSWS (2020-03-24). Julian Assange to apply for bail amid coronavirus dangers in British prisons. wsws.org A press release issued by WikiLeaks stated that Assange's lawyers "will argue that he is vulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak in the prison where he is on remand."

Dave Id (2020-03-24). Five Demands for Emergency COVID-19 Survival. indybay.org With the Bay Area and now all of California on coronavirus lockdown, millions going without paychecks and health insurance, prisoners and unsheltered folks at great risk of contracting the virus, wheatpaste posters have gone up in Oakland making five reasonable demands to increase our collective chance at survival.

WSWS (2020-03-24). Twenty-three die in Colombia prison revolt over coronavirus conditions. wsws.org Amid fears of the rapidly spreading pandemic, prison riots erupted across Colombia and were brutally suppressed by prison guards.

WeCopwatch (2020-03-24). Ramsey Orta denied basic safety measures in Solitary Confinement as COVID-19 virus spreads. indybay.org Ramsey Orta and other inmates in the New York State Prison system are extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. If Governor Cuomo does not act now, it will be blood on his hands.

WSWS (2020-03-24). Military, Trump administration ready plans for domestic crackdown as virus spreads across US. wsws.org The Justice Department has asked Congress to suspend habeas corpus and due process, even as the military develops plans to deploy troops on US soil to suppress "riots" and "civil disobedience."

sputniknews (2020-03-24). India Releases Ex Jammu and Kashmir Chief Omar Abdullah after Eight Months of Detention. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Around 500 Kashmiri leaders were detained after India stripped the state of its special status in August. Among those detained were former state leaders Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti.

sputniknews (2020-03-24). Bangladesh Government Suspends Jail Sentence of Ex-PM Khalida Zia on Humanitarian Grounds. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Khaleda Zia is the former prime minister of Bangladesh and the head of Bangladesh Nationalist Party. She is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for her involvement in a graft case.

yenisafak (2020-03-24). Libya: Haftar militias target prison in Tripoli. yenisafak.com The UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) said Tuesday that militias affiliated with Eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar targeted the Ain Zara prison facility in southern Tripoli.Spokesman for the GNA-led Burkan Al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) Operation, Mustafa al-Majee, told Anadolu Agency three security officers were injured in the attack.Despite the GNA approval on a humanitarian cease-fire to focus on efforts to combat the coronavirus, Haftar has regularly violated the terms by attacking different locations in Tripoli, he said.GNA justice minister has appealed to the international commun…

yenisafak (2020-03-24). Bangladesh's opposition leader Khaleda Zia to be freed from jail. yenisafak.com Bangladesh will suspend the jail sentence of its ailing former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia and release her for a period of six months, the nation's law minister said on Tuesday."We have decided to release her on humanitarian grounds as per the instructions of the prime minister," Law Minister Anisul Huq said at a media briefing. "She can receive treatment staying at her home, but she cannot go abroad."Khaleda, 74, who has twice been prime minister, has been in jail since she was convicted in a graft case in February 2018. Her health has been deteriorating for months and she was moved to a hos…

yenisafak (2020-03-24). NATO's Kosovo operation marks 21 years. yenisafak.com Over 20 years ago, NATO launched an air campaign against the former Yugoslavia to end the oppression and massacre against the civilians in Kosovo.NATO's Operation Allied Force on March 24, 1999, opened a new chapter in the history of this small Balkan nation, forcing the Serbian military out of Kosovo and allowing the stationing of international mediators in the country.The operation was a turning point for Kosovo's people as it paved the way for the safe return of all refugees and displaced persons.On September 23, 1998, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1199, calling for a cease-fire amid increasing te…

yenisafak (2020-03-24). UN calls for respecting human rights in COVID-19 fight. yenisafak.com UN experts on Tuesday called on governments to respect human rights while combatting the coronavirus pandemic.In a joint statement by the chairs of the 10 UN Treaty Bodies, the experts called on states to ensure equal access to health care to all without any discrimination."Only by including all people in COVID-19 strategies can the pandemic be combatted," said Hilary Gbedemah, chairwoman of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.Experts also warned states to take extra care of vulnerable people such as "elders, people with disabilities, minorities, indigenous peoples, refugees, asylum s…

Staff (2020-03-23). Former ICE Director: Release Immigrants from Detention or COVID-19 Will Spread Like Wildfire Inside. democracynow.org Alarm is growing about the safety of more than 37,000 people held in immigrant detention centers and private jails that contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, where it is nearly impossible for them to avoid close contact to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly half of those detained by ICE are accused of no crime other than civil immigration violations. Immigrants at three jails in New Jersey are now on hunger strikes over unsanitary conditions that put them at high risk during the pandemic.‚Ä®‚Ä® We hear from a detained person on hunger strike and speak wit…

RT (2020-03-23). Justice Dept reassures Americans only judges can suspend their constitutional rights during coronavirus epidemic. rt.com The US Department of Justice has reassured Americans freaked out by a request to Congress for powers of indefinite detention without trial by explaining that only judges — not President Donald Trump — would be able to use it. | DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec lamented the "confusion" caused by a Politico report

Staff (2020-03-23). COVID-19 Will Spread Like Wildfire in Migrant Jails If Detainees Aren't Released. truthout.org Alarm is growing about the safety of more than 37,000 people held in immigrant detention centers and private jails that contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, where it is nearly impossible for them to avoid close contact to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly half of those detained by ICE are accused of no crime other than civil immigration violations. Immigrants at three jails in New Jersey are now on hunger strikes over unsanitary conditions that put them at high…

Fight Back (2020-03-23). Car protest at Gov. Walz's mansion demands immediate release of immigrants in Minnesota jails. fightbacknews.org Saint Paul, MN – In one of the first known protests organized since the widespread implementation of 'social distancing' and 'shelter-in-place' with the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, a car caravan lined Summit Avenue outside Governor Tim Walz's mansion in Saint Paul to demand immediate release of all immigrant detainees in Minnesota jails. | The protest participants stayed in their cars to avoid social spread of coronavirus. Cars were painted and adorned with posters with slogans like "Governor Walz: Free them all." People in some cars led chants with megaphones. Periodically, all the cars would honk at the…

Sonia Gill (2020-03-23). This is No Time to Play Politics with our Democracy. aclu.org To ensure elections proceed and eligible Americans can vote, any federal legislative package addressing the impact of COVID-19 on our elections must include an immediate, substantial infusion of federal funding and federal requirements for no-excuse mail-in absentee voting and early in-person voting. While the coronavirus pandemic should not be a political issue, with presidential primaries and the general election coming up, it could soon directly impact our politics. It is simply not an option for Congress to fail to act on these basic issues to protect American elections while the pandemic is ongoing. , , F…

Staff (2020-03-23). Headlines for March 23, 2020. democracynow.org Global COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 15,000 as Italy Drafts Military to Enforce Lockdown, Angela Merkel to Self-Quarantine After Her Doctor Tests Positive for COVID-19, First COVID-19 Cases Reported in Occupied Gaza, War-Stricken Syria and Afghanistan | , Coronavirus Cases Mount Across Africa, Two Nigerians Overdose Self-Medicating with Chloroquine After Trump Praised Anti-Malaria Drug as Possible COVID-19 Treatment, Coronavirus Leads to Lockdowns, Travel Bans in Latin America, as a Colombian Prison Riot Turns Deadly | , Fate of Tokyo Olympics Still Unknown as Canada, Australia Refuse to Send Athletes | , India Lock…

teleSUR (2020-03-23). Colombia: Prison Riots Under Investigation. telesurenglish.net The Colombian Prosecutor's Office will open an investigation into the deaths of 23 inmates after protests on March 22. The prisoners requested the government instittute preventive measures against the Covid-19 inside the prison facility. The demonstration resulted in violence and the death of several inmates. | RELATED: | The legal body said in a communication: "Because of these regrettable events in which 23 inmates at the La Mode…

teleSUR (2020-03-23). US States Release 'Low-Risk' Inmates Over COVID-19 Spread. telesurenglish.net Thousands of 'low-risk' inmates in at least 16 U.S. states are being released in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in crowded jails and prisons. | RELATED: | "Jails can be incubators for disease so we have to take bold and drastic steps," New Jersey's Attorney General Gurbir Singh Grewal said, adding this measure is made to protect the health of prisoners and limit COVID-19 effect in prison population. | T…

Rami Almeghari (2020-03-23). Arab League Demands Israel Release Palestinian Prisoners. imemc.org The League of Arab States, consisting of 22 Arab countries, addressed international human rights organizations and other relevant bodies, on Monday, what they describe as an imperative release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, from Israeli jails. A press release, issued by the Deputy-Secretary General of the Arab States' League for …

IMEMC News (2020-03-23). Army Abducts Three Palestinians In Qalqilia. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, Monday, three Palestinian men in Qalqilia governorate, in northern West Bank, after invading and violently searching their homes, the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported. The PPS said the soldiers invaded and ransacked homes in Sniria village, south of Qalqilia, before abducting 'Ala Sadeq Omar, 38, and …

Gideon Polya (2020-03-23). COVID-19 Pandemic and Coronavirus Suppression — Should Schools Close? globalresearch.ca The world is in the grip of a COVID-19 pandemic that is now impacting relatively poor countries in Africa and South Asia. Rich island continent Australia (population 25 million) has only about 1,000 cases so far and has achieved this …

(2020-03-23). Lawsuit against EPA for "Re-approving" Monsanto Cancer-causing Pesticide. globalresearch.ca Today, Center for Food Safety (CFS) on behalf of a broad coalition of farmworkers, farmers, and conservationists,

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-03-23). 'Ticking Time Bombs': Democrats and Advocates Demand Release of At-Risk Inmates Amid Coronavirus Pandemic. commondreams.org Rights advocates and Democrats holding state and federal elected offices across the United States are doubling down on demands for the release of "at-risk" inmates and more prevenative measures in jails and prisons to prevent mass outbreaks of the new coronavirus, which has killed at least 473 people and infected over 35,000 nationwide as of Monday morning. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-5660331311.jpg

teleSUR (2020-03-22). US Urged to Release Detainees at ICE Centers as Virus Spreads. telesurenglish.net Legal rights groups RAICES, Rapid Defense Network, and ALDEA-The People's Justice Center filed an emergency lawsuit on behalf of families and children detained by the United States (U.S.) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to demand their immediate release as the new coronavirus is fast-spreading across the country. | RELATED: | The organizations said Saturday in a press release that all the migrant detention cen…

Anya Parampil (2020-03-22). Coronavirus hits US prisons: "thousands face death sentence" thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Dr. Amanda Klonsky, the chief program officer at a prison education organization, about…

teleSUR (2020-03-22). Taliban-Afghan Gov't Skype Call Revives Hopes of Peace Process. telesurenglish.net Afghanistan's Taliban and the current government held a "virtual" meeting on prisoner releases Sunday, officials reported, breathing life back into the nascent peace process. | RELATED: | The two sides spoke for over two hours in a Skype meeting facilitated by the United States and Qatar, officials said. | "Prisoner releases by both sides is an important step in the peace process, as stated in the U.S.-Taliban agree…

teleSUR (2020-03-22). Prison Protests Due to Overcrowding Ends in 23 Dead, 83 Wounded. telesurenglish.net At least 23 prisoners died and 83 were wounded in the La Modelo Prison in Bogotá during the riots last night, the Colombian Ministry of Justice reported on Sunday. According to the Ministry, several prisoners protested the overcrowding of these facilities amid fears of the coronavirus spreading. | RELATED: | "The result of the escape attempt in La Modelo was 23 dead and 83 wounded, of which 32 are in hospital centers,"

teleSUR (2020-03-22). Israel's Palestinian Inmates to Hunger Strike Due to COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Palestinians detained in Israel threatened to start an indefinite hunger strike to protest Israel's response to the coronavirus pandemic including a ban on meeting attorneys, absence of preventive measures, and refusal of protection gear, Haaretz reported Sunday. | RELATED: | Prisoners affiliated with Hamas, the group governing Gaza, returned their breakfast and lunches Thursday, and others affiliated with Fatah, the faction tha…

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…

Staff (2020-03-20). Headlines for March 20, 2020. democracynow.org Worldwide COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 10,000 as Italian Nurses "Stop Counting the Dead", Refugee Groups Warn of COVID-19 "Carnage" in Camps Housing Millions, Coronavirus Multiplies Across Australia, Latin America, Africa and Middle East, California Gov. Gavin Newsom Issues Statewide "Stay at Home" Order for 40 Million, New York Mayor Calls on Trump to Mobilize Military to Aid Overwhelmed Hospitals, Georgia State Legislators Urged to Self-Quarantine; Spring Break Revelers Party On in Florida, Demands Grow to Empty ICE Jails as NJ Detention Center Worker Tests Positive, Trump Blasts "Corrupt" Media at Rambling Coronav…

Alan Macleod (2020-03-20). "A Storm is Coming" — Doctors Warn of COVID-19 Wave Racking US Prisons. mintpressnews.com Doctors are warning that the huge numbers of inmates locked inside large communal cells, often with dozens of other people, a perfect breeding ground for disease.

Fight Back (2020-03-20). FRSO condemns the murder of Communist Party of the Philippines leader Julius Giron. fightbacknews.org Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) condemns the brutal government murder of the prominent Filipino communist Julius Giron, his wife Lourdes Tan Torres and their aide. We extend our condolences to his family, friends and our comrades of the Communist Party of the Philippines. | We are given to understand Julius Giron made a lifetime of huge contributions to revolutionary struggle of the people of the Philippines to end all oppression and exploitation. This cruel and cowardly killing, carried out by police thugs at 3 a.m., stands as an indictment of the Duterte regime and its imperialist masters. This crimi…

Corene Kendrick (2020-03-19). We Know Prisons Need COVID-19 Plans, but our Arizona Prison Tour Suggests it's not Happening. aclu.org Earlier this month, the

Staff (2020-03-19). Headlines for March 19, 2020. democracynow.org Italy Records Record 475 Coronavirus Deaths as Infections Continue Climbing, British PM Boris Johnson Closes Schools After Reversing Lax Virus Containment Plan, Millions of Brazilians Protest from Windows and Balconies Demanding President's Ouster, World Health Organization Warns Critical Lack of Testing Is Costing Lives, Egypt Arrests Protesters Calling for Release of Prisoners at Risk of COVID-19, Yemen, Already Wracked by U.S.-Supported, Saudi-Led War, Braces for Coronavirus, Trump Admin Tightens Sanctions That Have Devastated Iran's Public Health System, Trump Signs Coronavirus Relief Bill Providing Paid Leav…

news.un (2020-03-19). Preventing discrimination against people with disabilities in COVID-19 response. news.un.org Unless Governments and communities take action, discrimination against people with disabilities could increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, an expert with the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

Staff (2020-03-18). Delay or Hold Primaries: Can the 2020 Election Be Safeguarded Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic? democracynow.org Tuesday night's primary election for the Democratic presidential nomination was marred by chaos, confusion and fears over the spread of coronavirus at polling places as former Vice President Joe Biden consolidated his lead as he won Florida and Illinois by a wide margin and scored a victory in Arizona. We are joined by Vanita Gupta, former head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration, now president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights coalition. They issued a call with 100 voting rights groups for states to proce…

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 (2020-03-17). Inside Prison Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: Incarcerated Journalist Says Millions Behind Bars at Risk. democracynow.org As San Francisco takes the most severe measures in the country in response to COVID-19, telling 7 million people to shelter in place, we go inside the Bay Area's San Quentin State Prison, where two prison blocks are under partial quarantine, to speak with incarcerated journalist Juan Moreno Haines. We look at how the coronavirus pandemic is a growing threat to the 2.3 million people locked up in U.S. prisons and jails, as prisons across the country have been shut down in response to the spreading virus and calls grow for mass prison releases around the United States.

splcenter (2020-03-17). SPLC's Three Strikes Project helps nonviolent offenders move from prison to parole. splcenter.org Drugs were a way of life in the economically struggling "Brickyard" neighborhood of Clarksdale, Mississippi, where Nicky Patterson grew up.

splcenter (2020-03-14). SPLC offices, Civil Rights Memorial Center close. splcenter.org Our work continues with fervor and is needed more now than ever.

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…

Alora Thomas-Lundborg (2020-03-12). This Law Makes Voting Nearly Impossible for Native Americans in Montana. aclu.org Voting has never been easy for In a state where the majority of individuals vote | by mail, rural tribal communities often work with get-out-the-vote organizer…

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

Nicole Hansen (2020-03-11). Keep Calm and Carry on Voting: How to Vote By Mail During the Coronavirus Outbreak. aclu.org Coronavirus should not be a political issue, but with presidential primaries and the general election coming up, it could soon directly impact our politics. We should protect not only our health, but our civil liberties at this time — and one of those civil liberties is our fundamental right to vote. , , For many, the best way to vote while safeguarding your health during this time may be to vote by mail. It's easy to request an absentee ballot and there's still enough time to do so for most states with upcoming primaries. While some states limit who can vote absentee — for example, to people with…

splcenter (2020-03-10). Civil Rights Memorial Center closed through March. splcenter.org The Civil Rights Memorial Center (CRMC) in Montgomery, Alabama, is closed and will remain closed through the end of March 2020.

2020-03-24: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Jewish Activists Demand Governor Newsom Release Detainees In Light of Covid-19 Outbreak
Leon Kunstenaar | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
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…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/21/18831710.php

Julian Assange to apply for bail amid coronavirus dangers in British prisons
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
A press release issued by WikiLeaks stated that Assange's lawyers "will argue that he is vulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak in the prison where he is on remand."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/assa-m24.html

Military, Trump administration ready plans for domestic crackdown as virus spreads across US
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The Justice Department has asked Congress to suspend habeas corpus and due process, even as the military develops plans to deploy troops on US soil to suppress "riots" and "civil disobedience."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/just-m24.html

President Rouhani says about half of Iran's state workers are staying home
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday about half of all government employees were staying at home as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. | Another measure to contain the outbreak, the temporary release of prisoners, will be extended until the end of the current Iranian month of Farvardin, about April 18, he said, according to state TV. | Iran is one of the hardest hit countries outside China. The country's death toll from the coronavirus outbreak increased by 122 in the past 24 hours to 1,934, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Tuesday. | The total number of people…
rt.com/newsline/483931-rouhani-iran-state-workers/

Five Demands for Emergency COVID-19 Survival
Dave Id | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
With the Bay Area and now all of California on coronavirus lockdown, millions going without paychecks and health insurance, prisoners and unsheltered folks at great risk of contracting the virus, wheatpaste posters have gone up in Oakland making five reasonable demands to increase our collective chance at survival.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/22/18831726.php

Egypt imposes nighttime curfew, partially closes shops to fight coronavirus spread
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The Egyptian government has imposed a two-week long curfew and is shutting down shops and restaurants to curb the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in the country. | The curfew will be in force between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. starting Wednesday and apply to all citizens and transport, Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly announced in a televised address. Violators would be subjected to fines and prison terms. | Businesses will have to stay shut between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. on all days except Fridays and Saturdays, when they will not be allowed to open at all. | Cafes and restaurants will be allowed to deliver foo…
rt.com/news/483945-egypt-imposes-curfew-coronavirus/

Ramsey Orta denied basic safety measures in Solitary Confinement as COVID-19 virus spreads
WeCopwatch | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Ramsey Orta and other inmates in the New York State Prison system are extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. If Governor Cuomo does not act now, it will be blood on his hands.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/22/18831721.php

Twenty-three die in Colombia prison revolt over coronavirus conditions
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Amid fears of the rapidly spreading pandemic, prison riots erupted across Colombia and were brutally suppressed by prison guards.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/colo-m24.html

India Releases Ex Jammu and Kashmir Chief Omar Abdullah after Eight Months of Detention
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-24
New Delhi (Sputnik): Around 500 Kashmiri leaders were detained after India stripped the state of its special status in August. Among those detained were former state leaders Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti.
sputniknews.com/india/202003241078688552-india-releases-ex-jammu-and-kashmir-chief-omar-abdullah-after-eight-months-of-detention/

Bangladesh Government Suspends Jail Sentence of Ex-PM Khalida Zia on Humanitarian Grounds
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-24
New Delhi (Sputnik): Khaleda Zia is the former prime minister of Bangladesh and the head of Bangladesh Nationalist Party. She is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for her involvement in a graft case.
sputniknews.com/india/202003241078691820-bangladesh-government-suspends-jail-sentence-of-ex-pm-khalida-zia-on-humanitarian-grounds/

Bangladesh's opposition leader Khaleda Zia to be freed from jail
yenisafak.com | 2020-03-24
Bangladesh will suspend the jail sentence of its ailing former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia and release her for a period of six months, the nation's law minister said on Tuesday."We have decided to release her on humanitarian grounds as per the instructions of the prime minister," Law Minister Anisul Huq said at a media briefing. "She can receive treatment staying at her home, but she cannot go abroad."Khaleda, 74, who has twice been prime minister, has been in jail since she was convicted in a graft case in February 2018. Her health has been deteriorating for months and she was moved to a hos…
yenisafak.com/en/world/bangladeshs-opposition-leader-khaleda-zia-to-be-freed-from-jail-3514868

Libya: Haftar militias target prison in Tripoli
yenisafak.com | 2020-03-24
The UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) said Tuesday that militias affiliated with Eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar targeted the Ain Zara prison facility in southern Tripoli.Spokesman for the GNA-led Burkan Al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) Operation, Mustafa al-Majee, told Anadolu Agency three security officers were injured in the attack.Despite the GNA approval on a humanitarian cease-fire to focus on efforts to combat the coronavirus, Haftar has regularly violated the terms by attacking different locations in Tripoli, he said.GNA justice minister has appealed to the international commun…
yenisafak.com/en/world/libya-haftar-militias-target-prison-in-tripoli-3514865

UN calls for respecting human rights in COVID-19 fight
yenisafak.com | 2020-03-24
UN experts on Tuesday called on governments to respect human rights while combatting the coronavirus pandemic.In a joint statement by the chairs of the 10 UN Treaty Bodies, the experts called on states to ensure equal access to health care to all without any discrimination."Only by including all people in COVID-19 strategies can the pandemic be combatted," said Hilary Gbedemah, chairwoman of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.Experts also warned states to take extra care of vulnerable people such as "elders, people with disabilities, minorities, indigenous peoples, refugees, asylum s…
yenisafak.com/en/news/un-calls-for-respecting-human-rights-in-covid-19-fight-3514859

NATO's Kosovo operation marks 21 years
yenisafak.com | 2020-03-24
Over 20 years ago, NATO launched an air campaign against the former Yugoslavia to end the oppression and massacre against the civilians in Kosovo.NATO's Operation Allied Force on March 24, 1999, opened a new chapter in the history of this small Balkan nation, forcing the Serbian military out of Kosovo and allowing the stationing of international mediators in the country.The operation was a turning point for Kosovo's people as it paved the way for the safe return of all refugees and displaced persons.On September 23, 1998, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1199, calling for a cease-fire amid increasing te…
yenisafak.com/en/news/natos-kosovo-operation-marks-21-years-3514860

Former ICE Director: Release Immigrants from Detention or COVID-19 Will Spread Like Wildfire Inside
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-03-23
Alarm is growing about the safety of more than 37,000 people held in immigrant detention centers and private jails that contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, where it is nearly impossible for them to avoid close contact to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly half of those detained by ICE are accused of no crime other than civil immigration violations. Immigrants at three jails in New Jersey are now on hunger strikes over unsanitary conditions that put them at high risk during the pandemic.‚Ä®‚Ä® We hear from a detained person on hunger strike and speak wit…
www.democracynow.org/2020/3/23/ice_dentention_centers_covid_19

COVID-19 Will Spread Like Wildfire in Migrant Jails If Detainees Aren't Released
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-23
Alarm is growing about the safety of more than 37,000 people held in immigrant detention centers and private jails that contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, where it is nearly impossible for them to avoid close contact to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly half of those detained by ICE are accused of no crime other than civil immigration violations. Immigrants at three jails in New Jersey are now on hunger strikes over unsanitary conditions that put them at high…
truthout.org/video/covid-19-will-spread-like-wildfire-in-migrant-jails-if-detainees-arent-released/

Car protest at Gov. Walz's mansion demands immediate release of immigrants in Minnesota jails
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-23
Saint Paul, MN – In one of the first known protests organized since the widespread implementation of 'social distancing' and 'shelter-in-place' with the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, a car caravan lined Summit Avenue outside Governor Tim Walz's mansion in Saint Paul to demand immediate release of all immigrant detainees in Minnesota jails. | The protest participants stayed in their cars to avoid social spread of coronavirus. Cars were painted and adorned with posters with slogans like "Governor Walz: Free them all." People in some cars led chants with megaphones. Periodically, all the cars would honk at the…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/23/car-protest-gov-walz-s-mansion-demands-immediate-release-immigrants-minnesota-jails

This is No Time to Play Politics with our Democracy
Sonia Gill | aclu.org | 2020-03-23
To ensure elections proceed and eligible Americans can vote, any federal legislative package addressing the impact of COVID-19 on our elections must include an immediate, substantial infusion of federal funding and federal requirements for no-excuse mail-in absentee voting and early in-person voting. While the coronavirus pandemic should not be a political issue, with presidential primaries and the general election coming up, it could soon directly impact our politics. It is simply not an option for Congress to fail to act on these basic issues to protect American elections while the pandemic is ongoing. , , F…
aclu.org/news/voting-rights/this-is-no-time-to-play-politics-with-our-democracy

Justice Dept reassures Americans only judges can suspend their constitutional rights during coronavirus epidemic
rt.com | 2020-03-23
The US Department of Justice has reassured Americans freaked out by a request to Congress for powers of indefinite detention without trial by explaining that only judges

Lawsuit against EPA for "Re-approving" Monsanto Cancer-causing Pesticide

| globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-23
Today, Center for Food Safety (CFS) on behalf of a broad coalition of farmworkers, farmers, and conservationists, filed a federal lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its January 2020 re-approval of the pesticide glyphosate, best known as the …
globalresearch.ca/farmworkers-conservationists-sue-epa-re-approving-monsanto-cancer-causing-pesticide/5707219

Arab League Demands Israel Release Palestinian Prisoners
Rami Almeghari | imemc.org | 2020-03-23
The League of Arab States, consisting of 22 Arab countries, addressed international human rights organizations and other relevant bodies, on Monday, what they describe as an imperative release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, from Israeli jails. A press release, issued by the Deputy-Secretary General of the Arab States' League for …
imemc.org/article/arab-league-demand-israel-release-palestinian-prisoners/

US States Release 'Low-Risk' Inmates Over COVID-19 Spread
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-23
Thousands of 'low-risk' inmates in at least 16 U.S. states are being released in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in crowded jails and prisons. | RELATED: | Iran Temporarily Frees 85,000 Inmates As Pandemic Worsens | "Jails can be incubators for disease so we have to take bold and drastic steps," New Jersey's Attorney General Gurbir Singh Grewal said, adding this measure is made to protect the health of prisoners and limit COVID-19 effect in prison population. | T…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-States-Release-Low-Risk-Inmates-Over-COVID-19-Spread-20200323-0009.html

Army Abducts Three Palestinians In Qalqilia
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-03-23
Israeli soldiers abducted, Monday, three Palestinian men in Qalqilia governorate, in northern West Bank, after invading and violently searching their homes, the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported. The PPS said the soldiers invaded and ransacked homes in Sniria village, south of Qalqilia, before abducting 'Ala Sadeq Omar, 38, and …
imemc.org/article/army-abducts-three-palestinians-in-qalqilia/

Colombia: Prison Riots Under Investigation
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-23
The Colombian Prosecutor's Office will open an investigation into the deaths of 23 inmates after protests on March 22. The prisoners requested the government instittute preventive measures against the Covid-19 inside the prison facility. The demonstration resulted in violence and the death of several inmates. | RELATED: | Covid-19 Death Toll Rises Moderately in Latin America | The legal body said in a communication: "Because of these regrettable events in which 23 inmates at the La Mode…
telesurenglish.net/news/colombia-prison-riots-under-investigation-20200323-0004.html

'Ticking Time Bombs': Democrats and Advocates Demand Release of At-Risk Inmates Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-03-23
Rights advocates and Democrats holding state and federal elected offices across the United States are doubling down on demands for the release of "at-risk" inmates and more prevenative measures in jails and prisons to prevent mass outbreaks of the new coronavirus, which has killed at least 473 people and infected over 35,000 nationwide as of Monday morning. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-5660331311.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/03/23/ticking-time-bombs-democrats-and-advocates-demand-release-risk-inmates-amid?cd-origin=rss

US Urged to Release Detainees at ICE Centers as Virus Spreads
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-22
Legal rights groups RAICES, Rapid Defense Network, and ALDEA-The People's Justice Center filed an emergency lawsuit on behalf of families and children detained by the United States (U.S.) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to demand their immediate release as the new coronavirus is fast-spreading across the country. | RELATED: | Trump Dismissed Intel, Warned in January of COVID-19 Threat | The organizations said Saturday in a press release that all the migrant detention cen…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Urged-to-Release-Detainees-at-ICE-Centers-as-COVID-19-Spreads-20200322-0008.html

Coronavirus hits US prisons: "thousands face death sentence"
Anya Parampil | thegrayzone.com | 2020-03-22
Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Dr. Amanda Klonsky, the chief program officer at a prison education organization, about…
thegrayzone.com/2020/03/22/coronavirus-prisons-death-sentence/

Taliban-Afghan Gov't Skype Call Revives Hopes of Peace Process
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-22
Afghanistan's Taliban and the current government held a "virtual" meeting on prisoner releases Sunday, officials reported, breathing life back into the nascent peace process. | RELATED: | Afghanistan Suggests Ceasefire with Taliban to Fight Pandemic | The two sides spoke for over two hours in a Skype meeting facilitated by the United States and Qatar, officials said. | "Prisoner releases by both sides is an important step in the peace process, as stated in the U.S.-Taliban agree…
telesurenglish.net/news/Taliban-Afghan-Govt-Skype-Call-Revives-Hopes-of-Peace-Process-20200322-0010.html

Israel's Palestinian Inmates to Hunger Strike Due to COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-22
Palestinians detained in Israel threatened to start an indefinite hunger strike to protest Israel's response to the coronavirus pandemic including a ban on meeting attorneys, absence of preventive measures, and refusal of protection gear, Haaretz reported Sunday. | RELATED: | 'Dear World, How Is the Lockdown?' Gaza Takes To Twitter | Prisoners affiliated with Hamas, the group governing Gaza, returned their breakfast and lunches Thursday, and others affiliated with Fatah, the faction tha…
telesurenglish.net/news/Covid-19-Israels-Palestinian-Inmates-Threaten-to-Hunger-Strike-20200322-0009.html

Prison Protests Due to Overcrowding Ends in 23 Dead, 83 Wounded
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-22
At least 23 prisoners died and 83 were wounded in the La Modelo Prison in Bogotá during the riots last night, the Colombian Ministry of Justice reported on Sunday. According to the Ministry, several prisoners protested the overcrowding of these facilities amid fears of the coronavirus spreading. | RELATED: | Colombia: President Duque Faces Investigation for Vote Buying | "The result of the escape attempt in La Modelo was 23 dead and 83 wounded, of which 32 are in hospital centers,"
telesurenglish.net/news/Prison-Protests-Due-to-Overcrowding-Ends-in-23-Dead-83-Wounded-20200322-0005.html

How the ACLU Organized to end Racial Profiling on Greyhound Buses
Andrea Flores | aclu.org | 2020-03-20
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

FRSO condemns the murder of Communist Party of the Philippines leader Julius Giron
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-20
Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) condemns the brutal government murder of the prominent Filipino communist Julius Giron, his wife Lourdes Tan Torres and their aide. We extend our condolences to his family, friends and our comrades of the Communist Party of the Philippines. | We are given to understand Julius Giron made a lifetime of huge contributions to revolutionary struggle of the people of the Philippines to end all oppression and exploitation. This cruel and cowardly killing, carried out by police thugs at 3 a.m., stands as an indictment of the Duterte regime and its imperialist masters. This crimi…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/19/frso-condemns-murder-communist-party-philippines-leader-julius-giron

We Know Prisons Need COVID-19 Plans, but our Arizona Prison Tour Suggests it's not Happening
Corene Kendrick | aclu.org | 2020-03-19
Earlier this month, the Prison Law Office and the ACLU National Prison Project filed an emergency motion in federal court in Phoenix. The motion asks the judge to order the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) to consult with a correctional health care expert to develop a plan to prevent, manage, and treat any COVID-19 outbreaks in the state's 10 prisons. You might think this is an obvious request, but we've spent the last decade observing the Arizona pri…
aclu.org/news/prisoners-rights/we-know-prisons-need-covid-19-plans-our-arizona-prison-tour-suggests-its-not-happening

Preventing discrimination against people with disabilities in COVID-19 response
news.un.org | 2020-03-19
Unless Governments and communities take action, discrimination against people with disabilities could increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, an expert with the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/03/1059762

The Military Should not be Searching Cars or Checking Documents at the Border
Shaw Drake | aclu.org | 2020-03-18
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 announced that the Department of Defense would deploy 160 active-duty troops to ports of entry at the border

Delay or Hold Primaries: Can the 2020 Election Be Safeguarded Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-03-18
Tuesday night's primary election for the Democratic presidential nomination was marred by chaos, confusion and fears over the spread of coronavirus at polling places as former Vice President Joe Biden consolidated his lead as he won Florida and Illinois by a wide margin and scored a victory in Arizona. We are joined by Vanita Gupta, former head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration, now president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights coalition. They issued a call with 100 voting rights groups for states to proce…
www.democracynow.org/2020/3/18/democratic_primaries_joe_biden_coronavirus_fears

Inside Prison Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: Incarcerated Journalist Says Millions Behind Bars at Risk
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-03-17
As San Francisco takes the most severe measures in the country in response to COVID-19, telling 7 million people to shelter in place, we go inside the Bay Area's San Quentin State Prison, where two prison blocks are under partial quarantine, to speak with incarcerated journalist Juan Moreno Haines. We look at how the coronavirus pandemic is a growing threat to the 2.3 million people locked up in U.S. prisons and jails, as prisons across the country have been shut down in response to the spreading virus and calls grow for mass prison releases around the United States.
www.democracynow.org/2020/3/17/coronavirus_prisons_san_quentin

SPLC's Three Strikes Project helps nonviolent offenders move from prison to parole
splcenter.org | 2020-03-17
Drugs were a way of life in the economically struggling "Brickyard" neighborhood of Clarksdale, Mississippi, where Nicky Patterson grew up.
splcenter.org/news/2020/03/17/splcs-three-strikes-project-helps-nonviolent-offenders-move-prison-parole

SPLC offices, Civil Rights Memorial Center close
splcenter.org | 2020-03-14
Our work continues with fervor and is needed more now than ever.
splcenter.org/news/2020/03/20/splc-offices-civil-rights-memorial-center-close

This Law Makes Voting Nearly Impossible for Native Americans in Montana
Alora Thomas-Lundborg | aclu.org | 2020-03-12
Voting has never been easy for Native Americans living on rural reservations in Montana, which are often geographically isolated, with limited access to postal service and transportation. The passage of the Montana Ballot Interference Prevention Act (BIPA) has made these obstacles even greater, severely inhibiting Native Americans' access to the ballot. That's why we're suing. | In a state where the majority of individuals vote | by mail, rural tribal communities often work with get-out-the-vote organizer…
aclu.org/news/voting-rights/this-law-makes-voting-nearly-impossible-for-native-americans-in-montana

The Government Has a Secret Plan to Track Everyone's Faces at Airports. We're Suing
Ashley Gorski | aclu.org | 2020-03-12
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 suing to bring some much-needed transparency., , Over the past few years, CBP and the TSA have dramatically expanded their use of facial recognition technology at the airport and other U.S. ports of entr…
aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/the-government-has-a-secret-plan-to-track-everyones-faces-at-airports-were-suing

Keep Calm and Carry on Voting: How to Vote By Mail During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Nicole Hansen | aclu.org | 2020-03-11
Coronavirus should not be a political issue, but with presidential primaries and the general election coming up, it could soon directly impact our politics. We should protect not only our health, but our civil liberties at this time

Civil Rights Memorial Center closed through March
splcenter.org | 2020-03-10
The Civil Rights Memorial Center (CRMC) in Montgomery, Alabama, is closed and will remain closed through the end of March 2020.
splcenter.org/news/2020/03/10/civil-rights-memorial-center-closed-through-march

San Diego Police Stop Black People at a Rate 219 Percent Higher Than White People
Chelsey Birgisdóttir | aclu.org | 2020-03-10
"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

[Research Paper] Gender discrimination and depressive symptoms among child-bearing women: ELSPAC-CZ cohort study
Irena Stepanikova, Sanjeev Acharya, Safa Abdalla, Elizabeth Baker, Jana Klanova, Gary L. Darmstadt | thelancet.com | 2020-03-04
The findings provide the first evidence that perceived gender discrimination is associated with depressive symptoms among child-bearing women. Social intervention programs aimed at reducing gender discrimination can potentially contribute to better mental health of women.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30041-9/fulltext?rss=yes

Extradition of Assange Would Set a Dangerous Precedent
Marjorie Cohn | zcomm.org | 2020-03-02
The Trump administration is seeking extradition of WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, to the United States for trial on charges carrying 175 years in prison…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/extradition-of-assange-would-set-a-dangerous-precedent/

Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression
CounterSpin | fair.org | 2020-02-28
Media…
fair.org/home/carol-anderson-on-voter-suppression/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carol-anderson-on-voter-suppression