(2020-03-22). It's strange for US to offer help against Covid-19 outbreak after 'accusations' it created the virus — Iran's Khamenei. rt.com 
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said it was not the right time for Iran to reach out for US aid to help it combat the pandemic, citing earlier allegations that the contagion could have been created in America. | "Several times Americans have offered to help Iran to contain the virus … You are accused of creating this virus. I do not know whether it is true, but it is strange that you want to help Iran," Khamenei said in a televised speech on Sunday. | He did not go into the details, saying that it was nonetheless "unwise" to accept American aid, given the circumstances. | The unverified claims that th…
(2020-03-22). Rethinking "Commander-in-Chief" in American Leadership in Relation to COVID-19. globalresearch.ca Ask Americans who's commander-in-chief, most will respond: our president. Citizens only think about this just before a presidential election every four years when their final, 'supreme criteria' of U.S. leadership is raised: "Does she or he have it: — namely the …
(2020-03-22). Netanyahu Pledges to Resign 'Without Shticks' Amid Deadlock Over Coalition Gov't Formation. sputniknews.com The political gridlock in Israel shows no sign of abating even after holding its third parliamentary elections in a year in early March, amid attempts by Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud and the Blue and White alliance to form a coalition government.
(2020-03-22). Danger to Democracy or Tool to Fight Misinformation? Attorney Discusses Mass Surveillance in Israel. sputniknews.com It's been several days since Israel began using a mass surveillance system – initially developed by the country's internal secret service (Shin Bet) – to track coronavirus patients and alert those who have been in proximity to them that they too could be contagious and thus should isolate themselves for 14 days.
(2020-03-22). Iran Doubts US Aid Amid Pandemic, Suspects Their Involvement in Virus Spread – Supreme Leader. sputniknews.com According to the head of state, Washington has offered to help Tehran fight the coronavirus outbreak. At the same time, the United States stated this week that there will be no sanctions relief for Iran, despite calls to ease the pressure amid the coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-03-22). Palestinians in West Bank must home-confine for 14 days as of 2000GMT. yenisafak.com The Palestinian government on Sunday ordered Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank confined to their homes for two weeks as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.The order, announced by Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh on television, goes into force at 10 p.m. (2000GMT). Medical personnel, pharmacists, grocers and bakers would be exempt, he said.
(2020-03-21). Israeli Troops Shoot, Injure a Palestinian Teen in Qalqilia. imemc.org Israeli troops reportedly shot and wounded, on Friday, a Palestinian teenaged boy in the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia, local Palestinian sources reported. Sources told media outlets that Israeli troops, positioned on the northern checkpoint of Qalqilia, opened fire indiscriminately on a group of Palestinian youths. The Israeli army …
(2020-03-21). Netanyahu exploits coronavirus pandemic to build up dictatorial regime in Israel. wsws.org Netanyahu has exploited the coronavirus to cast himself as the only figure capable of responding to a national emergency.
(2020-03-21). One Palestinian injured at the Weekly Kufur Qaddoum March. imemc.org A Palestinian man was injured on Friday when Israeli occupation forces violently dispersed the weekly demonstration against the settlement in Kufur Qaddoum village in the northern West Bank district of Qalqilia, the Palestinian Information Center reported. Local sources said that Israeli forces dispersed the demonstrators by firing rubber-coated metal bullets, …
(2020-03-21). Israeli Settlers Assault, Injure Palestinian Farmer in West Bank. imemc.org A Palestinian man was injured Friday after being beaten by illegal Israeli settlers who broke into the site of abandoned Homesh settlement, south of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, a Palestinian official reported. Ghassan Daghlas, a local monitor of illegal settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told …
(2020-03-21). Israeli Police In Occupied East Jerusalem Impose Restrictions. imemc.org Israeli police, on Friday, imposed new restrictions on Muslim worshipers who perform prayers five times a day, at the ancient holy Islamic shrine of Al-Aqsa mosque, in the occupied city of East Jerusalem. Local sources told media outlets that during the Friday Muslim sermon, Israeli police forces shut down a …
(2020-03-21). Bolivia: Electoral Tribunal Suspends Elections Due to COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) Saturday postponed elections scheduled for May 3 as the de-facto government imposes nationwide restrictions in an attempt to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. | RELATED: | The body announced a 14-day suspension of preparations for the elections, coinciding with a quarantine ordered by de-facto President Jeanine Añez that includes a stay-at-home order, a clampdown on dom…
(2020-03-20). Israeli Court Sentences Father of Deceased Palestinian to 18 Months in Prison. imemc.org The Palestinian Committee for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners' Affairs, said on Thursday that the Salem Israeli court sentenced prisoner, Waleed Na'alwa, father of late Ashraf Na'alwa, who was killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, for 18 months of imprisonment and 12 other months of suspended sentence …
(2020-03-20). Analysis: A Terrifying Scenario; Coronavirus in 'Quarantined' Gaza. imemc.org By Ramzy Baroud for the Palestine Chronicle What if the Coronavirus reaches the besieged Gaza Strip? While the question carries great urgency for all Palestinians living under Israel's military occupation, the Gaza situation is particularly complex and extremely worrying. Nearly 50 countries have already reported cases of COVID-19 disease, one …
(2020-03-20). Israeli Police Arrest Three Palestinian Youths in Occupied East Jerusalem. imemc.org An Israeli police force abducted on Thursday three Palestinian youths in the occupied West Bank city of East Jerusalem, local sources reported. Witnesses in the Altour neighborhood of East Jerusalem told media outlets that an Israeli police force chased a Palestinian-owned vehicle, until they stopped it. A few moments later, …
(2020-03-20). Four Palestinian Prisoners Suspected to be Corona Virus Infected. imemc.org Palestinian Committee for Prisoners Affairs said on Thursday that Israeli media reports, suggesting that four Palestinian prisoners have been infected by the widely-spread Coronavirus, are inaccurate. The committee said in a statement, that four Palestinian prisoners have been isolated under quarantine by the Israeli authorities, however, none of them show …
(2020-03-20). PLO Official Applauds US Congress Efforts Against Israeli Policy of Home Demolitions. imemc.org Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) welcomed, on Friday, the letter signed by 64 US lawmakers concerning the Israeli crime of home demolition, systematically perpetrated against Palestinian families, the Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported. Dr.
(2020-03-20). The Media Is Helping Spread Trump's Coronavirus Racism. thenation.com The Media Is Helping Spread Trump's Coronavirus Racism…
(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.
(2020-03-20). Expert: US sanctions on Iran, Venezuela during pandemic could be genocidal. thegrayzone.com Intensified US sanctions on Iran, Venezuela during the COVID-19 pandemic could amount to genocide, a former UN expert warns. Iran…
(2020-03-20). It's Been Open Season on Voting Rights Since SCOTUS Gutted Voting Rights Act. truthout.org Election protection is increasingly seen as a critical issue in the US. Since the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court, there have been problems with voter purging, voter ID laws, what some call modern-day 'poll taxes', precinct closures, and difficulties with voting machines. Congress has noted serious attempts to hack into voting systems in the US based in partisan politics. Women Rising Radio joins two election protection activists to talk about threats to the U.S. electoral p…
(2020-03-20). Grassroots effort sponsored by SPLC protects voting rights for hundreds across South Florida. splcenter.org Clutching a clipboard full of voter registration forms under his arm, Marq Mitchell knocked on the front door of a small, beige, stucco house in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
(2020-03-20). SPLC responds to Trump's Racist and Xenophobic Attacks on Asians. splcenter.org President Trump continued to use racist and xenophobic language today during a news conference about the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. by calling it the "Chinese virus."
(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…
(2020-03-19). Trump Continues Calling the Coronavirus "Chinese" Despite Reports of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes. democracynow.org 
"I would like to begin by announcing some important developments in our war against the Chinese virus. I will be invoking the Defense Production Act just in case we need it." That was the opening line of President Trump's news conference Wednesday afternoon. Later in the news conference, Trump was questioned by ABC News reporter Cecilia Vega on continuously referring to the coronavirus as the "Chinese virus." A member of the administration also reportedly referred to the coronavirus as the "kung-flu." Meanwhile, racist incidents and threats of hate crimes against Asian Americans have emerged across the United Sta…
(2020-03-19). West Virginia Tourist Hub Rejects VDARE's 'Negative' Message‚Äã. splcenter.org A vacation hub known for its placid spas and lush hiking trails, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia has hardly been defined by Trump-era political strife in recent years.
(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.
(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.
(2020-03-19). Iranian Doctors Urge Neighbours to Liquidate Any US Biological Labs Amid Coronavirus Fears. iranian.com With over 17,300 cases and 1,135 deaths to date, Iran has been one of the countries hit hardest by COVID-19, with the virus affecting not only the population at large, but a big portion of the political elite as well. Last week, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said there was evidence that the pandemic may have …
(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…
(2020-03-18). 2019 Year in Hate and Extremism Report Release. splcenter.org …
(2020-03-18). The Federal Reserve Dictatorship Runs Amok Against Savers. dissidentvoice.org 
If you are a saver in a money market account or in a bank, you've already noticed your dwindling interest income as interest rates have been at their lowest in modern American history. Well, brace yourself. Your saving account has just become little more than a lock box, thanks to the supreme dictatorship of the …
(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.
(2020-03-17). Khamenei finally grasps severity of Coronavirus: Issues fatwa banning 'unnecessary travel'. iranian.com The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has made a religious ruling that prohibits "unnecessary travel" in the country in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19. Iran's death toll from the outbreak is nearing 1,000. The fatwa urges citizens to respect the orders of the health authorities and to refrain from traveling …
(2020-03-14). SPLC offices, Civil Rights Memorial Center close. splcenter.org Our work continues with fervor and is needed more now than ever.
(2020-03-13). Weekend Read: 2020 Census safe and easy, helps communities. splcenter.org This month kicks off a major — and vital — process that is fundamental to the success of our Democracy.
(2020-03-13). Anti-LGBTQ Hate Group Presents "Make the Family Great Again" Petition to U.S. State Department Commission. splcenter.org Anti-LGBTQ hate group Ruth Institute presented a "Make the Family Great Again" petition to the State Department at its Commission on Unalienable Rights meeting Feb. 21.
(2020-03-11). The Year in Hate and Extremism 2019. splcenter.org Extremist hate threatens pluralistic democracy…
(2020-03-11). Methodology: ‚Ä®How hate groups are identified and categorized. splcenter.org …
(2020-03-11). Spotlight on tactics: A flurry of flyering in 2019. splcenter.org The distribution of flyers remained a common tactic employed by groups on the radical right in 2019. The SPLC recorded more than 1,500 flyering incidents during the year.
(2020-03-11). Notable extremist attacks and plots in 2019. splcenter.org Extremists across the United States and the world continued to launch attacks during 2019. But the worst carnage came in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15, when a white nationalist gunman attacked two mosques, killing 51 people and injuring 49.
(2020-03-11). Executive Summary: 2019 Year in Hate. splcenter.org …
(2020-03-11). Was Steve King Persona Non Grata at CPAC 2020 — Or Not? splcenter.org Sen. Mitt Romney may have found himself locked out of the 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, from Feb. 26-29, but Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, seemed to find himself at right at home — whether CPAC's leadership liked it or not.
(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.
(2020-03-06). Hate-Free Philanthropy: Identifying Opportunities and Obstacles to Safeguard the Sector. splcenter.org …
(2020-03-04). [Research Paper] Gender discrimination and depressive symptoms among child-bearing women: ELSPAC-CZ cohort study. thelancet.com 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.
(2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."
(2020-01-31). Omar Baddar on Israel/Palestine 'Peace' Plan, Rainey Reitman on Greenwald Persecution. fair.org 
MP3 Link This week on CounterSpin: It is strange to think that you could create a plan to shape the relationship between two entities, in consultation with one but not the other, and then not just declare it, yourself, a "win-win," but also say to the unconsulted party, "You better take it, or else." Yet …