(2020-03-05). IDF troops banned from leaving Israel over coronavirus fears. rt.com 
No IDF soldiers will be able to leave Israel from noon on Friday in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, IDF spokesman Brig.-Gen. Hidai Zilberman said on Thursday. The decision was made by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi in accordance with the Health Ministry's guidelines and following an assessment with the military's General Staff. | Kochavi decided to take a strict approach to reduce the number of soldiers with the virus in order to maintain operational readiness. Zilberman warned that one has to be careful "with spreading rumors." Currently, between 500-600 soldiers are in quarantine, t…
(2020-03-05). Netanyahu advises Israelis to use India's ancient 'Namaste' greeting to fend off germs amid coronavirus epidemic. rt.com 
Benjamin Netanyahu has called on his countrymen to abandon traditional handshakes in order to stop the spread of coronavirus. Instead he recommended a no-contact gesture like India's 'Namaste' greeting or the Hebrew shalom. | Netanyahu said that he has already adopted the no-handshake policy, and suggested that his fellow Israelis do the same. | "You can try to implement the Indian system of Namaste or say another word like shalom, but find a way, any way of not shaking hands," the Israeli prime minister said during a press conference. He then demonstrated how Indians greet each other by folding their hands.
(2020-03-05). The New Poll Tax? Long Lines, Closed Polling Stations Hurt Black, Latinx & Student Voters in TX, CA. democracynow.org 
Long wait times plagued polling places in Texas throughout Super Tuesday, especially in districts with high numbers of black and Latinx voters and college students. Many voters reported waiting in line for more than three hours to cast a ballot. At least 750 Texas polling sites have been shuttered since 2013, when the Supreme Court slashed federal oversight of Texas and other Southern states under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. There were long lines, too, in Los Angeles, where many polling places reported problems with a brand-new $300 million voting system. The Sanders campaign sued to keep polling places open a…
(2020-03-05). A Terrifying Scenario: Coronavirus in 'Quarantined' Gaza. counterpunch.org 
According to official Palestinian reports, the Coronavirus has already reached Palestine following a visit by a South Korean delegation in the period between February 8 and 15, which included a tour in the major Palestinian cities of Jerusalem, Nablus, Jericho, Hebron, and Bethlehem. The Palestinian Authority scrambled to contain the fallout of the news, which caused palpable panic among a population that has little faith in its leadership, to begin with.
(2020-03-05). Hitler, Gogol, or just a shoe? Russians theorize about hidden meaning behind Puma sneaker. rt.com 
A sports shoe released by popular brand Puma has riled Russian social media, with internet sleuths putting forward theories that the sneaker is an ode to Hitler — or perhaps even world-famous writer Gogol. | The 'Storm Adrenaline' sneakers likely raised suspicion due to their name, with history-conscious consumers drawing parallels to Adolf Hitler's infamous storm troopers. The comparison seems far-fetched, but the conspiracy theory quickly gained traction thanks to two pieces of supporting evidence: Puma founder Rudolf Dassler was a member of the Nazi Party and was allegedly an ardent National Socialist…
(2020-03-05). Who Made Coronavirus? Was It the U.S., Israel or China? globalresearch.ca The most commonly reported mainstream media account of the creation of the Coronavirus suggests that it was derived from an animal borne microorganism found in a wild bat that was consumed by an ethnic Chinese resident of Wuhan. But there …
(2020-03-05). Response to Racist Backlash and Calls for Improved U.S.-China Cooperation. indybay.org Many Asian-owned businesses in Chinatown are losing customers because racists associate the coronavirus with people of Asian descent. On February 29, seeking to dispel a fear of Chinese people, demonstrators gathered in Plymouth Square to hear speeches, then marched to Union Square. Bay Area Chinese language newspapers estimate that over 1,000 people attended the rally and march.
(2020-03-05). Media mogul trying to crush Australian activist group. indybay.org New York based Rupert Murdoch is the most powerful and most dangerous media mogul in the world. He uses his giant global empire to buy servility of politicians and push a political agenda stoking hatred and division. In Australia, where the crypto fascist was born He is now trying to crush the highly effective activist movement GetUp!
(2020-03-05). Israel to quarantine tens of thousands over coronavirus. yenisafak.com In a bid to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, Israel has placed more than 60,000 people in self-quarantine for a period of two weeks, according to Israeli media on Thursday.It added that Israel has begun to ban the entry of tourists coming from various European countries including Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland and Germany.For Israeli citizens returning from these countries, the Israeli Health Ministry is requiring a 14-day medical quarantine period.So far, the Israeli Health Ministry confirmed that 15 Israelis contracted the virus, according to the daily Haaretz.Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth also…
(2020-03-05). Palestine declares state of emergency over coronavirus. yenisafak.com The Palestinian Health Ministry on Thursday announced a state of emergency in the West Bank cities of Bethlehem and Jericho over suspected coronavirus cases.The ministry said a hotel in Bethlehem was quarantined due to a number of suspected cases.All hotel reservations were cancelled and tourists temporarily restricted in the cities.All mosques, churches and educational institutions will remain closed for a fortnight, the period the virus takes to show symptoms.The ministry called on citizens to remain calm.The new coronavirus known as COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China, last December and has now spread to over 80…
(2020-03-05). Iran Insists IAEA Provided No Credible Reasoning for Request to Visit 2 Sites. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Iran insists that the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) request to visit two locations that were specified in a report on Tehran's alleged violations of nuclear commitments lacked credible reasoning and was instead based on data provided by Israel, Iran's permanent mission to the UN nuclear watchdog said on Thursday.
(2020-03-04). Netanyahu Still Short of Majority After Israel's Election. truthdig.com 
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fallen short of capturing the majority needed to form a government, near-final election results showed Wednesday, deepening a year of political deadlock and appearing to dash the long-serving leader's hopes for a decisive victory as his trial on corruption charges nears. | In an angry tirade, Netanyahu conceded that he did not have the parliamentary support to form a new government right away. But he still tried to claim victory as he lashed out at his main opponent and disparaged the leading Arab party — the third largest in parliament — as irre…
(2020-03-04). Supreme Court dumps fate of Affordable Care Act right into height of election campaign. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Supreme Court has dumped the fate of the Affordable Care Act right into the height of the 2020 election campaign. But it won't rule on whether the ACA survives until after the Nov. 3 balloting—and that pisses off ACA backers no end. But in the meantime, those supporters, including Teachers President Randi Weingarten, …
(2020-03-04). Palestine Slams Pompeo's Support of Illegal Israeli Settlements. telesurenglish.net Palestine on Wednesday slammed senior U.S. officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for remarks supporting settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. | RELATED: | During the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Monday, Pompeo said that the U.S. will take action against the UN Human Rights Council "blacklist" of the businesses working in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
(2020-03-04). Israeli Forces Raze Palestinian Land in 2 Villages, Injure Two Men in West Bank. imemc.org Fierce confrontations erupted, on Tuesday at dawn, between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces, invaded the northern occupied West Bank city of Qalqilia, Alray Palestinian Media Agency reports. Local sources said Israeli forces stormed the neighborhood of Al Jaidi, where wide confrontations occurred with Palestinian youths, during which soldiers fired live …
(2020-03-04). Israeli Bulldozers Raze Land, Place Barbed Wire Fence, in Gaza. imemc.org Several Israeli military vehicles on Tuesday invaded the southern besieged Gaza Strip in eastern Rafah, Quds News Network reports. Local sources said that five bulldozers entered through Mutebeq military entry, invading 50 meters into Palestinian lands, in eastern Rafah, erecting barbed wire in the area to prevent Palestinians from entering. …
(2020-03-04). Israeli Troops Invade West Bank; Abduct 21 Palestinians. imemc.org Israeli forces invaded several parts of the West Bank in pre-dawn raids Wednesday March 3rd, abducting 21 Palestinian citizens from their homes while they were asleep in bed. In addition, the troops seized funds from the homes of several freed prisoners. According to the Palestinian Wafa News Agency, the occupation …
(2020-03-04). Supreme Court Revisits Abortion Law Similar to One Struck Down in 2016. truthout.org On Wednesday, the Supreme Court is set to hear an abortion case that may sound familiar. That's because the state restriction in question is almost identical to one the court overturned in 2016. | At the heart of the current case,
(2020-03-04). Even the Machines Are Racist. Facial Recognition Systems Threaten Black Lives. truthout.org Facial recognition technology promises to alert us if our children are skipping out on their college classes, to zip us past all the suckers waiting in line at the airport and to create nationwide databases to catch the "bad guys." This newest biometric data is sold as a shortcut to utopia: technology that delivers responsible kids, quick service and safe streets — all with a scan of the human face. Politicians and companies pushing facial recognition technology say that, like the near-…
(2020-03-04). Minnesota to protest Vice President Pence appearance. fightbacknews.org St. Paul, MN – The Anti-War Committee is joining with the Climate Justice Committee to unwelcome Vice President Mike Pence when he comes to Saint Paul, 5 p.m., March 5, at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront, 11 E Kellogg Boulevard. | The Anti-War Committee has consistently organized against the Trump administration's repeated attempts to use bigotry. The Anti-War Committee's call for the protest includes, among other demands: "Muslims are welcome here! Racist, sexist, anti-gay – Mike Pence go away! No ban, no wall! Amnesty for all!" | CJ McCormick, a member of the Anti-War Committee said, "Wherever Trump…
(2020-03-04). After Super Tuesday, Sanders Faces Questions About African American Support. truthout.org On Super Tuesday, former Vice President Joe Biden swept the South and Midwest, winning Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas, propelled by a huge majority of African-American votes in several states. We host a roundtable discussion on the results with Barbara Ransby, historian, author and activist adviser to the Movement for Black Lives; Rev. Dr. William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign and president of Repairers of the B…
(2020-03-04). One in 20 Girls Aged 15-19 Has Experienced Rape: UNICEF Report. telesurenglish.net Around 13 million, or one in 20 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 worldwide have experienced rape during their lifetime, according to a report published Tuesday by the United Nations' Children's Agency ( RELATED: | Despite progress in many areas, girls and women continue to face violence and discrimination, revealed the U.N. Children's Agency. | The study took…
(2020-03-04). Pro-Choice Advocates Demand Reproductive Justice as Supreme Court Hears First Abortion Case With Trump Appointees on Bench. commondreams.org Hundreds of demonstrators assembled on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday as the nation's nine top justices heard arguments in an abortion-related case for the first time since President Donald Trump's two appointees joined the court. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-03-04). 'Absolutely Unconscionable': Hourslong Lines to Vote in Texas on Super Tuesday 'Point to a Bigger Systemic Problem'. commondreams.org After Texas voters waited in hourslong lines on Super Tuesday, voting rights experts and advocates highlighted the state's systemic problems with election administration, expressed concerns about the possibility of similar issues in November, and urged elected officials to make it easier—not harder—for Texans to get to the ballot box. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-03-03). After a century or more of defeats, Congress finally declares lynching a hate crime. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—After a century or more of defeats, many of them at the hands of racist filibustering Southern senators, Congress is specifically declaring lynching a federal hate crime. The 410-4 House vote on Feb. 26 on the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, HR35, followed a unanimous Senate vote on an almost identical bill last year. The House …
(2020-03-03). People's World Black history event in Connecticut: Voting rights worth the fight. peoplesworld.org 
NEW HAVEN, Conn.—As the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Ala., brings the historic fight for voting rights to the fore, a movement is sweeping the country today to overcome white supremacist laws aimed at suppressing the Black vote and votes of people of color and low-income people in the 2020 elections. "Dump Trump" …
(2020-03-03). Kiev plans birthday parties for Nazi collaborators; Ukrainian Communists sound alarm. peoplesworld.org 
Ukrainian Communists issued a stark warning about the glorification of fascists today after the city council of Kiev, the country's capital, announced that it was to celebrate the birthdays of what the Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU) described as "Nazi killers, thugs, executioners and anti-Semites." The party, which has itself been subjected to state-imposed bans, …
(2020-03-03). One Palestinian Receives Demolition Order, Two Receive Stop Construction Orders. imemc.org Palestinians in the village of Nahalin, were informed by the Israeli military that one house will be demolished as two others were ordered to stop construction of their homes, according to the village's deputy mayor, Hani Fannoun. Fannoun told WAFA that one resident of the village, located in the southern …
(2020-03-03). Hundreds of Israeli Settlers Storm al-Aqsa Mosque. imemc.org On Monday, 226 Israeli Settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque while accompanied by a squadron of Israeli police. In 2016, protests erupted at the embattled area after Israeli sSettlers invaded the compound during the last 10 days of Islam's holy month of Ramadan, in contravention of tradition. The Islamic …
(2020-03-03). Dozens of Olive and Grape Vines Uprooted by Illegal Settlers near Bethlehem. imemc.org Israeli settlers, on Monday, uprooted dozens of olive and vine trees belonging to Palestinians in the town of Husan, west of the occupied city of Bethlehem, according to local sources. Mohammad Sbateen, head of Husan village council, told WAFA that settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Bitar Illit uprooted …
(2020-03-03). Israeli Forces Demolish Palestinian Home in Jerusalem, Family Homeless. imemc.org The Israeli occupation authorities demolished the second floor of a Palestinian-owned house in the town of Hezma, northeast of the occupied city of Jerusalem, on Tuesday, under the pretext that it was built without Israeli permission, according to Hezma mayor, Musallam Abu Hilo. Abu Hilo told WAFA Palestinian News Agency …
(2020-03-03). Israeli Troops Abduct 9 Palestinians, Including Two Children, in Pre-Dawn Raids Tuesday. imemc.org Israeli occupation forces abducted nine Palestinian citizens from the West Bank, including two teen boys, on Tuesday night. This was accompanied by searches and vandalism of homes, attacks on citizens, and the issuing of summonses to a number of Palestinians. The Palestinian News Agency Wafe said that two citizens were …
(2020-03-03). On Israeli Election Day, Israeli Forces Impose Total Closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. imemc.org The Israeli army imposed a comprehensive closure on the West Bank and Gaza due to the Israeli elections on Monday. The closure was imposed from midnight on Sunday until early Tuesday morning, due to the Israelis going to the polls for the Presidential and "Knesset" elections. The Israeli army said …
(2020-03-03). The Brooklyn Yeshiva Anthem Protest and Why It Is Not Antisemitic. dissidentvoice.org An anti-Semite used to be a person who disliked Jews. Now it is a person who Jews dislike. — Hajo Meyer, Jewish German-born Dutch physicist and Auschwitz survivor. Antisemitism is a trick we always use. — Shulamit Aloni, Jewish Israeli, former Israeli Minister of Education, longtime member of the Israeli parliament. On Sunday, February 23 …
(2020-03-03). Analysis: On Hanging from the Blades of a Bulldozer: Al-Naem is Every Palestinian. imemc.org By Ramzy Baroud for Palestine Chronicle How is one to apply rational political analysis to what is inherently irrational? What kind of political theory must one consult to formulate and test hypotheses when the information at hand is so grizzly, sadistic, and reeking with unbearable contradictions? Seeing the gaunt body …
(2020-03-03). TRAP Laws are the Threat to Abortion Rights You Don't Know About. aclu.org This week, the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a case | that will have wide-reaching consequences for reproductive freedom and abortion | rights in America. It's the first time the Court has weighed those rights since | gaining a new conservative majority with the appointments of Justices Neil | Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. And the stakes are high. | The case that the court will | hear, June Medical Services LLC v. Russo, | is being argued by the Center for Reproductive Rights (CCR), and it involves a | law in Louisiana known as a "TRAP" — Targeted Restriction on Abortion | Providers. The detai…
(2020-03-03). LA District Attorney Lacey's husband brandishes firearm at Black Lives Matters activists. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – For nearly three years, activists have been trying to get Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey to open her doors to them. This morning, March 2, the front door to Lacey's house was indeed opened, but with a gun pointed at the activists. | In the early morning, numerous activists from Black Lives Matter (BLM) Los Angeles staged a protest outside of Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey's house. David Lacey, husband of Jackie Lacey, opened the door, and without warning aimed a gun at the activists. His finger on the trigger, Mr. Lacey repeatedly yelled, "Get off of my porch!" | Dr. Meli…
(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.
(2020-03-03). SPLC mourns loss of former board member Andrew Fredman. splcenter.org The Southern Poverty Law Center is deeply saddened today by the loss of longtime donor and board member Andrew Fredman, 58, who recently died.
(2020-03-03). Free doco makes case for Palestine solidarity. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-03-03). Iran reports increasing number of deaths. iranian.com Ali Reza Raisi, a Health Ministry official, said 77 people have died and 2,336 have been infected by the coronavirus in Iran. Raisi spoke at a news conference in the Iranain capital, Tehran. Iran's supreme leader orders armed focrs to combat coronavirus Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the Islamic Republic's armed forces to assist its …
(2020-03-02). Imagining Return: Palestinians in Jordan's Sprawling Refugee Camps Still Yearn for Home. mintpressnews.com 
Miko Peled recounts his visits to Jerash's Gaza Camp, a refugee camp housing tens of thousands of Palestinians just hours away from their ancestral homeland.
(2020-03-02). Israeli Election Race Increasingly Desperate as Voters go to Polls. dissidentvoice.org Few in Israel expect the country's third general election in a year to end with a markedly different outcome from the previous two. Barring a last-minute upset, most of those turning out on Monday assume the political stalemate will continue. There are already rumblings from politicians of an imminent fourth round of voting. Paradoxically, much …
(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…
(2020-03-02). Klobuchar rally canceled, rally to free Myon Burrell takes center stage. fightbacknews.org St. Louis Park, MN – Amy Klobuchar supporters couldn't fill the gymnasium, March 1, at Saint Louis Park High School, even with the help of some 250 protesters demanding freedom for Myon Burrell, an innocent Black teen she sent to prison for life when she was the county district attorney. Myon Burrell's family, the Racial Justice Network, Minneapolis NAACP, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar, Communities United Against Police Brutality, and Black Lives Matter Minnesota called for community members to mobilize to protest at the Klobuchar rally, two days before the primary vo…
(2020-03-02). My 12-year-old twins' nonprofit provides free period products to girls in need. splcenter.org I didn't know what to expect when my daughters decided last summer to give away sanitary pads and tampons to girls in need.
(2020-03-02). Canadians Furious At Trudeau As Government Refuses To Stop Travelers From Iran. iranian.com Furious Canadians slammed the government for failing to cancel flights from Iran, presently the country with the worst outbreak outside China, and other policies that suggest a dangerously blithe response from the government, perhaps as a consequence of PM Trudeau's commitment to 'woke' policies (many have slammed travel bans as racist). twitter.com/DrJacobsRad/status/123413982… One critic even accused …
(2020-03-01). Why are 1000s of Americans Being Detained for Dissent? dissidentvoice.org Author and civil rights attorney John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute joins Rick Sanchez to discuss the enduring effects of the PATRIOT Act and erosion of civil liberties in the US. He also explains "Operation Vigilant Eagle," a surveillance program to keep tabs on US veterans and track what they say online.
(2020-02-28). Israel's Moral Culpability. dissidentvoice.org Four ethical theories — Kantian, utilitarian, virtue-based, and religious — demonstrate the lack of moral foundation in the continuing Israeli occupation of the West Bank and especially in Trump's "deal of the century". In my previous article I discussed Kantian and utilitarian moral theories, and in the following I cover the virtue-based and religious theories …
(2020-02-28). Emails Reveal Identity of Longtime White Nationalist Propagandist as Onetime Conservative Insider. splcenter.org Months before the "alt-right" became a household name, the nebulous band of white power activists seized upon their digital prowess to popularize a slur that would soon become a mainstay in the Republican infighting that defined the 2016 presidential election.