csmonitor--2020-02-27--Coronavirus puts health officials on messaging tightrope

Officials are also grappling with fast-evolving information , including about the disease itself .
Health officials “ don ’ t want to be responsible for creating a big epidemic in the country ” by underplaying the situation , says disease expert Emily Blodget at the University of Southern California .
Alongside reports from scientists and news organizations , the public is hearing about the spread of the virus from a range of other actors .
Those include average people sharing things they hear , advocates of isolationism or ethnicity-based discrimination , and people engaged in “ information warfare ” designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a widely shared challenge in what some scientists say could become the first pandemic in the social media era .
With no known exposure at the college , “ I kept coming back to , ‘ Irvine is a safe campus and we are open for classes ... but also wanting everyone to take precautions , ’ ” she says .
At Irvine Valley College , which has many international students , acting President Cindy Vyskocil has been walking a careful line regarding the new coronavirus .
Responding to social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in frequent contact with health officials and for a time gave twice-daily updates to the campus community .
After health officials in California ’ s Orange County announced that a patient was diagnosed with the new coronavirus on Jan. 25 , social media lit up with speculation about whether the patient was connected with Irvine Valley College , in the heart of the county .
Cindy Vyskocil , the acting president of the college , got on the phone with the county health office .
No , there was no known exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been , the office would have contacted her immediately .
Risk of exposure in the county was low .
Relieved , she sent out an account to the college community .
Twice a day she talked with health officials .
Twice a day she updated everyone associated with the college , including with information about precautionary steps that individuals should take and that her administration was taking .
Despite the communication early and often , she took calls from parents wanting to pull their children from the college , which has a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming back to , ‘ Irvine is a safe campus and we are open for classes ... but also wanting everyone to take precautions , ’ ” she says .
It ’ s a fine line to walk between preventing panic and being honest even with information that may be troubling .
“ It ’ s not easy at all , ” she says , especially in the age of social media .
The story of the new coronavirus is unfolding in a world saturated with social media .
This presents many more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to well-intended ignorance .
It also presents a challenge to health officials and others who deal with the public , especially when many questions about the coronavirus remain unanswered .
“ This is the first social media pandemic , and that changes everything , ” says Carl Bergstrom , a biologist at the University of Washington in Seattle who also researches misinformation .
People are watching the spread of the virus in “ real time , ” and instead of it being reported out by the scientific community , many other actors are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include people sharing what they hear , whether it ’ s reliable or not ; “ snake-oil salesmen ” peddling their particular tonic ; domestic and international opponents of China , where the outbreak started ; people using the virus to promote isolationism and discrimination ; and those engaging in the same kind of “ information warfare ” used in the 2016 U.S. elections to now undermine trust in governments , nongovernmental organizations , and the media .
“ It ’ s a complex ecosystem , with a lot of different actors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pumping information in , ” Professor Bergstrom says .
Unknowns about the COVID-19 virus , as it has been termed by scientists , add to the confusion , he and others say .
Now , for instance , the 14-day quarantine period is being questioned , and scientists and the medical community have a hard time evaluating the virus when they don ’ t know how many people in China were infected .
Meanwhile , what the medical and scientific community does know is changing on a daily basis .
So far , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in 47 countries , with 2,812 deaths .
The Standard & Poor ’ s 500 stock index has fallen 10 % in just six days , driven by rising concerns about the virus .
On Thursday , the sell-off in global markets was accompanied by Japan ’ s prime minister calling for the nation ’ s schools to close during the next month as a precaution .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) underscored the uncertainty this week .
On one hand , it warned that it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus will spread in the United States , but when , given the spread in the rest of the world .
American hospitals , schools , and businesses should prepare “ in the expectation that this could be bad , ” said the CDC ’ s Dr. Nancy Messonnier , director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases .
But the agency also can ’ t say whether the impact will be weak or severe , or when a wider transmission of the disease might occur .
The sharp warning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in sharp contrast to the relative calm expressed by President Donald Trump , who on Wednesday appointed Vice President Mike Pence to oversee the federal government ’ s response to COVID-19 .
Emily Blodget , an expert on infectious diseases at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles , says she is surprised by the CDC ’ s “ somewhat alarmist ” approach , especially given the small number of cases in the U.S. “ The way they framed it , it made it sound quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in the U.S. as of Feb. 26 , according to the CDC , plus 45 cases among people repatriated from Wuhan , China , and a Diamond Princess Cruise ship .
On Wednesday , the CDC announced another case in northern California , this time apparently not related to travel or contact with anyone known to have the virus .
Still , Dr. Blodget says the CDC is “ approaching it the right way , ” because “ they don ’ t want to be responsible for creating a big epidemic in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not a “ pandemic ” yet , officials say “ Unfortunately , science is messy , ” with conflicting reports and many unknowns , says Barbara Ferrer , director of public health for Los Angeles County , the largest county in the country and a gateway to the U.S. from Asia .
And the language of science can be alarming or misleading to those who don ’ t work with it every day .
“ Pandemic , ” for instance , means a disease that spreads quickly over a wide region or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicate severity .
“ Virulence ” indicates severity , but not spread .
And “ quarantine ” refers to the isolation of someone who has been exposed to the virus but is not ill .
While the World Health Organization has declared a “ public health emergency of international concern ” – its highest level of alarm – it has not yet declared the new coronavirus a pandemic .
“ Using the word ‘ pandemic ’ carelessly has no tangible benefit , but it does have significant risk in terms of amplifying unnecessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paralyzing systems .
It may also signal that we can no longer contain the virus , which is not true .
We are in a fight that can be won if we do the right things , ” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , the World Health Organization ’ s director-general , at a briefing on Wednesday .
Public officials , including the CDC and the Trump administration , need to coordinate their message , health experts say .
They need to direct the public to official websites , including those of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their most urgent information easily visible and accessible .
“ You don ’ t want to create panic , but you don ’ t want to make false assurances , either , ” Professor Bergstrom says .
“ It undermines trust if you say it ’ s all taken care of , and you end up wrong.
” Telling people not to be scared , when they fear a new global virus that has no specific treatment or vaccination , is counterproductive , says Dr. Ferrer .
“ Better to say to folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scared ; here ’ s some things you can do to protect yourself .
Here ’ s my promise to you : As soon as I have good information , I get it to you .
I don ’ t hold onto it.
’ ” Dr. Ferrer ’ s office had to firmly put down a hoax that falsely claimed on fake letterhead five cases in a majority-Asian community .
She says she ’ s taking a “ multipronged ” approach to messaging , including almost daily updates to its website , teleconferences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing thousands of information packets to trusted community organizations and businesses .
Long before the CDC made its announcement this week , Dr. Ferrer says the county has been preparing for widespread transmission and how that might affect people ’ s mobility , including school and office closures .
“ It ’ s similar to being prepared for earthquakes , fires , or bad weather .
I think preparedness is the name of the game for everybody .
”

Officials are also grappling with fast-evolving information, including about the disease itself. Health officials “don’t want to be responsible for creating a big epidemic in the country” by underplaying the situation, says disease expert Emily Blodget at the University of Southern California.
Alongside reports from scientists and news organizations, the public is hearing about the spread of the virus from a range of other actors. Those include average people sharing things they hear, advocates of isolationism or ethnicity-based discrimination, and people engaged in “information warfare” designed to undermine trust in official institutions.
It’s a widely shared challenge in what some scientists say could become the first pandemic in the social media era.
If you want to fight a public health crisis, you need one thing in abundance: calm. But how do you keep fears at bay in a world saturated with social media?
With no known exposure at the college, “I kept coming back to, ‘Irvine is a safe campus and we are open for classes ... but also wanting everyone to take precautions,’ ” she says.
At Irvine Valley College, which has many international students, acting President Cindy Vyskocil has been walking a careful line regarding the new coronavirus. Responding to social media rumors about the college, she was in frequent contact with health officials and for a time gave twice-daily updates to the campus community.
After health officials in California’s Orange County announced that a patient was diagnosed with the new coronavirus on Jan. 25, social media lit up with speculation about whether the patient was connected with Irvine Valley College, in the heart of the county.
Cindy Vyskocil, the acting president of the college, got on the phone with the county health office. No, there was no known exposure at the college. If there had been, the office would have contacted her immediately. Risk of exposure in the county was low. Relieved, she sent out an account to the college community.
Twice a day she talked with health officials. Twice a day she updated everyone associated with the college, including with information about precautionary steps that individuals should take and that her administration was taking. Despite the communication early and often, she took calls from parents wanting to pull their children from the college, which has a lot of international students.
Why We Wrote This If you want to fight a public health crisis, you need one thing in abundance: calm. But how do you keep fears at bay in a world saturated with social media?
“I kept coming back to, ‘Irvine is a safe campus and we are open for classes ... but also wanting everyone to take precautions,’” she says. It’s a fine line to walk between preventing panic and being honest even with information that may be troubling. “It’s not easy at all,” she says, especially in the age of social media.
The story of the new coronavirus is unfolding in a world saturated with social media. This presents many more opportunities for misinformation, from willful distortion to well-intended ignorance. It also presents a challenge to health officials and others who deal with the public, especially when many questions about the coronavirus remain unanswered.
“This is the first social media pandemic, and that changes everything,” says Carl Bergstrom, a biologist at the University of Washington in Seattle who also researches misinformation.
A virus ... and viral information
People are watching the spread of the virus in “real time,” and instead of it being reported out by the scientific community, many other actors are involved, Professor Bergstrom says.
Those include people sharing what they hear, whether it’s reliable or not; “snake-oil salesmen” peddling their particular tonic; domestic and international opponents of China, where the outbreak started; people using the virus to promote isolationism and discrimination; and those engaging in the same kind of “information warfare” used in the 2016 U.S. elections to now undermine trust in governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the media.
“It’s a complex ecosystem, with a lot of different actors, with a lot of different motives, pumping information in,” Professor Bergstrom says.
Unknowns about the COVID-19 virus, as it has been termed by scientists, add to the confusion, he and others say. Now, for instance, the 14-day quarantine period is being questioned, and scientists and the medical community have a hard time evaluating the virus when they don’t know how many people in China were infected. Meanwhile, what the medical and scientific community does know is changing on a daily basis.
So far, the World Health Organization reports 82,539 confirmed cases in 47 countries, with 2,812 deaths. The Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index has fallen 10% in just six days, driven by rising concerns about the virus. On Thursday, the sell-off in global markets was accompanied by Japan’s prime minister calling for the nation’s schools to close during the next month as a precaution.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) underscored the uncertainty this week. On one hand, it warned that it’s not a question of if the virus will spread in the United States, but when, given the spread in the rest of the world. American hospitals, schools, and businesses should prepare “in the expectation that this could be bad,” said the CDC’s Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
But the agency also can’t say whether the impact will be weak or severe, or when a wider transmission of the disease might occur.
Evan Vucci/AP View caption Hide caption President Donald Trump is flanked by members of his coronavirus task force, to be led by Vice President Mike Pence (left), at a news conference at the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Washington. Health officials have confirmed 14 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. so far.
The sharp warning, despite its vagueness about severity, stood in sharp contrast to the relative calm expressed by President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday appointed Vice President Mike Pence to oversee the federal government’s response to COVID-19.
Emily Blodget, an expert on infectious diseases at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, says she is surprised by the CDC’s “somewhat alarmist” approach, especially given the small number of cases in the U.S. “The way they framed it, it made it sound quite dramatic.”
There are only 14 confirmed cases in the U.S. as of Feb. 26, according to the CDC, plus 45 cases among people repatriated from Wuhan, China, and a Diamond Princess Cruise ship. On Wednesday, the CDC announced another case in northern California, this time apparently not related to travel or contact with anyone known to have the virus.
Still, Dr. Blodget says the CDC is “approaching it the right way,” because “they don’t want to be responsible for creating a big epidemic in the country” by underplaying the situation.
Not a “pandemic” yet, officials say
“Unfortunately, science is messy,” with conflicting reports and many unknowns, says Barbara Ferrer, director of public health for Los Angeles County, the largest county in the country and a gateway to the U.S. from Asia.
And the language of science can be alarming or misleading to those who don’t work with it every day. “Pandemic,” for instance, means a disease that spreads quickly over a wide region or the world – but it does not indicate severity. “Virulence” indicates severity, but not spread. And “quarantine” refers to the isolation of someone who has been exposed to the virus but is not ill.
While the World Health Organization has declared a “public health emergency of international concern” – its highest level of alarm – it has not yet declared the new coronavirus a pandemic.
“Using the word ‘pandemic’ carelessly has no tangible benefit, but it does have significant risk in terms of amplifying unnecessary and unjustified fear and stigma, and paralyzing systems. It may also signal that we can no longer contain the virus, which is not true. We are in a fight that can be won if we do the right things,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director-general, at a briefing on Wednesday.
Public officials, including the CDC and the Trump administration, need to coordinate their message, health experts say. They need to direct the public to official websites, including those of state and local health departments, and make their most urgent information easily visible and accessible.
“You don’t want to create panic, but you don’t want to make false assurances, either,” Professor Bergstrom says. “It undermines trust if you say it’s all taken care of, and you end up wrong.”
Telling people not to be scared, when they fear a new global virus that has no specific treatment or vaccination, is counterproductive, says Dr. Ferrer. “Better to say to folks, ‘We understand you’re scared; here’s some things you can do to protect yourself. Here’s my promise to you: As soon as I have good information, I get it to you. I don’t hold onto it.’”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Dr. Ferrer’s office had to firmly put down a hoax that falsely claimed on fake letterhead five cases in a majority-Asian community. She says she’s taking a “multipronged” approach to messaging, including almost daily updates to its website, teleconferences with the media and officials, and bringing thousands of information packets to trusted community organizations and businesses.
Long before the CDC made its announcement this week, Dr. Ferrer says the county has been preparing for widespread transmission and how that might affect people’s mobility, including school and office closures. “It’s similar to being prepared for earthquakes, fires, or bad weather. I think preparedness is the name of the game for everybody.”


csmonitor--2020-02-27--Greek islands protest over new migrant detention centers

Demonstrators gathered Thursday for a fourth consecutive day on the eastern Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios to protest government plans to build new migrant detention centers .
Greece 's Aegean Sea islands are a main entry point for migrants seeking better lives in the European Union .
Managing the flow of people – and growing discontent among island residents – has become the main challenge for the center-right government of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis .
Mr. Mitsotakis invited regional and local officials for talks in Athens on Thursday .
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas said police showed “ unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ squad members would be recalled once preparatory work was completed on the proposed detention center construction sites .
“ The first phase was completed on Lesbos today and will be completed tomorrow on Chios , and police will have no reason to stay there , ” Mr. Petsas told private broadcaster Alpha TV .
“ Some of those that were sent from Athens will return , and the rest will stay in place.
” He insisted that the planned centers would be built .
“ The plan will go ahead and we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best .
It ’ s the only plan we have on the table , ” he said .
Local authorities declared a 24-hour strike and staged large protest rallies Wednesday on Lesbos and Chios .
Shops and services were shut on Lesbos as workers extended an initial 24-hour strike into a second day as part of the protests .
The mayors of Lesbos , Chios , and the nearby island of Samos were scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens to discuss the situation .
Lesbos , and to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of people fleeing war or poverty in the Middle East , Asia , and Africa .
The migrants cross from the nearby Turkish coast in small , unseaworthy boats provided by smuggling gangs .
Under a 2016 deal between the European Union and Turkey , migrants reaching the islands must stay there until their asylum requests are processed – and if these are rejected they must be taken back by Turkey .
But delays in the asylum process , coupled with increased migrant flows , have placed massive strains on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of living conditions in existing camps whose populations burgeoned – despite Greek authorities moving people judged as vulnerable to the mainland .
Furthermore , returns to Turkey have been negligible .
Lesbos , with a permanent population of 85,000 , now has more than 21,000 migrants according to the latest official data available Wednesday .
Island residents and local authorities say they want all asylum seekers to be moved to the mainland .
They oppose construction of the new facilities and want the old ones shut down .
On Wednesday , protests degenerated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacking police guarding the building sites of future migrant detention camps on Chios and Lesbos .
A crowd also laid siege for hours to a Lesbos army camp where riot squads were staying .
Officials have said 43 police officers were injured in violence in Lesbos , and another nine in Chios , where a mob burst into a hotel being used by riot police and beat officers resting in their rooms .
The government has said it will pull out many of the riot police deployed to the islands earlier this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tackle migration , including building new detention centers , speeding up asylum procedures and deportations , and beefing up border controls , will go ahead .
`` It is the only plan that can be implemented , '' Mr. Mitsotakis said in opening remarks during a Cabinet meeting Thursday .
The prime minister condemned attacks against police officers , saying those who participated in the violence `` will be located and will answer for their actions . ''
`` At the same time however , incidents of excessive violence by the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Serious accusations have been made , we have a duty to investigate them . ''
Mr. Mitsotakis said he had ordered a `` significant increase '' in the number of patrol boats and patrols given what he called an increased public health risk from the new coronavirus , as new arrivals include people from Iran , where cases of the virus have increased significantly in recent days , and people who had crossed through Afghanistan .
Regional administration head Costas Moutzouris – who plans to attend the talks with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government for using police to crack down on the protesters but also appealed for calm from islanders .
`` The people of Lesbos and Chios served for five years as a breakwater against the waves of immigration , '' he said .
“ The government should be more sensitive toward them and the rest of Greece should show more understanding.
” Islanders said they would hold another 24-hour strike Thursday .
Nearly 60,000 migrants and refugees arrived on Greek islands last year , almost double the number recorded in 2018 , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was reported by The Associated Press .

Demonstrators gathered Thursday for a fourth consecutive day on the eastern Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios to protest government plans to build new migrant detention centers.
Greece's Aegean Sea islands are a main entry point for migrants seeking better lives in the European Union. Managing the flow of people – and growing discontent among island residents – has become the main challenge for the center-right government of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Mr. Mitsotakis invited regional and local officials for talks in Athens on Thursday.
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas said police showed “unprecedented restraint” during the clashes and riot squad members would be recalled once preparatory work was completed on the proposed detention center construction sites.
“The first phase was completed on Lesbos today and will be completed tomorrow on Chios, and police will have no reason to stay there,” Mr. Petsas told private broadcaster Alpha TV. “Some of those that were sent from Athens will return, and the rest will stay in place.”
He insisted that the planned centers would be built.
“The plan will go ahead and we need to see how it can be done best. It’s the only plan we have on the table,” he said.
Local authorities declared a 24-hour strike and staged large protest rallies Wednesday on Lesbos and Chios. Shops and services were shut on Lesbos as workers extended an initial 24-hour strike into a second day as part of the protests.
The mayors of Lesbos, Chios, and the nearby island of Samos were scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens to discuss the situation.
Lesbos, and to a lesser extent Chios, annually receive tens of thousands of people fleeing war or poverty in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The migrants cross from the nearby Turkish coast in small, unseaworthy boats provided by smuggling gangs.
Under a 2016 deal between the European Union and Turkey, migrants reaching the islands must stay there until their asylum requests are processed – and if these are rejected they must be taken back by Turkey.
But delays in the asylum process, coupled with increased migrant flows, have placed massive strains on the system and led to a sharp deterioration of living conditions in existing camps whose populations burgeoned – despite Greek authorities moving people judged as vulnerable to the mainland. Furthermore, returns to Turkey have been negligible.
Lesbos, with a permanent population of 85,000, now has more than 21,000 migrants according to the latest official data available Wednesday.
Island residents and local authorities say they want all asylum seekers to be moved to the mainland. They oppose construction of the new facilities and want the old ones shut down.
On Wednesday, protests degenerated into violence, with hundreds of demonstrators attacking police guarding the building sites of future migrant detention camps on Chios and Lesbos. A crowd also laid siege for hours to a Lesbos army camp where riot squads were staying.
Officials have said 43 police officers were injured in violence in Lesbos, and another nine in Chios, where a mob burst into a hotel being used by riot police and beat officers resting in their rooms.
The government has said it will pull out many of the riot police deployed to the islands earlier this week. But it has insisted its plan to tackle migration, including building new detention centers, speeding up asylum procedures and deportations, and beefing up border controls, will go ahead.
"It is the only plan that can be implemented," Mr. Mitsotakis said in opening remarks during a Cabinet meeting Thursday.
The prime minister condemned attacks against police officers, saying those who participated in the violence "will be located and will answer for their actions."
"At the same time however, incidents of excessive violence by the police will be investigated," Mr. Mitsotakis said. "Serious accusations have been made, we have a duty to investigate them."
Mr. Mitsotakis said he had ordered a "significant increase" in the number of patrol boats and patrols given what he called an increased public health risk from the new coronavirus, as new arrivals include people from Iran, where cases of the virus have increased significantly in recent days, and people who had crossed through Afghanistan.
Regional administration head Costas Moutzouris – who plans to attend the talks with the prime minister on Thursday – berated the government for using police to crack down on the protesters but also appealed for calm from islanders.
"The people of Lesbos and Chios served for five years as a breakwater against the waves of immigration," he said. “The government should be more sensitive toward them and the rest of Greece should show more understanding.”
Islanders said they would hold another 24-hour strike Thursday.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Nearly 60,000 migrants and refugees arrived on Greek islands last year, almost double the number recorded in 2018, according to the U.N. refugee agency.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-06-08--Landmark trade deal: Vietnam and EU forge new relationship

Vietnam ratified a landmark trade deal on Monday with the European Union that is expected to energize the country 's manufacturing sector and exports , as it recovers from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
Lawmakers approved the agreement in their first National Assembly session since the pandemic began .
The deal was signed in Hanoi last June and was ratified by the European Parliament in February .
When it takes effect next month , the EU will lift 85 % of its tariffs on Vietnamese goods , gradually cutting the rest over the next seven years .
Vietnam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties on EU exports and phase out the rest over 10 years .
The implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement `` ca n't come at a better time for Vietnam when it 's on the path of economic recovery after several months of closure due to COVID-19 , '' said economist Pham Chi Lan , a former adviser to several of Vietnam 's prime ministers .
Vietnam prioritized public health and safety when the coronavirus started to peak in China .
It closed the border with China in January and with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposing a social shutdown that lasted until the end of April .
The tough measures contained Vietnam 's outbreak to just over 300 cases with no known deaths .
No local infections have been reported for almost two months .
Still , the economy has been hit as the shutdowns at home and abroad restricted movements of goods and people .
The pandemic revealed shortcomings in Vietnam 's manufacturing sector .
After Vietnam 's own factories reopened , output was constrained by a lack of supplies of materials from China .
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and electronics , the country 's key exports .
`` COVID-19 has given Vietnam a hard lesson about being dependent on China , '' Mr. Lan said .
`` It also showed other countries , including the EU , the negative impact of relying too much on China in their product value chain .
The EVFTA [ free trade agreement ] comes in the right time as all parties realize they need to pivot and restructure to diversify the supply chain . ''
Vietnam is the EU 's second-largest trading partner in Southeast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 56 billion last year , according to the national general statistics office .
The agreement with the EU is expected to improve Vietnam 's competitiveness , enhancing its attractiveness for investors shifting factories out of China .
Tiny Singapore is the only other country in Southeast Asia that has a free-trade agreement with the EU .
`` EVFTA will add to the positive momentum drawing manufacturing to Vietnam , '' said Michael Sieburg , a partner of YCP Solidiance , a corporate strategy consulting firm focusing on Asia .
`` Manufacturers looking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more competitive access to EU markets will be more inclined to shift manufacturing to Vietnam as a result of EVFTA , '' he said .
Foreign direct investment in Vietnam hit a 10-year high of $ 38 billion in 2019 .
About two-thirds of that went into manufacturing , and the agreement should help sustain that trend , Mr. Sieburg said .
Lawmakers also ratified a second pact that protects investors .
Negotiated since 2012 , it gives EU companies equal treatment with domestic bidders in competing for public contracts in Vietnam .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to standards for sustainable development , including improving its human rights record , protecting labor rights , and upholding its pledges to deal with climate change under the Paris accord .
Vietnam has agreed to similar pledges in a Pacific Rim trade deal called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership .
More than 30 years since carrying out economic reforms to integrate with the global economy , the country with a population of 95 million is emerging as a manufacturing powerhouse .
But it has a long way to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong , and Malaysia , with a per capita GDP of about $ 2,600 , or less than half that of Thailand .
The aim is to build ties with countries that have advanced technologies and good corporate governance , said Mr. Lan .
`` The free trade agreement with the EU will help Vietnam raise its skills and standards .
It is a great opportunity for Vietnam to excel , '' Mr. Lan said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Vietnam ratified a landmark trade deal on Monday with the European Union that is expected to energize the country's manufacturing sector and exports, as it recovers from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers approved the agreement in their first National Assembly session since the pandemic began.
The deal was signed in Hanoi last June and was ratified by the European Parliament in February.
When it takes effect next month, the EU will lift 85% of its tariffs on Vietnamese goods, gradually cutting the rest over the next seven years. Vietnam will lift 49% of its import duties on EU exports and phase out the rest over 10 years.
The implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement "can't come at a better time for Vietnam when it's on the path of economic recovery after several months of closure due to COVID-19," said economist Pham Chi Lan, a former adviser to several of Vietnam's prime ministers.
Vietnam prioritized public health and safety when the coronavirus started to peak in China. It closed the border with China in January and with the rest of the world in February while imposing a social shutdown that lasted until the end of April. The tough measures contained Vietnam's outbreak to just over 300 cases with no known deaths. No local infections have been reported for almost two months.
Still, the economy has been hit as the shutdowns at home and abroad restricted movements of goods and people.
The pandemic revealed shortcomings in Vietnam's manufacturing sector. After Vietnam's own factories reopened, output was constrained by a lack of supplies of materials from China. That was particularly true for textiles, footwear, and electronics, the country's key exports.
"COVID-19 has given Vietnam a hard lesson about being dependent on China," Mr. Lan said. "It also showed other countries, including the EU, the negative impact of relying too much on China in their product value chain. The EVFTA [free trade agreement] comes in the right time as all parties realize they need to pivot and restructure to diversify the supply chain."
Vietnam is the EU's second-largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, with two-way trade reaching $56 billion last year, according to the national general statistics office.
The agreement with the EU is expected to improve Vietnam's competitiveness, enhancing its attractiveness for investors shifting factories out of China.
Tiny Singapore is the only other country in Southeast Asia that has a free-trade agreement with the EU.
"EVFTA will add to the positive momentum drawing manufacturing to Vietnam," said Michael Sieburg, a partner of YCP Solidiance, a corporate strategy consulting firm focusing on Asia.
"Manufacturers looking to locate in the region and seeking a more competitive access to EU markets will be more inclined to shift manufacturing to Vietnam as a result of EVFTA," he said.
Foreign direct investment in Vietnam hit a 10-year high of $38 billion in 2019. About two-thirds of that went into manufacturing, and the agreement should help sustain that trend, Mr. Sieburg said.
Lawmakers also ratified a second pact that protects investors. Negotiated since 2012, it gives EU companies equal treatment with domestic bidders in competing for public contracts in Vietnam. Vietnam, a communist-ruled country, also committed to standards for sustainable development, including improving its human rights record, protecting labor rights, and upholding its pledges to deal with climate change under the Paris accord.
Vietnam has agreed to similar pledges in a Pacific Rim trade deal called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
More than 30 years since carrying out economic reforms to integrate with the global economy, the country with a population of 95 million is emerging as a manufacturing powerhouse.
But it has a long way to go, trailing far behind Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, with a per capita GDP of about $2,600, or less than half that of Thailand.
The aim is to build ties with countries that have advanced technologies and good corporate governance, said Mr. Lan.
"The free trade agreement with the EU will help Vietnam raise its skills and standards. It is a great opportunity for Vietnam to excel," Mr. Lan said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-24--In Afghanistan, promises of a peaceful reprieve in honor of Eid

The Taliban and Afghanistan ’ s president announced late Saturday a three-day cease-fire ahead of a major Islamic holiday that begins Sunday to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan .
The Taliban order , which was soon followed by an announcement via Twitter from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announcing the government “ extends the offer of peace , ” comes just days after U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul and Doha .
Mr. Khalilzad on his trip urged both the Taliban and the Afghan government to reduce violence and move ahead with intra-Afghan negotiations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace deal with the Taliban signed in February to allow American troops to leave Afghanistan .
The deal was also touted at the time as Afghanistan ’ s best chance for peace after nearly four decades of war .
The Taliban ’ s cease-fire announcement follows an Eid al-Fitr message from the Taliban leader which said the insurgent group was committed to the peace deal , was not seeking to monopolize power , and promised to guarantee the rights of women and men under an Islamic system .
The directive ordered Taliban fighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraternize with Afghan national security forces .
The instructions seemed intended to avoid images that circulated during the last cease-fire in 2018 , also during Eid celebrations , including Taliban fighters sharing ice cream and laughing with Afghan national security force soldiers .
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement and urged all parties “ to seize the opportunity and embrace an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process , ” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said .
Mr. Guterres , who called for a cease-fire in all global conflicts on March 23 to tackle the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace settlement can bring an end to the suffering in Afghanistan ” and said that “ the United Nations is committed to supporting the people and government of Afghanistan in this important endeavor , ” the spokesman said .
In instructions issued Saturday , Taliban fighters were told “ not to attack the enemy in any place but if there is attack from enemy in any place then a befitting defensive response shall be given.
” The order also warned Taliban fighters against entering “ enemy ” territory .
Since signing the peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban have not attacked U.S. and NATO troops but have staged numerous attacks against Afghan National Security forces .
The peace deal calls for the full withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops by the end of next year but only if the Taliban honor their commitment to fight against terrorist groups and guarantee that Afghanistan can not be used as a staging ground of attacks against the United States and its allies .
The agreement also calls for talks between Taliban and the often-bickering political leadership in Kabul to decide the future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the release of prisoners by both the government and Taliban as a good will gesture ahead of the talks .
An increase in attacks claimed by the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan , including a horrific attack on a maternity hospital in the Afghan capital last week , blamed on the IS affiliate , has given an urgency to finding a settlement between the government and Taliban .
U.S. Department of Defense officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media , said the Taliban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against IS in Afghanistan .
The U.S. military in Afghanistan welcomed the cease-fire announcement saying “ we reiterate our call for the militaries of all sides to reduce violence to allow the peace process to take hold.
” This story was reported by the Associated Press .

The Taliban and Afghanistan’s president announced late Saturday a three-day cease-fire ahead of a major Islamic holiday that begins Sunday to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
The Taliban order, which was soon followed by an announcement via Twitter from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announcing the government “extends the offer of peace,” comes just days after U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul and Doha.
Mr. Khalilzad on his trip urged both the Taliban and the Afghan government to reduce violence and move ahead with intra-Afghan negotiations, a key pillar of a U.S. peace deal with the Taliban signed in February to allow American troops to leave Afghanistan. The deal was also touted at the time as Afghanistan’s best chance for peace after nearly four decades of war.
The Taliban’s cease-fire announcement follows an Eid al-Fitr message from the Taliban leader which said the insurgent group was committed to the peace deal, was not seeking to monopolize power, and promised to guarantee the rights of women and men under an Islamic system.
The directive ordered Taliban fighters not to fight but also not to fraternize with Afghan national security forces. The instructions seemed intended to avoid images that circulated during the last cease-fire in 2018, also during Eid celebrations, including Taliban fighters sharing ice cream and laughing with Afghan national security force soldiers.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement and urged all parties “to seize the opportunity and embrace an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Mr. Guterres, who called for a cease-fire in all global conflicts on March 23 to tackle the coronavirus pandemic stressed that “only a peace settlement can bring an end to the suffering in Afghanistan” and said that “the United Nations is committed to supporting the people and government of Afghanistan in this important endeavor,” the spokesman said.
In instructions issued Saturday, Taliban fighters were told “not to attack the enemy in any place but if there is attack from enemy in any place then a befitting defensive response shall be given.”
The order also warned Taliban fighters against entering “enemy” territory.
Since signing the peace deal with the United States, the Taliban have not attacked U.S. and NATO troops but have staged numerous attacks against Afghan National Security forces.
The peace deal calls for the full withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops by the end of next year but only if the Taliban honor their commitment to fight against terrorist groups and guarantee that Afghanistan cannot be used as a staging ground of attacks against the United States and its allies. The agreement also calls for talks between Taliban and the often-bickering political leadership in Kabul to decide the future of a post-war Afghanistan. It also calls for the release of prisoners by both the government and Taliban as a good will gesture ahead of the talks.
An increase in attacks claimed by the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, including a horrific attack on a maternity hospital in the Afghan capital last week, blamed on the IS affiliate, has given an urgency to finding a settlement between the government and Taliban. U.S. Department of Defense officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, said the Taliban is seen as an asset in the fight against IS in Afghanistan.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The U.S. military in Afghanistan welcomed the cease-fire announcement saying “we reiterate our call for the militaries of all sides to reduce violence to allow the peace process to take hold.”
This story was reported by the Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-06-09--‘He woke the world up.’ Houston’s Third Ward remembers George Floyd.

“ Things may change , ” said Ephesian Fields , a black Houstonian , but “ at the end of the day , all we need is hope .
All we have is hope .
And the protests show hope.
” Yet the civil unrest of this moment is different , locals and experts say , in ways that represent not just social progress , but a broader disillusionment with American institutions that could be an even tougher problem to tackle than what the country faced 50 years ago .
In a report analyzing why the riots broke out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were largely to blame for maintaining systemic inequality between black and white Americans .
The civil unrest seen across the United States since George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer may be rivaled only by the late 1960s , when racial tensions , the civil rights movement , and the Vietnam War fueled widespread protests and rioting – a period that included the “ long , hot summer of 1967.
” “ I ’ m very hurt about what happened to George , ” he says , “ but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a George every day.
” In Houston ’ s Third Ward , Brother Deloyd T. Parker Jr. , who runs a community center and knew George Floyd , has been protesting police brutality for decades .
This time , he acknowledges , is different .
Have we been here before ?
The civil unrest seen across the United States since a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd may be rivaled only by the chaotic summers of the late 1960s , when racial tensions , the civil rights movement , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rioting .
Houston – and the Third Ward , the historically black neighborhood where Mr. Floyd grew up – experienced that late ’ 60s unrest , including a violent encounter in 1967 on the campus of Texas Southern University ( TSU ) , a historically black college in the Third Ward , that saw police arrest almost 500 students and shoot up a dormitory .
Race riots broke out in cities around the country in those months – a period now known as the “ long , hot summer of 1967.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrest , the Kerner Commission concluded that white Americans were largely to blame for maintaining systemic inequality between black and white Americans .
President Lyndon Johnson didn ’ t act on those conclusions , and a year later protests again erupted across the country – again , including Houston – after the assassination of the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. “ Because before it was only one community , [ authorities could ] ignore it , ” says Ronald Goodwin , a history professor at Prairie View A & M University , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Now you can ’ t ignore it.
” Houston , which hosted a memorial service for Mr. Floyd Monday , has seen daily protests demanding justice for his death .
Yet the civil unrest of this moment is different , locals and experts say , in ways that represent not just social progress , but a broader disillusionment with American institutions that could be an even tougher problem to tackle than what the country faced 50 years ago .
“ While we should be focused on police brutality in black communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a broad discontent in society .
And that ’ s something we need to be concerned about and take seriously , ” says Marcus Casey , an economist at the University of Illinois , Chicago , and the Brookings Institution .
Adding to the urgency of today ’ s response , over the past five years police have killed about 1,000 Americans every year .
That number has not changed despite promises of reform after the massive riots and protests resulting from high-profile deaths of African Americans including Michael Brown , Eric Garner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Freddie Gray .
In the Third Ward , Brother Deloyd T. Parker Jr. , who runs a local community center and knew Mr. Floyd , has been protesting police brutality for decades .
But this time , he acknowledges , is different .
“ I ’ m very hurt about what happened to George , ” he says , “ but I ’ m hurt every time .
There ’ s a George every day.
” “ What happened to George was the straw that broke the camel ’ s back .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of injustices that have taken place all over the country , and all over the world , ” he adds .
“ He ’ s pretty much a symbol now.
” When 60,000 people demonstrated here last week , one thing stood out to many Houstonians in the crowd : the diversity of the people around them .
“ You see Asians , you see whites , you see Latinos , you see Indians , Native Americans .
Everybody is here , ” said Ephesian Fields , a black woman , during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she added , but “ at the end of the day , all we need is hope .
All we have is hope .
And the protests show hope.
” The need for the protests was bluntly apparent to many protesters .
“ Anybody with the skin color that ain ’ t white , we get treated [ expletive ] , ” said Eduardo Reyes , sporting a Mexican flag bandana around his neck .
His girlfriend , Kazaree Barnett , was wearing an S.U.C .
pullover , the name of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Through tears she said the objective was to march in peace .
“ It could be my dad , it could my brother , it could be a loved one , or it could be me , ” she added .
“ At the end of the day none of us are safe .
We just want to be safe.
” That diversity is perhaps not surprising for Houston , a majority-minority city .
But the nationwide protests over Mr. Floyd ’ s killing have been diverse in another way : geography @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen protests , but so have small towns with small black populations .
Demonstrators have gathered in downtown New York City , Chicago , and Los Angeles , but also in those cities ’ suburbs .
Protesters have turned out in majority-white cities like Salt Lake City , Utah , and Des Moines , Iowa .
The cellphone video that captured Mr. Floyd ’ s last moments – Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he begged for breath – is visceral and horrifying , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Mr. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder ; the three other officers who participated in detaining Mr. Floyd face charges of aiding and abetting his killing . )
And to be sure , racism , police brutality , and the Black Lives Matter movement are the banner issues for protesters .
But in this moment of heightened disillusionment there are a host of other issues driving people onto the streets .
The financial and psychological shock of the COVID-19 pandemic is certainly a factor , whether it be for Gen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still recovering from the Great Recession .
( The pandemic has hit Houston ’ s large oil and gas industry especially hard . )
But more than half the country also disapproves of President Donald Trump ’ s performance .
Half of Americans believe that Supreme Court justices don ’ t set aside personal or political views when they make rulings , and have “ very little ” confidence in Congress .
Even more Americans are increasingly concerned that issues like the threat of white nationalism and climate change aren ’ t getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a growing pessimism about the institutions in the United States , the elites , ” says Professor Casey .
“ That ’ s what ’ s driving broader participation.
” People of all races “ feel this growing inequality in society , the idea that institutions aren ’ t very responsive to the rank and file , ” he adds .
“ They see those things as linked to the police brutality.
” For decades , police brutality has rarely not been top of mind in the Third Ward .
In 1967 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child drowned in the Holmes Road dump , a landfill in a black community .
As protests continued and tensions climbed , Houston police raided the TSU campus on the early morning of May 17 , firing around 3,000 rounds into Lanier Dormitory and arresting 488 students .
Only five students were eventually charged , and they were all exonerated .
While much of the late ’ 60s unrest was racially diverse – the civil rights movement in particular – the riots of the “ long , hot summer ” were characterized by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparked by local grievances in black communities over issues like police brutality and poor living conditions .
This moment is different , and in many ways the Third Ward is different too .
When Mr. Floyd was growing up there , Mr. Parker says , the neighborhood – known as “ the Tre ” – had just begun to change .
“ It was blacker , ” he adds .
“ You wouldn ’ t see many people of European extraction walking their dogs down the street.
” Mr. Floyd spent time at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parker co-founded in 1969 .
He attended Jack Yates High School – named after one of the area ’ s early Baptist pastors – and , having shot up to 6 feet 6 inches tall , stood out in football and basketball , helping the school get to the state championship in 1992 .
After dropping out of college , he returned to the Third Ward and helped establish the city ’ s renowned hip-hop scene .
After getting into trouble with the law and spending four years in prison , he returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedication to improving his community .
He would often stop by the S.H.A.P.E .
Center and talk to kids .
“ He ’ d always come with a positive attitude , a positive disposition , ” Mr. Parker recalls .
“ He wasn ’ t content with who he was , he wanted to be better.
” “ He was on the move to doing that , ” he adds , “ but he was robbed of doing that.
” Last week , as the march was finishing a few miles away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mural tucked onto a side street in one of the Third Ward ’ s most neglected housing projects .
It ’ s become a landmark for those who want to pay their respects to Mr. Floyd , and a beacon for people who live there .
“ He woke the world up , ” said Leonard McGowen , a resident of the Cuney Homes projects and a close friend of Mr. Floyd .
Mr. Floyd left Houston for Minneapolis around 2014 , seeking a fresh start .
The Third Ward , meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black residents moving to suburbs and whites and Latinos moving in , the neighborhood ’ s black population dropped from 79 % in 2000 to 67 % in 2015 .
The worry is that it could follow the same path as the Fourth Ward , a historic neighborhood created by freed slaves .
“ Fourth Ward is oldest black community in Houston .
It ’ s not there no more .
It ’ s nothing but town homes , ” says John “ Bunchy ” Crear , a former Black Panther Party member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for decades .
For some black Houstonians marching in protests , they feel just as threatened by gentrification as they do the police – and by the pandemic , which has disproportionately harmed African Americans .
One thing that hasn ’ t changed since the ’ 60s : the wealth gap between black families and white families .
The average white household in 2016 had the same median wealth as 11.5 black households combined .
“ They ’ re pushing us blacks out so they can gentrify Third Ward and pretty much erase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during last week ’ s protest .
“ That ’ s just one more way of them trying to enslave us and not let us have anything.
” Not everyone in the Third Ward believes this change is wholly negative .
Many admit that it is , to a degree , inevitable – the neighborhood used to be mostly Jewish , until after World War II – and community groups have been working to prevent “ unchecked ” gentrification in favor of something more equitable .
“ We can ’ t stop people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost battle , but we want to make sure we ’ re as much in control of this community as we need to be , ” says Mr. Parker .
“ Change is imminent , we know that .
But let that change be positive change.
” More integration in American society seems to have bred solidarity in the George Floyd protests , says Professor Casey .
With more diversity in schools and neighborhoods , and with social media , African American worldviews are more broadly understood than in the 1960s .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So something that affected a black man in Minnesota might matter to a white person in Arizona , ” he says .
“ Along with seeing the institutional issues , it feels much more personal across the country.
” Looking at protests over Mr. Floyd ’ s death around the world , Mr. Parker thinks it ’ s even bigger than that .
“ This is a global movement , ” he says .
And how would Mr. Floyd feel if he could see this now ?
“ He ’ d be excited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and people who love freedom are standing up , ” says Mr. Parker .
“ I can see him smiling right now .
”

“Things may change,” said Ephesian Fields, a black Houstonian, but “at the end of the day, all we need is hope. All we have is hope. And the protests show hope.”
Yet the civil unrest of this moment is different, locals and experts say, in ways that represent not just social progress, but a broader disillusionment with American institutions that could be an even tougher problem to tackle than what the country faced 50 years ago.
In a report analyzing why the riots broke out, the Kerner Commission concluded that white Americans were largely to blame for maintaining systemic inequality between black and white Americans.
The civil unrest seen across the United States since George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer may be rivaled only by the late 1960s, when racial tensions, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War fueled widespread protests and rioting – a period that included the “long, hot summer of 1967.”
As George Floyd is laid to rest in Houston Tuesday, residents of Houston’s Third Ward – where Mr. Floyd grew up – reflected on his life and the national crisis of conscience sparked by his death.
“I’m very hurt about what happened to George,” he says, “but I’m hurt every time. There’s a George every day.”
In Houston’s Third Ward, Brother Deloyd T. Parker Jr., who runs a community center and knew George Floyd, has been protesting police brutality for decades. This time, he acknowledges, is different.
Have we been here before?
The civil unrest seen across the United States since a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd may be rivaled only by the chaotic summers of the late 1960s, when racial tensions, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War fueled widespread protests and rioting.
Houston – and the Third Ward, the historically black neighborhood where Mr. Floyd grew up – experienced that late ’60s unrest, including a violent encounter in 1967 on the campus of Texas Southern University (TSU), a historically black college in the Third Ward, that saw police arrest almost 500 students and shoot up a dormitory.
Why We Wrote This As George Floyd is laid to rest in Houston Tuesday, residents of Houston’s Third Ward – where Mr. Floyd grew up – reflected on his life and the national crisis of conscience sparked by his death.
Race riots broke out in cities around the country in those months – a period now known as the “long, hot summer of 1967.” In a report analyzing the cause of the unrest, the Kerner Commission concluded that white Americans were largely to blame for maintaining systemic inequality between black and white Americans.
President Lyndon Johnson didn’t act on those conclusions, and a year later protests again erupted across the country – again, including Houston – after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Because before it was only one community, [authorities could] ignore it,” says Ronald Goodwin, a history professor at Prairie View A&M University, of earlier protests by the black community. “Now you can’t ignore it.”
Houston, which hosted a memorial service for Mr. Floyd Monday, has seen daily protests demanding justice for his death. Yet the civil unrest of this moment is different, locals and experts say, in ways that represent not just social progress, but a broader disillusionment with American institutions that could be an even tougher problem to tackle than what the country faced 50 years ago.
“While we should be focused on police brutality in black communities, what this has brought out is a broad discontent in society. And that’s something we need to be concerned about and take seriously,” says Marcus Casey, an economist at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and the Brookings Institution.
Adding to the urgency of today’s response, over the past five years police have killed about 1,000 Americans every year. That number has not changed despite promises of reform after the massive riots and protests resulting from high-profile deaths of African Americans including Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, and Freddie Gray.
In the Third Ward, Brother Deloyd T. Parker Jr., who runs a local community center and knew Mr. Floyd, has been protesting police brutality for decades. But this time, he acknowledges, is different.
“I’m very hurt about what happened to George,” he says, “but I’m hurt every time. There’s a George every day.”
“What happened to George was the straw that broke the camel’s back. What that uncovered and unveiled is a lot of injustices that have taken place all over the country, and all over the world,” he adds. “He’s pretty much a symbol now.”
“Everybody is here”
When 60,000 people demonstrated here last week, one thing stood out to many Houstonians in the crowd: the diversity of the people around them.
“You see Asians, you see whites, you see Latinos, you see Indians, Native Americans. Everybody is here,” said Ephesian Fields, a black woman, during the protest.
“Things may change,” she added, but “at the end of the day, all we need is hope. All we have is hope. And the protests show hope.”
The need for the protests was bluntly apparent to many protesters.
“Anybody with the skin color that ain’t white, we get treated [expletive],” said Eduardo Reyes, sporting a Mexican flag bandana around his neck.
His girlfriend, Kazaree Barnett, was wearing an S.U.C. pullover, the name of the rap group Mr. Floyd belonged to. Through tears she said the objective was to march in peace.
“It could be my dad, it could my brother, it could be a loved one, or it could be me,” she added. “At the end of the day none of us are safe. We just want to be safe.”
Camilo Smith View caption Hide caption Kazaree Barnett protests the death of George Floyd in Houston, where he grew up. “It could be my dad, it could my brother, it could be a loved one, or it could be me,” she said of Mr. Floyd’s death. “We just want to be safe.”
That diversity is perhaps not surprising for Houston, a majority-minority city. But the nationwide protests over Mr. Floyd’s killing have been diverse in another way: geography.
In Texas, major cities have seen protests, but so have small towns with small black populations. Demonstrators have gathered in downtown New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but also in those cities’ suburbs. Protesters have turned out in majority-white cities like Salt Lake City, Utah, and Des Moines, Iowa.
The cellphone video that captured Mr. Floyd’s last moments – Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he begged for breath – is visceral and horrifying, even compared to other videos of police killings. (Mr. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder; the three other officers who participated in detaining Mr. Floyd face charges of aiding and abetting his killing.)
And to be sure, racism, police brutality, and the Black Lives Matter movement are the banner issues for protesters. But in this moment of heightened disillusionment there are a host of other issues driving people onto the streets.
The financial and psychological shock of the COVID-19 pandemic is certainly a factor, whether it be for Gen Zers entering the job market or Millennials still recovering from the Great Recession. (The pandemic has hit Houston’s large oil and gas industry especially hard.)
But more than half the country also disapproves of President Donald Trump’s performance. Half of Americans believe that Supreme Court justices don’t set aside personal or political views when they make rulings, and have “very little” confidence in Congress. Even more Americans are increasingly concerned that issues like the threat of white nationalism and climate change aren’t getting enough attention.
“There’s a growing pessimism about the institutions in the United States, the elites,” says Professor Casey. “That’s what’s driving broader participation.”
People of all races “feel this growing inequality in society, the idea that institutions aren’t very responsive to the rank and file,” he adds. “They see those things as linked to the police brutality.”
The Tre
For decades, police brutality has rarely not been top of mind in the Third Ward.
In 1967, protests broke out in Houston after a child drowned in the Holmes Road dump, a landfill in a black community. As protests continued and tensions climbed, Houston police raided the TSU campus on the early morning of May 17, firing around 3,000 rounds into Lanier Dormitory and arresting 488 students. Only five students were eventually charged, and they were all exonerated.
While much of the late ’60s unrest was racially diverse – the civil rights movement in particular – the riots of the “long, hot summer” were characterized by events like that at TSU: unrest sparked by local grievances in black communities over issues like police brutality and poor living conditions.
This moment is different, and in many ways the Third Ward is different too. When Mr. Floyd was growing up there, Mr. Parker says, the neighborhood – known as “the Tre” – had just begun to change.
“It was blacker,” he adds. “You wouldn’t see many people of European extraction walking their dogs down the street.”
Mr. Floyd spent time at S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, which Mr. Parker co-founded in 1969. He attended Jack Yates High School – named after one of the area’s early Baptist pastors – and, having shot up to 6 feet 6 inches tall, stood out in football and basketball, helping the school get to the state championship in 1992.
After dropping out of college, he returned to the Third Ward and helped establish the city’s renowned hip-hop scene. After getting into trouble with the law and spending four years in prison, he returned to the Third Ward with a new dedication to improving his community. He would often stop by the S.H.A.P.E. Center and talk to kids.
“He’d always come with a positive attitude, a positive disposition,” Mr. Parker recalls. “He wasn’t content with who he was, he wanted to be better.”
“He was on the move to doing that,” he adds, “but he was robbed of doing that.”
Henry Gass/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Tony, who only wanted his first name used, rides his horse Casey at a protest in Houston over the death of George Floyd, whom Tony knew in high school. Houston, where Mr. Floyd was from, has held protests daily since Mr. Floyd's death on Memorial Day.
Diversity and solidarity?
Last week, as the march was finishing a few miles away, the finishing touches were being put on a mural tucked onto a side street in one of the Third Ward’s most neglected housing projects. It’s become a landmark for those who want to pay their respects to Mr. Floyd, and a beacon for people who live there.
“He woke the world up,” said Leonard McGowen, a resident of the Cuney Homes projects and a close friend of Mr. Floyd.
Mr. Floyd left Houston for Minneapolis around 2014, seeking a fresh start. The Third Ward, meanwhile, had been rapidly gentrifying. With black residents moving to suburbs and whites and Latinos moving in, the neighborhood’s black population dropped from 79% in 2000 to 67% in 2015. The worry is that it could follow the same path as the Fourth Ward, a historic neighborhood created by freed slaves.
“Fourth Ward is oldest black community in Houston. It’s not there no more. It’s nothing but town homes,” says John “Bunchy” Crear, a former Black Panther Party member who has lived in the Third Ward for decades.
For some black Houstonians marching in protests, they feel just as threatened by gentrification as they do the police – and by the pandemic, which has disproportionately harmed African Americans. One thing that hasn’t changed since the ’60s: the wealth gap between black families and white families. The average white household in 2016 had the same median wealth as 11.5 black households combined.
“They’re pushing us blacks out so they can gentrify Third Ward and pretty much erase our history,” Ms. Fields said during last week’s protest. “That’s just one more way of them trying to enslave us and not let us have anything.”
Not everyone in the Third Ward believes this change is wholly negative. Many admit that it is, to a degree, inevitable – the neighborhood used to be mostly Jewish, until after World War II – and community groups have been working to prevent “unchecked” gentrification in favor of something more equitable.
“We can’t stop people moving in, that’s a lost battle, but we want to make sure we’re as much in control of this community as we need to be,” says Mr. Parker. “Change is imminent, we know that. But let that change be positive change.”
More integration in American society seems to have bred solidarity in the George Floyd protests, says Professor Casey. With more diversity in schools and neighborhoods, and with social media, African American worldviews are more broadly understood than in the 1960s.
“There’s more overlapping spheres. So something that affected a black man in Minnesota might matter to a white person in Arizona,” he says. “Along with seeing the institutional issues, it feels much more personal across the country.”
Looking at protests over Mr. Floyd’s death around the world, Mr. Parker thinks it’s even bigger than that.
“This is a global movement,” he says.
And how would Mr. Floyd feel if he could see this now?
“He’d be excited that black people and people of conscience, and people who love freedom are standing up,” says Mr. Parker. “I can see him smiling right now.”


csmonitor--2020-03-20--Californians ordered to stay home indefinitely, use common sense

California 's 40 million residents should stay home indefinitely and venture outside only for essential jobs , errands , and some exercise , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Thursday , warning that the coronavirus threatens to overwhelm the state 's medical system .
The move , the most sweeping by any state so far , was an exclamation point at the end of a week of increasingly aggressive moves meant to keep the virus in check by forcing people to stay away from each other as often as possible .
`` I can assure you home isolation is not my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not yours , but it ’ s a necessary one , '' Mr. Newsom said at an evening news conference streamed on social media .
He assured residents that they `` can still take your kids outside , practicing common sense , and social distancing .
You can still walk your dog . ''
Restaurant meals can still be delivered to homes .
The announcement came after the release of a letter to President Donald Trump where Mr. Newsom warned the virus was spreading quickly and eventually could infect more than half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later clarified that the figure did not take into account the aggressive mitigation efforts that have been made .
The governor said he does n't expect police will be needed to enforce his stay-at-home order , saying `` social pressure '' already has led to social distancing throughout the state .
`` I don ’ t believe the people of California need to be told through law enforcement that it 's appropriate just to home isolate , '' he said .
The Democrat who is barely a year into his first term also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help distribute food .
The move comes after panic buying led to massive lines at some grocery stores .
Mr. Newsom also outlined a series of steps aimed at providing more space for hospital patients .
He said the state has taken over a 357-bed bankrupt hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area , soon will announce the purchase of a similarly sized hospital in Southern California and may use dormitories at the state 's public colleges and universities .
He also asked Mr. Trump to dock the Navy 's 1,000-patient Mercy hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus is spread through sneezes and coughs .
There are at least 1,030 confirmed cases in California and 18 people have died , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Mr. Newsom 's statewide order came after counties and communities covering about half the state 's population already had issued similar edicts .
He said the restriction is `` open-ended '' because it could raise false hopes if he included an end date .
However , he did offer a glimmer by saying he did n't expect it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Just before Mr. Newsom 's statewide declaration , Los Angeles announced what officials there called a `` Safer at Home '' order that carried the same restrictions .
`` We ’ re about to enter into a new way of living here in Los Angeles , '' Mayor Eric Garcetti said .
`` What we do and how we do it and if we get this right will determine how long this crisis lasts . ''
In the letter to Mr. Trump seeking the hospital ship , Mr. Newsom said California 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some areas and that 56 % of the state 's population could contract the virus in the next eight weeks , which would be more than 22 million people .
He later said the `` overwhelming majority won ’ t have symptoms '' and will be fine but that up to 20 % could be hospitalized .
`` If we meet this moment we can truly bend the curve '' of escalating cases , Mr. Newsom said .
Also Thursday , Mr. Newsom asked U.S. House and Senate leaders for $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems .
He said that money would be needed to do things like set up state-run and mobile hospitals , housing options to help people socially distance , and testing and treatment for people without health insurance .
He also asked for assistance so the state can extend unemployment benefits beyond the usual 26-week limit , expand food assistance programs , resources for the homeless and tribal communities , and boost childcare programs .
He further asked for assistance for schools , aid to local and state budgets , and transportation relief .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sizable Rainy Day Fund over the past ten years , the economic effects of this emergency are certain to mean that the state and its 58 counties will struggle to maintain essential programs and services , '' he wrote .
Mr. Newsom earlier announced $ 150 million of a $ 1 billion emergency state appropriation would go toward getting homeless people off the streets .
He has estimated up to 60,000 of the state 's homeless could get infected .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Adam Beam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

California's 40 million residents should stay home indefinitely and venture outside only for essential jobs, errands, and some exercise, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday, warning that the coronavirus threatens to overwhelm the state's medical system.
The move, the most sweeping by any state so far, was an exclamation point at the end of a week of increasingly aggressive moves meant to keep the virus in check by forcing people to stay away from each other as often as possible.
"I can assure you home isolation is not my preferred choice, I know it’s not yours, but it’s a necessary one," Mr. Newsom said at an evening news conference streamed on social media.
He assured residents that they "can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense, and social distancing. You can still walk your dog." Restaurant meals can still be delivered to homes.
The announcement came after the release of a letter to President Donald Trump where Mr. Newsom warned the virus was spreading quickly and eventually could infect more than half the state's population. A spokesman later clarified that the figure did not take into account the aggressive mitigation efforts that have been made.
The governor said he doesn't expect police will be needed to enforce his stay-at-home order, saying "social pressure" already has led to social distancing throughout the state.
"I don’t believe the people of California need to be told through law enforcement that it's appropriate just to home isolate," he said.
The Democrat who is barely a year into his first term also called up 500 National Guard troops to help distribute food. The move comes after panic buying led to massive lines at some grocery stores.
Mr. Newsom also outlined a series of steps aimed at providing more space for hospital patients.
He said the state has taken over a 357-bed bankrupt hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area, soon will announce the purchase of a similarly sized hospital in Southern California and may use dormitories at the state's public colleges and universities. He also asked Mr. Trump to dock the Navy's 1,000-patient Mercy hospital ship in the Port of Los Angeles.
The coronavirus is spread through sneezes and coughs. There are at least 1,030 confirmed cases in California and 18 people have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Mr. Newsom's statewide order came after counties and communities covering about half the state's population already had issued similar edicts. He said the restriction is "open-ended" because it could raise false hopes if he included an end date.
However, he did offer a glimmer by saying he didn't expect it would last "many, many months."
Just before Mr. Newsom's statewide declaration, Los Angeles announced what officials there called a "Safer at Home" order that carried the same restrictions.
"We’re about to enter into a new way of living here in Los Angeles," Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "What we do and how we do it and if we get this right will determine how long this crisis lasts."
In the letter to Mr. Trump seeking the hospital ship, Mr. Newsom said California's infection rates are doubling every four days in some areas and that 56% of the state's population could contract the virus in the next eight weeks, which would be more than 22 million people. He later said the "overwhelming majority won’t have symptoms" and will be fine but that up to 20% could be hospitalized.
"If we meet this moment we can truly bend the curve" of escalating cases, Mr. Newsom said.
Also Thursday, Mr. Newsom asked U.S. House and Senate leaders for $1 billion to support state and local health systems. He said that money would be needed to do things like set up state-run and mobile hospitals, housing options to help people socially distance, and testing and treatment for people without health insurance.
He also asked for assistance so the state can extend unemployment benefits beyond the usual 26-week limit, expand food assistance programs, resources for the homeless and tribal communities, and boost childcare programs. He further asked for assistance for schools, aid to local and state budgets, and transportation relief.
"While California has prudently built a sizable Rainy Day Fund over the past ten years, the economic effects of this emergency are certain to mean that the state and its 58 counties will struggle to maintain essential programs and services," he wrote.
Mr. Newsom earlier announced $150 million of a $1 billion emergency state appropriation would go toward getting homeless people off the streets. He has estimated up to 60,000 of the state's homeless could get infected.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Adam Beam contributed to this story.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-28--Trump fires back at Twitter's fact-check with executive order

President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order Thursday aimed at curbing liability protections for social media companies , two days after he lashed out at Twitter for applying fact-checks to two of his tweets .
Mr. Trump had threatened social media companies with new regulation or even shuttering on Wednesday , lashing out at the new policy he believed interfered with his political messaging , but he alone ca n't do that .
The proposed order would direct executive branch agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts expressed doubts much could be done without an act of Congress .
A similar executive order was previously considered by the administration but shelved over concerns it could n't pass legal muster and that it violated conservative principles on deregulation and free speech .
Two administration officials outlined the draft order on the condition of anonymity because it was still being finalized Thursday morning .
But a draft was circulating on Twitter – where else ?
`` This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS ! ''
Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday claimed tech giants `` silence conservative voices . ''
`` We will strongly regulate , or close them down , before we can ever allow this to happen . ''
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Mr. Trump would sign an executive order relating to social media companies but provided no further details .
White House strategic communications director Alyssa Farah said Mr. Trump would sign it Thursday .
Mr. Trump and his campaign lashed out at the company after Twitter added a warning phrase to two of Mr. Trump 's tweets that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicted `` mail boxes will be robbed . ''
Under the tweets , there 's now a link reading `` Get the facts about mail-in ballots '' that guides users to a page with fact-checks and news stories about Mr. Trump 's unsubstantiated claims .
Mr. Trump accused Twitter of `` interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election '' and insisted `` as president , I will not allow this to happen . ''
His campaign manager , Brad Parscale , said Twitter 's `` clear political bias '' had led the campaign to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months ago . ''
Twitter has banned political advertising since last November .
Late Wednesday , Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted , `` We 'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally . ''
Mr. Dorsey added : `` This does not make us an 'arbiter of truth . '
Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves . ''
Twitter 's decision to mark Mr. Trump 's tweets regarding mail-in balloting came as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , continuing to stoke a debunked conspiracy theory accusing MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of killing a former congressional office staffer .
Prominent Republicans , including Rep. Liz Cheney and Sen. Mitt Romney , urged Mr. Trump to drop the attack , which has n't been marked with a fact-check by the social media company .
Mr. Trump and his allies have long accused the tech giants in liberal-leaning Silicon Valley of targeting conservatives on social media by fact-checking them or removing their posts .
Last year the White House unveiled a `` Tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlight cases in which conservatives believed they were being silenced .
The president 's critics , meanwhile , have scolded the platforms for allowing him to put forth false or misleading information that could confuse voters .
Some Trump allies have questioned whether platforms like Twitter and Facebook should continue to enjoy liability protections as `` platforms '' under federal law or be treated more like publishers , which can face lawsuits over content .
The protections have been credited with allowing the unfettered growth of the internet for more than two decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocating social media companies face more scrutiny .
The draft executive order was expected to argue that actions like Twitter 's fact-check labeling meant they should lose the protections of being a `` platform . ''
Even if upheld by regulators and federal courts , it was not clear how that could affect the company 's effort to fact-check Mr. Trump 's tweets .
The order was also expected to try to hold back federal advertising dollars from Twitter and other social media companies that `` violate free speech principles . ''
Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump 's tweets comes as platforms gear up to combat misinformation around the U.S. presidential election .
Twitter and Facebook have begun rolling out dozens of new rules to avoid a repeat of the false postings about the candidates and the voting process that marred the 2016 election .
The coronavirus pandemic has further escalated the platforms ' response , leading them to take actions against politicians – a move they 've long resisted – who make misleading claims about the virus .
Last month , Twitter began a `` Get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users to news articles from trusted outlets next to tweets containing misleading or disputed information about the virus .
Company leaders said the new labels could be applied to anyone on Twitter and they were considering using them on other topics .
Twitter has said it will decide internally when to use a label , and on which tweets , and will draw from information curated from news outlets .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News on Wednesday his platform has `` a different policy , I think , than Twitter on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly that Facebook should n't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online , '' he said .
Meanwhile , Republicans were turning their fire on one of the Twitter executives responsible for adding the fact-checks : Yoel Roth , head of site integrity .
They 're pointing to tweets he sent in 2016 and 2017 railing against the president and his allies .
`` From their bogus 'fact check ' of @ realDonaldTrump to their 'head of site integrity ' displaying his clear hatred towards Republicans , Twitter 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' tweeted Republican National Chairman Chair Ronna McDaniel .
Jack Balkin , a Yale University law professor and First Amendment expert , said any attempt to regulate social media companies for the content on their sites would likely need congressional input and approval – and probably face strong legal challenges .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Amanda Seitz and David Klepper contributed .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free @

President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order Thursday aimed at curbing liability protections for social media companies, two days after he lashed out at Twitter for applying fact-checks to two of his tweets.
Mr. Trump had threatened social media companies with new regulation or even shuttering on Wednesday, lashing out at the new policy he believed interfered with his political messaging, but he alone can't do that.
The proposed order would direct executive branch agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place new rules on the companies – though experts expressed doubts much could be done without an act of Congress.
A similar executive order was previously considered by the administration but shelved over concerns it couldn't pass legal muster and that it violated conservative principles on deregulation and free speech.
Two administration officials outlined the draft order on the condition of anonymity because it was still being finalized Thursday morning. But a draft was circulating on Twitter – where else?
"This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!" Mr. Trump tweeted Thursday morning.
Mr. Trump on Wednesday claimed tech giants "silence conservative voices." "We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen."
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Mr. Trump would sign an executive order relating to social media companies but provided no further details. White House strategic communications director Alyssa Farah said Mr. Trump would sign it Thursday.
Mr. Trump and his campaign lashed out at the company after Twitter added a warning phrase to two of Mr. Trump's tweets that called mail-in ballots "fraudulent" and predicted "mail boxes will be robbed." Under the tweets, there's now a link reading "Get the facts about mail-in ballots" that guides users to a page with fact-checks and news stories about Mr. Trump's unsubstantiated claims.
Mr. Trump accused Twitter of "interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election" and insisted "as president, I will not allow this to happen."
His campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said Twitter's "clear political bias" had led the campaign to pull "all our advertising from Twitter months ago."
Twitter has banned political advertising since last November.
Late Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted, "We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."
Mr. Dorsey added: "This does not make us an 'arbiter of truth.' Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves."
Twitter's decision to mark Mr. Trump's tweets regarding mail-in balloting came as the president was sparking another social media firestorm, continuing to stoke a debunked conspiracy theory accusing MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of killing a former congressional office staffer. Prominent Republicans, including Rep. Liz Cheney and Sen. Mitt Romney, urged Mr. Trump to drop the attack, which hasn't been marked with a fact-check by the social media company.
Mr. Trump and his allies have long accused the tech giants in liberal-leaning Silicon Valley of targeting conservatives on social media by fact-checking them or removing their posts. Last year the White House unveiled a "Tech Bias Reporting tool" meant primarily to highlight cases in which conservatives believed they were being silenced.
The president's critics, meanwhile, have scolded the platforms for allowing him to put forth false or misleading information that could confuse voters.
Some Trump allies have questioned whether platforms like Twitter and Facebook should continue to enjoy liability protections as "platforms" under federal law or be treated more like publishers, which can face lawsuits over content.
The protections have been credited with allowing the unfettered growth of the internet for more than two decades, but now some Trump allies are advocating social media companies face more scrutiny.
The draft executive order was expected to argue that actions like Twitter's fact-check labeling meant they should lose the protections of being a "platform." Even if upheld by regulators and federal courts, it was not clear how that could affect the company's effort to fact-check Mr. Trump's tweets.
The order was also expected to try to hold back federal advertising dollars from Twitter and other social media companies that "violate free speech principles."
Twitter's first use of a label on Mr. Trump's tweets comes as platforms gear up to combat misinformation around the U.S. presidential election. Twitter and Facebook have begun rolling out dozens of new rules to avoid a repeat of the false postings about the candidates and the voting process that marred the 2016 election.
The coronavirus pandemic has further escalated the platforms' response, leading them to take actions against politicians – a move they've long resisted – who make misleading claims about the virus.
Last month, Twitter began a "Get the Facts" label to direct social media users to news articles from trusted outlets next to tweets containing misleading or disputed information about the virus. Company leaders said the new labels could be applied to anyone on Twitter and they were considering using them on other topics.
Twitter has said it will decide internally when to use a label, and on which tweets, and will draw from information curated from news outlets.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Fox News on Wednesday his platform has "a different policy, I think, than Twitter on this."
"I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online," he said.
Meanwhile, Republicans were turning their fire on one of the Twitter executives responsible for adding the fact-checks: Yoel Roth, head of site integrity. They're pointing to tweets he sent in 2016 and 2017 railing against the president and his allies.
"From their bogus 'fact check' of @realDonaldTrump to their 'head of site integrity' displaying his clear hatred towards Republicans, Twitter's blatant bias has gone too far," tweeted Republican National Chairman Chair Ronna McDaniel.
Jack Balkin, a Yale University law professor and First Amendment expert, said any attempt to regulate social media companies for the content on their sites would likely need congressional input and approval – and probably face strong legal challenges.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Amanda Seitz and David Klepper contributed.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.