csmonitor--2020-07-10--War in Libya? Why two US allies are on a collision course.

“ The main reason that the U.S. administration is even paying attention at all is because of the Russian angle , and even that has not convinced them to take real diplomatic efforts to bridge the gaps between Turkey and Egypt and the UAE , ” says Ben Fishman at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy .
“ What that means in practice is unfortunately those parties and their local affiliates are doing what they want on the ground.
” Rather than focusing on a peaceful resolution , the U.S. has been consumed with Russia and resuming oil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been vocal in recent weeks over the interference of Moscow , which has placed mercenaries in Libya and , it fears , aims to establish a Mediterranean naval base .
Turkey and Egypt , whose authoritarian leaders have relatively warm relations with President Donald Trump , seem headed toward a war that neither really wants in Libya .
Observers say each side is hoping the other backs down , but that a diplomatic void left behind by a distracted United States and a divided Europe has allowed Turkey ’ s economic pursuits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place the regional rivals on colliding paths .
As U.S. attention has drifted from Libya , the threat of war between two of Washington ’ s longtime regional allies and military partners is rising in the divided North African country .
Turkey and Egypt , whose authoritarian leaders have relatively warm relations with President Donald Trump but have long been at opposing ends of a contest for regional influence , are beating war drums and drawing lines in the sand over their support for rival governments and militias in Libya .
Observers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other backs down , but that a diplomatic void left behind by a distracted or disinterested United States and a divided Europe has allowed Turkey ’ s economic pursuits and Egypt ’ s security fears to place the rivals on colliding paths .
And a Western diplomatic effort is needed , analysts say , to reach an understanding between Ankara and Cairo that would defuse the crisis and lead to a cease-fire on the ground in Libya .
Tensions have risen since Turkish-backed forces and Libya ’ s U.N.-recognized Government of National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Egyptian-backed warlord , Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar , and his self-styled Libyan National Army from the capital of Tripoli in June , ending a yearlong siege .
Analysts say the defeat was a game changer .
In a matter of months Turkey had reversed advances that General Haftar and his backers Egypt , the United Arab Emirates , and France had made in five years .
In the past two weeks , Ankara rejected an offer by Cairo for a cease-fire , and pushed further outside Tripoli to capture airbases and strategic points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya , sparking alarms in Cairo .
In a televised speech at an airbase near the Egyptian-Libyan border late last month , Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned that the central Libyan city of Sirte was a “ red line ” and that any threat to the 690-mile Egyptian-Libyan border would result in a “ direct intervention ” in Libya .
“ Be prepared to carry out any mission here within our borders or , if necessary , outside our borders , ” President Sisi told Egyptian pilots and commandos at the base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has famously refused commitments beyond its borders , rejecting calls by its allies to take part in the conflicts in Syria or Yemen or in airstrikes against the Islamic State ( ISIS ) in Iraq .
Yet Egyptians say Libya is different .
Although Turkey rejected the warnings , observers say that the international community should take seriously a threat that is far from idle .
“ Logically , Egypt does not want to intervene , but Egypt may soon be put in a place where it can not afford not to intervene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya analyst .
As part of its ongoing saber-rattling , Egypt held surprise drills on the Libyan border Thursday , deploying its air force and ground battalions in what the military described as “ training to face mercenaries of irregular armies and target their hotbeds.
” Turkey chose to intervene in Tripoli last November to save the besieged GNA in pursuit both of political opportunity and economic interest .
The GNA coalition includes the Muslim Brotherhood – which has ideological ties to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ’ s ruling AKP party – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the movements Turkey has spent the past decade trying to prop up across the Arab world .
In Libya , Turkey also sees as an economic foothold in North Africa that could allow it to extend influence in the continent .
But Libyan observers say its main prize is a maritime border agreement signed with the GNA that gives Turkey exclusive rights to oil and gas exploration off the Libyan coast .
Analysts say Turkey is looking to extend its influence in Libya as far east as possible to have a stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat at Tripoli , General Haftar ’ s forces still retain 90 % of the oil and gas fields in southern Libya and a majority of the country ’ s territory .
With Ankara having invested treasure , troops , and military equipment to support the GNA , it wishes to impose its terms on the rival government in the East in order to secure its interests .
It believes this path runs through Sirte .
“ Despite their military victories , the GNA and Turkey realize that their negotiation standing is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test everyone ’ s resolve and see whether these red lines are real , ” says Mr. Eljarh .
For Egypt , the Turkish presence outside Tripoli represents a direct threat to the regime and the nation .
The animosity between Egypt and Turkey stems from then-General Sisi ’ s 2013 overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood-backed President Mohamed Morsi .
Egypt and its allies Saudi Arabia , the UAE , and Jordan have worked for the past seven years to prevent a Turkish or Islamist foothold in the Arab world , banning the Brotherhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Turkey , meanwhile , has declared the Sisi government “ illegitimate ” and continues to harbor Brotherhood exiles and Egyptian opposition figures .
There are concerns in Cairo that a permanent Turkish presence in Libya will lead to a Muslim Brotherhood hub from which activists and groups will work to undermine Mr. Sisi ’ s government .
But there is a much deeper and more immediate fear in Egypt : jihadist militants .
Following the 2011 Libyan revolution , a flow of Islamist militants between eastern Libya and the porous western Egyptian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks on Egyptian soil .
Cairo begrudgingly backed General Haftar and his fledgling forces in 2014 to secure the Libyan side of the border .
With covert Egyptian support , over the past four years General Haftar and his forces cleared the eastern region of militants ranging from Al Qaeda to ISIS , forcing survivors to regroup in the deserts of central and southern Libya and giving Egypt a 500-mile-wide buffer .
Cairo now fears that should Turkish-backed forces gain a foothold in central Libya or further east , militants and ISIS fighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward Egypt .
“ Egypt ’ s security concerns with Libya are legitimate ; it has an extremely long border with Libya , and in the past few years we have seen the consequences of that space being not fully under control , ” says H.A .
Hellyer , a Cairo-based political analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace .
“ With Ankara ’ s ambivalence towards the Egyptian government and support for opposing forces , it is unsurprising that [ Cairo ] would not rely on Turkey to hold militant groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent such a scenario , Egypt is exploring options including airstrikes to support General Haftar ’ s forces , raising a Libyan tribal army , and limited ground incursions in order to repel any Turkish-GNA advance , Arab official sources say .
Rather than focusing on a peaceful resolution , the U.S. has been consumed with Russia and resuming oil and gas production in Libya .
The Pentagon has been vocal in recent weeks over the interference of Russia , which has placed mercenaries in Libya and , it fears , aims to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving Moscow another foothold in the Mediterranean .
Yet no diplomatic push has been made for America ’ s allies and their proxies to end the hostilities .
“ The main reason that the U.S. administration is even paying attention at all is because of the Russian angle , and even that has not convinced them to take real diplomatic efforts to bridge the gaps between Turkey and Egypt and the UAE , ” says Ben Fishman , senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Libya director at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ What that means in practice is unfortunately those parties and their local affiliates are doing what they want on the ground.
” Despite boasting close ties and regular phone calls with both Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Sisi , President Trump has yet to use those relationships to call for a cease-fire .
Arab and Western sources say those phone conversations leave both sides believing Washington supports their conflicting positions .
“ The White House is never going to be interested in Libya in an election year , and it has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region to this presidency are fighting each other in Libya , ” says Tarek Megerisi , Libya expert and policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations .
“ The fear that Trump may lose the election and we may go back to a state of normal American policy may even encourage the UAE and Egypt to get their punches in before the bell rings , ” he says .
“ We might see a lot of escalations before November .
”

A principle of President Trump’s foreign policy is to allow local players to resolve regional conflicts. But with U.S. allies Egypt and Turkey clashing in Libya, could a solution just be a phone call away?
“The main reason that the U.S. administration is even paying attention at all is because of the Russian angle, and even that has not convinced them to take real diplomatic efforts to bridge the gaps between Turkey and Egypt and the UAE,” says Ben Fishman at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “What that means in practice is unfortunately those parties and their local affiliates are doing what they want on the ground.”
Rather than focusing on a peaceful resolution, the U.S. has been consumed with Russia and resuming oil and gas production in Libya. The Pentagon has been vocal in recent weeks over the interference of Moscow, which has placed mercenaries in Libya and, it fears, aims to establish a Mediterranean naval base.
Turkey and Egypt, whose authoritarian leaders have relatively warm relations with President Donald Trump, seem headed toward a war that neither really wants in Libya. Observers say each side is hoping the other backs down, but that a diplomatic void left behind by a distracted United States and a divided Europe has allowed Turkey’s economic pursuits and Egypt’s security fears to place the regional rivals on colliding paths.
As U.S. attention has drifted from Libya, the threat of war between two of Washington’s longtime regional allies and military partners is rising in the divided North African country.
Turkey and Egypt, whose authoritarian leaders have relatively warm relations with President Donald Trump but have long been at opposing ends of a contest for regional influence, are beating war drums and drawing lines in the sand over their support for rival governments and militias in Libya.
Observers and former officials say each side is hoping the other backs down, but that a diplomatic void left behind by a distracted or disinterested United States and a divided Europe has allowed Turkey’s economic pursuits and Egypt’s security fears to place the rivals on colliding paths.
Why We Wrote This A principle of President Trump’s foreign policy is to allow local players to resolve regional conflicts. But with U.S. allies Egypt and Turkey clashing in Libya, could a solution just be a phone call away?
And a Western diplomatic effort is needed, analysts say, to reach an understanding between Ankara and Cairo that would defuse the crisis and lead to a cease-fire on the ground in Libya.
Tensions have risen since Turkish-backed forces and Libya’s U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord, or GNA, repelled the Egyptian-backed warlord, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and his self-styled Libyan National Army from the capital of Tripoli in June, ending a yearlong siege.
Analysts say the defeat was a game changer. In a matter of months Turkey had reversed advances that General Haftar and his backers Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and France had made in five years.
Red line
In the past two weeks, Ankara rejected an offer by Cairo for a cease-fire, and pushed further outside Tripoli to capture airbases and strategic points as part of a move into central Libya, sparking alarms in Cairo.
Karen Norris/Staff
In a televised speech at an airbase near the Egyptian-Libyan border late last month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned that the central Libyan city of Sirte was a “red line” and that any threat to the 690-mile Egyptian-Libyan border would result in a “direct intervention” in Libya.
“Be prepared to carry out any mission here within our borders or, if necessary, outside our borders,” President Sisi told Egyptian pilots and commandos at the base.
In recent years the Egyptian military has famously refused commitments beyond its borders, rejecting calls by its allies to take part in the conflicts in Syria or Yemen or in airstrikes against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq. Yet Egyptians say Libya is different.
Although Turkey rejected the warnings, observers say that the international community should take seriously a threat that is far from idle.
“Logically, Egypt does not want to intervene, but Egypt may soon be put in a place where it cannot afford not to intervene,” says Mohamed Eljarh, a Libya analyst.
As part of its ongoing saber-rattling, Egypt held surprise drills on the Libyan border Thursday, deploying its air force and ground battalions in what the military described as “training to face mercenaries of irregular armies and target their hotbeds.”
Economic gains
Turkey chose to intervene in Tripoli last November to save the besieged GNA in pursuit both of political opportunity and economic interest.
The GNA coalition includes the Muslim Brotherhood – which has ideological ties to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling AKP party – and other Islamists, the last remnants of the movements Turkey has spent the past decade trying to prop up across the Arab world.
Ismail Zitouny/Reuters View caption Hide caption A man and his children pass a destroyed fighting vehicle belonging to the eastern forces led by Khalifa Haftar in Gharyan, south of Tripoli, Libya, June 27, 2019.
In Libya, Turkey also sees as an economic foothold in North Africa that could allow it to extend influence in the continent.
But Libyan observers say its main prize is a maritime border agreement signed with the GNA that gives Turkey exclusive rights to oil and gas exploration off the Libyan coast.
Analysts say Turkey is looking to extend its influence in Libya as far east as possible to have a stronger position in eventual negotiations. Despite their defeat at Tripoli, General Haftar’s forces still retain 90% of the oil and gas fields in southern Libya and a majority of the country’s territory.
With Ankara having invested treasure, troops, and military equipment to support the GNA, it wishes to impose its terms on the rival government in the East in order to secure its interests. It believes this path runs through Sirte.
“Despite their military victories, the GNA and Turkey realize that their negotiation standing is still weak. They want to escalate to test everyone’s resolve and see whether these red lines are real,” says Mr. Eljarh.
Security threats
For Egypt, the Turkish presence outside Tripoli represents a direct threat to the regime and the nation.
The animosity between Egypt and Turkey stems from then-General Sisi’s 2013 overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood-backed President Mohamed Morsi.
Egypt and its allies Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan have worked for the past seven years to prevent a Turkish or Islamist foothold in the Arab world, banning the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in several states.
Turkey, meanwhile, has declared the Sisi government “illegitimate” and continues to harbor Brotherhood exiles and Egyptian opposition figures.
There are concerns in Cairo that a permanent Turkish presence in Libya will lead to a Muslim Brotherhood hub from which activists and groups will work to undermine Mr. Sisi’s government.
But there is a much deeper and more immediate fear in Egypt: jihadist militants.
Following the 2011 Libyan revolution, a flow of Islamist militants between eastern Libya and the porous western Egyptian desert led to a series of terrorist attacks on Egyptian soil.
Cairo begrudgingly backed General Haftar and his fledgling forces in 2014 to secure the Libyan side of the border.
With covert Egyptian support, over the past four years General Haftar and his forces cleared the eastern region of militants ranging from Al Qaeda to ISIS, forcing survivors to regroup in the deserts of central and southern Libya and giving Egypt a 500-mile-wide buffer.
Cairo now fears that should Turkish-backed forces gain a foothold in central Libya or further east, militants and ISIS fighters will be encouraged to once again head toward Egypt.
Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters/File View caption Hide caption Permanent representatives of the Arab League take part in an emergency meeting to discuss Turkey's plans to send troops to Libya, at the League's headquarters in Cairo, Dec. 31, 2019.
“Egypt’s security concerns with Libya are legitimate; it has an extremely long border with Libya, and in the past few years we have seen the consequences of that space being not fully under control,” says H.A. Hellyer, a political analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“With Ankara’s ambivalence towards the Egyptian government and support for opposing forces, it is unsurprising that [Cairo] would not rely on Turkey to hold militant groups back from crossing the border.”
To prevent such a scenario, Egypt is exploring options including airstrikes to support General Haftar’s forces, raising a Libyan tribal army, and limited ground incursions in order to repel any Turkish-GNA advance, Arab official sources say.
America missing
Rather than focusing on a peaceful resolution, the U.S. has been consumed with Russia and resuming oil and gas production in Libya.
The Pentagon has been vocal in recent weeks over the interference of Russia, which has placed mercenaries in Libya and, it fears, aims to establish a naval base near Sirte, giving Moscow another foothold in the Mediterranean.
Yet no diplomatic push has been made for America’s allies and their proxies to end the hostilities.
“The main reason that the U.S. administration is even paying attention at all is because of the Russian angle, and even that has not convinced them to take real diplomatic efforts to bridge the gaps between Turkey and Egypt and the UAE,” says Ben Fishman, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Libya director at the National Security Council in the Obama administration.
“What that means in practice is unfortunately those parties and their local affiliates are doing what they want on the ground.”
Despite boasting close ties and regular phone calls with both Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Sisi, President Trump has yet to use those relationships to call for a cease-fire. Arab and Western sources say those phone conversations leave both sides believing Washington supports their conflicting positions.
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“The White House is never going to be interested in Libya in an election year, and it has the unique problem that the closest allies in the region to this presidency are fighting each other in Libya,” says Tarek Megerisi, Libya expert and policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
“The fear that Trump may lose the election and we may go back to a state of normal American policy may even encourage the UAE and Egypt to get their punches in before the bell rings,” he says. “We might see a lot of escalations before November.”


csmonitor--2020-07-10--Vacation redefined: Head to Cape Cod, act like a homebody

The upheaval for this summer is tough on tourist-oriented businesses .
In Orleans , near the Cape ’ s elbow , bowling alley owner Dave Currier has no idea when he ’ ll be able to reopen .
But he refuses to consider the threat of closing .
“ I ’ m not going to think like that , ” he says .
“ We ’ re going to make it.
” “ I think there ’ s going to be some market that says , ‘ yep , this is a new experience for me and I kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vacation in this way in the future , ’ ” says Lori Pennington-Gray , a tourism expert at the University of Florida .
Boston-area resident Luciano Leone scrambled this spring to find a rental property on the Cape so his family could get away for a bit .
It may mean being more of a homebody than usual while away .
But he ’ s not the only one planning what amounts to a “ rental staycation ” this year .
One result : Even as rental properties fill up , beaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer hot spots like Cape Cod in Massachusetts , the coronavirus pandemic is changing the vacation experience but not ending it .
On a normal summer day , a steady line of cars would lead to the small parking lot beneath the lighthouse in Chatham .
But this summer , empty parking spots are as ubiquitous as masked beachgoers .
Across from a menacing-looking sign warning swimmers about the great white sharks that frequent these waters is another stern reminder : Stay at least 6 feet apart .
This summer , beachgoers may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the coronavirus on the beach , but they ’ re still flocking to Cape Cod , eager to trade in their at-home isolation for the sun and the sand .
Fretful about interacting in public places like hotel lobbies , many vacationers are looking for self-contained vacations and turning to rental homes .
Often they are staying within 300 miles of their own homes .
And , with many summer camps closed or offering limited service , parents and children are packing their computers and heading to the beach for a longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
All this is changing the life and economy of vacation-oriented places like Cape Cod for this summer – and possibly for longer .
“ I think there ’ s going to be some market that says , ‘ yep , this is a new experience for me and I kind of like it , so I might continue to vacation in this way in the future , ’ ” says Lori Pennington-Gray , professor and director of the Tourism Crisis Management Initiative at the University of Florida .
This may mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market in the future , she adds .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Luciano Leone , from the town of Middleton north of Boston , could have given up on his family ’ s plans for a Cape Cod vacation .
That ’ s what some other people were doing early this spring , when the coronavirus emerged .
And the owner of one Cape Cod house canceled Mr. Leone 's booking , while yet another told him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for rent this summer .
The third time proved the charm , however .
After scouring websites , he was able to book a rental .
The Leone family has driven to the Cape and back in a day before , but “ cars get a little cozy with two kids.
” So , Mr. Leone and his family laid plans to stay for a week .
The goal is to enjoy activities but in more of a homebody way than usual – dining takeout and visiting beaches that , thanks to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are less crowded .
Timothy Davis owns a rental house in Chatham , and he is more than happy that renters are trending toward longer stays .
“ Anybody in their right mind would like a renter for a month or two because you can get basically the same money.
” In other words , longer periods of stay mean fewer turnovers , which have become more costly and a logistical obstacle during the pandemic because of the need for deeper cleaning .
Despite concerns over the virus this summer , business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not down – including in coastal areas like Cape Cod , says Dr. Pennington-Gray .
“ We saw a large uptick in rentals during the spring , ” says Jim Reese , chief operating officer of Weneedavacation.com , which helps homeowners on Cape Cod market their homes to renters .
June was “ the busiest month that we ’ ve ever had on our site.
” For some property owners on the Cape , this year ’ s trend is sort of back to the future .
Portia Knight Calouro recalls how , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cape for anywhere from a month to the whole summer .
But in her own business in recent years , the majority of her renters have come for just one week .
Now , for this summer at least , her renters are for two weeks or more .
Not everyone is renting a home , or staying a long time .
Manny Santos drove to Cape Cod with his wife and daughter , from east Providence , Rhode Island , only a few hours away .
The family is enjoying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would , although they are ordering food to-go more than eating in restaurants .
“ There ’ s not a lot of people here , ” he says , gesturing to the beach behind him , “ so you can get away with that.
” Although longer rentals are a trend in places like Cape Cod , the national average for vacation stays nationwide remains between four and seven days , according to data tracked by the Tourism Crisis Management Initiative in Florida .
And , even as vacation rentals thrive , small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The small businesses that kind of make their living from tourists are really hard hit , particularly if they operate from an indoor perspective , ” says Dr. Pennington-Gray .
Prior to the pandemic , visitor spending on Cape Cod looked on track to be 7 % better than in 2018 , which was a strong year , says Wendy Northcross , CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce .
Now , many businesses are navigating a more challenged summer .
All Cape Boat Rentals in Hyannis had a slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past few weeks have been busier than normal , says owner Jake Dewey .
His business operates entirely outside , and offers an activity that allows people to remain socially distanced .
For the Ice Cream Smuggler in Dennis , reopening presented more of a challenge .
The business started with curbside orders , staggering customers .
Employees would run cartons of ice cream out to cars , often placing them in coolers in the trunk .
It wasn ’ t unusual for customers to leave payment contained in a plastic bag .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so excited to have us open , ” says Carter Catalano president and owner of Hilltop Creamery , which owns the Ice Cream Smuggler , although some customers now have mixed reactions to the precautions .
“ We did delay our opening .
We didn ’ t know what to expect , ” and safety was the top priority , she says .
Reopening lanes and the kitchen at The Alley Bowling and BBQ in Orleans has been even more complicated .
Owning a bowling alley during a shutdown is stressful , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 3-year-old with no child care .
The silver lining ?
When the weather was bad in March and April , Mr. Currier and his girlfriend brought their daughter to The Alley to drive her Hot Wheels , play arcade games , and bowl .
“ She loves it , ” says Mr. Currier , gesturing to the lanes and laughing .
The Alley has been in Mr. Currier ’ s family since the 1960s , and the lanes , pinsetters , and stadium seating are original .
Mr. Currier has no idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen for bowling , but he refuses to consider the threat of closing .
“ I ’ m not going to think like that .
We ’ re going to make it , ” he says .
Justin Casey , owner of Harbor Lights Mini Golf , wasn ’ t able to open until the second week of June .
But since then , business has been “ pretty good.
” Will and Cody , brothers from the Boston area who asked that their last name not be used , have been vacationing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their family , and have been mini golfing at Harbor Lights for nearly that long .
This year , after finishing a game , they are placing their clubs into a bucket marked “ used clubs ” to be sprayed with disinfectant .
For the most part , they ’ ve enjoyed a vacation similar to past years .
“ We ’ re still able to fish and go to the beach , ” says Will .
“ The beaches are a little bit less crowded , and you ’ re able @ @ @ @ @

The upheaval for this summer is tough on tourist-oriented businesses. In Orleans, near the Cape’s elbow, bowling alley owner Dave Currier has no idea when he’ll be able to reopen. But he refuses to consider the threat of closing. “I’m not going to think like that,” he says. “We’re going to make it.”
“I think there’s going to be some market that says, ‘yep, this is a new experience for me and I kind of like it, so I might continue to vacation in this way in the future,’” says Lori Pennington-Gray, a tourism expert at the University of Florida.
Americans’ time-honored vacation traditions are being tested as people pine for beaches, boats, and bowling alleys during a pandemic. One result is the rise of the away-from-home staycation.
Boston-area resident Luciano Leone scrambled this spring to find a rental property on the Cape so his family could get away for a bit. It may mean being more of a homebody than usual while away. But he’s not the only one planning what amounts to a “rental staycation” this year. One result: Even as rental properties fill up, beaches are less crowded than usual.
At summer hot spots like Cape Cod in Massachusetts, the coronavirus pandemic is changing the vacation experience but not ending it.
On a normal summer day, a steady line of cars would lead to the small parking lot beneath the lighthouse in Chatham. But this summer, empty parking spots are as ubiquitous as masked beachgoers. Across from a menacing-looking sign warning swimmers about the great white sharks that frequent these waters is another stern reminder: Stay at least 6 feet apart.
This summer, beachgoers may harbor fears of sharks in the water and the coronavirus on the beach, but they’re still flocking to Cape Cod, eager to trade in their at-home isolation for the sun and the sand. Fretful about interacting in public places like hotel lobbies, many vacationers are looking for self-contained vacations and turning to rental homes.
Often they are staying within 300 miles of their own homes. And, with many summer camps closed or offering limited service, parents and children are packing their computers and heading to the beach for a longer, isolated “staycation” away from home. All this is changing the life and economy of vacation-oriented places like Cape Cod for this summer – and possibly for longer.
Why We Wrote This Americans’ time-honored vacation traditions are being tested as people pine for beaches, boats, and bowling alleys during a pandemic. One result is the rise of the away-from-home staycation.
“I think there’s going to be some market that says, ‘yep, this is a new experience for me and I kind of like it, so I might continue to vacation in this way in the future,’” says Lori Pennington-Gray, professor and director of the Tourism Crisis Management Initiative at the University of Florida. This may mean more people will engage in the rental market in the future, she adds.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Luciano Leone, from the town of Middleton north of Boston, could have given up on his family’s plans for a Cape Cod vacation.
That’s what some other people were doing early this spring, when the coronavirus emerged. And the owner of one Cape Cod house canceled Mr. Leone's booking, while yet another told him the house wouldn’t be available for rent this summer.
The third time proved the charm, however. After scouring websites, he was able to book a rental.
The Leone family has driven to the Cape and back in a day before, but “cars get a little cozy with two kids.” So, Mr. Leone and his family laid plans to stay for a week. The goal is to enjoy activities but in more of a homebody way than usual – dining takeout and visiting beaches that, thanks to this year’s “staycation” mindset, are less crowded.
Timothy Davis owns a rental house in Chatham, and he is more than happy that renters are trending toward longer stays. “Anybody in their right mind would like a renter for a month or two because you can get basically the same money.”
In other words, longer periods of stay mean fewer turnovers, which have become more costly and a logistical obstacle during the pandemic because of the need for deeper cleaning.
Despite concerns over the virus this summer, business for rental owners nationwide is up – not down – including in coastal areas like Cape Cod, says Dr. Pennington-Gray.
Sophie Hills/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Manny Santos traveled to Cape Cod from Providence, Rhode Island, with his wife and daughter. They feel relatively safe at the beaches because there aren’t many people out, he says, standing beside a sign declaring a "Mandatory Mask Zone."
“We saw a large uptick in rentals during the spring,” says Jim Reese, chief operating officer of Weneedavacation.com, which helps homeowners on Cape Cod market their homes to renters. June was “the busiest month that we’ve ever had on our site.”
For some property owners on the Cape, this year’s trend is sort of back to the future. Portia Knight Calouro recalls how, years ago, vacationers would come to the Cape for anywhere from a month to the whole summer. But in her own business in recent years, the majority of her renters have come for just one week. Now, for this summer at least, her renters are for two weeks or more.
Not everyone is renting a home, or staying a long time. Manny Santos drove to Cape Cod with his wife and daughter, from east Providence, Rhode Island, only a few hours away.
The family is enjoying the beach and other activities as they normally would, although they are ordering food to-go more than eating in restaurants. “There’s not a lot of people here,” he says, gesturing to the beach behind him, “so you can get away with that.”
Although longer rentals are a trend in places like Cape Cod, the national average for vacation stays nationwide remains between four and seven days, according to data tracked by the Tourism Crisis Management Initiative in Florida.
And, even as vacation rentals thrive, small businesses face a different set of challenges. “The small businesses that kind of make their living from tourists are really hard hit, particularly if they operate from an indoor perspective,” says Dr. Pennington-Gray.
Prior to the pandemic, visitor spending on Cape Cod looked on track to be 7% better than in 2018, which was a strong year, says Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. Now, many businesses are navigating a more challenged summer.
All Cape Boat Rentals in Hyannis had a slow start to the season, but the past few weeks have been busier than normal, says owner Jake Dewey. His business operates entirely outside, and offers an activity that allows people to remain socially distanced.
For the Ice Cream Smuggler in Dennis, reopening presented more of a challenge. The business started with curbside orders, staggering customers. Employees would run cartons of ice cream out to cars, often placing them in coolers in the trunk. It wasn’t unusual for customers to leave payment contained in a plastic bag.
“Our loyal customer base was just so excited to have us open,” says Carter Catalano president and owner of Hilltop Creamery, which owns the Ice Cream Smuggler, although some customers now have mixed reactions to the precautions.
“We did delay our opening. We didn’t know what to expect,” and safety was the top priority, she says.
Sophie Hills/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Dave Currier stands behind the bowling lanes at The Alley Bowling and BBQ in Orleans, Massachusetts, on July 1, 2020. Mr. Currier, who owns The Alley, restored the pinsetters, which are original to the 1960s.
Reopening lanes and the kitchen at The Alley Bowling and BBQ in Orleans has been even more complicated.
Owning a bowling alley during a shutdown is stressful, says Dave Currier – and so is having a 3-year-old with no child care. The silver lining? When the weather was bad in March and April, Mr. Currier and his girlfriend brought their daughter to The Alley to drive her Hot Wheels, play arcade games, and bowl. “She loves it,” says Mr. Currier, gesturing to the lanes and laughing.
The Alley has been in Mr. Currier’s family since the 1960s, and the lanes, pinsetters, and stadium seating are original.
Mr. Currier has no idea when he’ll be able to reopen for bowling, but he refuses to consider the threat of closing. “I’m not going to think like that. We’re going to make it,” he says.
Sophie Hills/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Justin Casey, owner of Harbor Lights Mini Golf in Brewster, Massachusetts, stands on his course on July 6, 2020. Although he opened two months later than normal this summer, business since then has been good, he says.
In nearby Brewster, a greenery-filled, winding mini golf course offers a slow-paced, outdoor respite.
Justin Casey, owner of Harbor Lights Mini Golf, wasn’t able to open until the second week of June. But since then, business has been “pretty good.”
Will and Cody, brothers from the Boston area who asked that their last name not be used, have been vacationing on Cape Cod for nearly 18 years with their family, and have been mini golfing at Harbor Lights for nearly that long.
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This year, after finishing a game, they are placing their clubs into a bucket marked “used clubs” to be sprayed with disinfectant.
For the most part, they’ve enjoyed a vacation similar to past years. “We’re still able to fish and go to the beach,” says Will. “The beaches are a little bit less crowded, and you’re able to space out.”


csmonitor--2020-07-10--International students weigh risks: coronavirus or deportation

International students worried about a new immigration policy that could potentially cost them their visas say they feel stuck between being unnecessarily exposed during the coronavirus pandemic and being able to finish their studies in America .
Students from countries as diverse as India , China , and Brazil told The Associated Press they are scrambling to devise plans after federal immigration authorities notified colleges this week that international students must leave the United States or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall .
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and now California has become the first state to seek an injunction against enforcing the new visa policy .
“ Shame on the Trump Administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college , but now their health and well-being as well , ” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Thursday .
Some said they may return home , or move to nearby Canada .
“ I ’ m generating research , I ’ m doing work in a great economy , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey studying computer science at Montana State University in Bozeman .
He ’ s in the third year of a five-year program .
” If I go to Turkey , I would not have that , ” he said .
“ I would like to be somewhere where my talent is appreciated.
” Mathias , a Seattle-based student who spoke on the condition his last name not be used for fear of losing his immigration status , said he is set to sell his car , break his lease , and get his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his home in Paris in the next two weeks .
“ Everyone ’ s very worried , ” he said .
“ We have our whole lives here.
” Many American universities have come to depend on the revenue from more than 1 million international students , who typically pay higher tuition .
President Donald Trump has insisted they return to in-person instruction as soon as possible , alleging that schools are being kept closed to harm the economy and make him look bad .
The guidance was released the same day Harvard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online this fall .
Harvard said the new Trump directive would prevent many of its 5,000 international students from remaining in the U.S .
The University of Southern California sent a letter to students and faculty , saying it is “ deeply troubled ” and that the “ the policy could negatively impact countless international students.
” Like other universities , USC said it was pushing back and working to ensure students ’ academic careers aren ’ t harmed , while exploring ways for students to safely study in person if they wish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the directive could inflict “ significant harm ” on colleges , students , the business community , and the economy .
A U.S. State Department press release said the policy “ provides greater flexibility for non-immigrant students to continue their education in the United States , while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses.
” A day after Harvard sued , the university notified the court that immigration authorities appear to be already enforcing the policy .
A lawyer for Harvard urged the judge to suspend the rule , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was turned away from his flight at a Minsk airport .
There is another hearing Friday .
“ This is very dangerous and cruel , ” said Jessie Peng , a Chinese graduate student in analytics at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology .
“ We have nowhere to go , ” said Ms. Peng .
“ Either risk our lives and go to school or we risk our lives flying back to China.
” Jasdeep Mandia , a doctoral candidate from India studying economics at Arizona State University , said he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets sick from COVID-19 .
Mr. Mandia originally planned to conduct all his fall studies online .
He says the Trump directive puts the shaky standing of international students on display .
“ It has never been a level playing field , ” he said .
“ But this makes it more apparent.
” At Indiana University , American scholar Dakota Murray wrote in the school newspaper about his uncertainty over how the guidance would affect him and his wife , a fellow doctoral candidate who is from South Korea .
Mr. Murray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to live in South Korea or maybe Canada , where she has relatives .
He spoke on condition that his wife ’ s name not be used because she is trying to obtain a green card that will let her work and reside in the U.S. after she finishes her studies .
Vanderbilt University student Safa Shahzad went home to Manchester , England , for a visit in March but got stuck there when the U.S. imposed travel restrictions to slow the spread of the virus .
Still in England , Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics and computer science , completed her freshman year from afar after the university transitioned online .
Although Vanderbilt has said courses will be a hybrid of online and in person this fall , Ms. Shahzad can not travel to the U.S. until the Trump administration lifts the travel restrictions .
“ I ’ m just kind of waiting , ” she said .
Computer science student Vivian Degasperi from Brazil said the new guidelines “ are going to make my life harder ” at Erie Community College in Buffalo , New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that almost all classes will be taught remotely , and is examining how to keep international students from losing their visa status .
Because she lives near the northern U.S. border , Ms. Degasperi said she would consider moving to Canada .
“ My family is worried , ” she said .
“ Everyone is calling me all the time.
” Natalia Afonso , a Brooklyn College student , also from Brazil , said she hopes the school will adopt a hybrid model of remote and in-person classes – but she fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her chances of catching the virus .
“ I don ’ t see myself moving back to Brazil at this point , ” said Ms. Afonso , who is studying education and just finished her first semester .
“ It ’ s very unfair.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Ms. Naishadham reported from Atlanta and Ms. Powell from Washington .
AP writers Collin Binkley in Cambridge , Massachusetts ; and Anita Snow in Phoenix contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Suman Naishadham, Cheyanne Mumphrey, and Hilary Powell

International students worried about a new immigration policy that could potentially cost them their visas say they feel stuck between being unnecessarily exposed during the coronavirus pandemic and being able to finish their studies in America.
Students from countries as diverse as India, China, and Brazil told The Associated Press they are scrambling to devise plans after federal immigration authorities notified colleges this week that international students must leave the United States or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall.
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit this week to block the decision, and now California has become the first state to seek an injunction against enforcing the new visa policy.
“Shame on the Trump Administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college, but now their health and well-being as well,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Thursday.
Some said they may return home, or move to nearby Canada.
“I’m generating research, I’m doing work in a great economy,” said Batuhan Mekiker, a Ph.D. student from Turkey studying computer science at Montana State University in Bozeman. He’s in the third year of a five-year program.
”If I go to Turkey, I would not have that,” he said. “I would like to be somewhere where my talent is appreciated.”
Mathias, a Seattle-based student who spoke on the condition his last name not be used for fear of losing his immigration status, said he is set to sell his car, break his lease, and get his cat Louis permission to fly back to his home in Paris in the next two weeks.
“Everyone’s very worried,” he said. “We have our whole lives here.”
Many American universities have come to depend on the revenue from more than 1 million international students, who typically pay higher tuition. President Donald Trump has insisted they return to in-person instruction as soon as possible, alleging that schools are being kept closed to harm the economy and make him look bad.
The guidance was released the same day Harvard announced it would keep all undergraduate classes online this fall. Harvard said the new Trump directive would prevent many of its 5,000 international students from remaining in the U.S.
The University of Southern California sent a letter to students and faculty, saying it is “deeply troubled” and that the “the policy could negatively impact countless international students.”
Like other universities, USC said it was pushing back and working to ensure students’ academic careers aren’t harmed, while exploring ways for students to safely study in person if they wish.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the directive could inflict “significant harm” on colleges, students, the business community, and the economy.
A U.S. State Department press release said the policy “provides greater flexibility for non-immigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses.”
A day after Harvard sued, the university notified the court that immigration authorities appear to be already enforcing the policy. A lawyer for Harvard urged the judge to suspend the rule, saying that a first-year student from Belarus was turned away from his flight at a Minsk airport. There is another hearing Friday.
“This is very dangerous and cruel,” said Jessie Peng, a Chinese graduate student in analytics at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
“We have nowhere to go,” said Ms. Peng. “Either risk our lives and go to school or we risk our lives flying back to China.”
Jasdeep Mandia, a doctoral candidate from India studying economics at Arizona State University, said he has breathing problems that could worsen if he gets sick from COVID-19.
Mr. Mandia originally planned to conduct all his fall studies online. He says the Trump directive puts the shaky standing of international students on display.
“It has never been a level playing field,” he said. “But this makes it more apparent.”
At Indiana University, American scholar Dakota Murray wrote in the school newspaper about his uncertainty over how the guidance would affect him and his wife, a fellow doctoral candidate who is from South Korea.
Mr. Murray said he and his wife had discussed going to live in South Korea or maybe Canada, where she has relatives. He spoke on condition that his wife’s name not be used because she is trying to obtain a green card that will let her work and reside in the U.S. after she finishes her studies.
Vanderbilt University student Safa Shahzad went home to Manchester, England, for a visit in March but got stuck there when the U.S. imposed travel restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.
Still in England, Ms. Shahzad, who is double majoring in politics and computer science, completed her freshman year from afar after the university transitioned online.
Although Vanderbilt has said courses will be a hybrid of online and in person this fall, Ms. Shahzad cannot travel to the U.S. until the Trump administration lifts the travel restrictions.
“I’m just kind of waiting,” she said.
Computer science student Vivian Degasperi from Brazil said the new guidelines “are going to make my life harder” at Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York.
Ms. Degasperi said the college has announced that almost all classes will be taught remotely, and is examining how to keep international students from losing their visa status.
Because she lives near the northern U.S. border, Ms. Degasperi said she would consider moving to Canada.
“My family is worried,” she said. “Everyone is calling me all the time.”
Natalia Afonso, a Brooklyn College student, also from Brazil, said she hopes the school will adopt a hybrid model of remote and in-person classes – but she fears riding the subway to campus could increase her chances of catching the virus.
“I don’t see myself moving back to Brazil at this point,” said Ms. Afonso, who is studying education and just finished her first semester. “It’s very unfair.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Ms. Naishadham reported from Atlanta and Ms. Powell from Washington. AP writers Collin Binkley in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Anita Snow in Phoenix contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-07-10--US-China tensions rise with new sanctions over minority abuses

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on three senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party , including a member of the ruling Politburo , for alleged human rights abuses targeting ethnic and religious minorities that China has detained in the western part of the country .
The decision to bar these senior officials from entering the U.S. is the latest of a series of actions the Trump administration has taken against China as relations deteriorate over the coronavirus pandemic , human rights , Hong Kong , and trade .
Just a day earlier , the administration had announced visa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreigners ' access to Tibet .
Thursday 's step , however , hits a more senior level of leadership and is likely to draw a harsh response from Beijing .
The measures come as President Donald Trump has increasingly sought to blame China for the spread of COVID-19 in the United States and beyond and accuse his presumptive challenger in November 's election , former Vice President Joe Biden , of being soft on China .
They follow an allegation in a new book by former national security adviser John Bolton that Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was right to build detention camps to house hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities .
The sanctions were announced a week after an Associated Press investigation showed forced population control of the Uyghurs and other largely Muslim minorities , one of the reasons cited by the State Department for the sanctions .
`` The United States will not stand idly by as the Chinese Communist Party carries out human rights abuses targeting Uyghurs , ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang , to include forced labor , arbitrary mass detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempts to erase their culture and Muslim faith , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement .
Mr. Pompeo 's statement , accompanied by a similar announcement from the Treasury Department , said additional visa restrictions are being placed on other Chinese Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for , or complicit in , the unjust detention or abuse of Uyghurs , ethnic Kazakhs , and members of other minority groups .
The three officials targeted by name were : Chen Quanguo , the party secretary of the Xinjiang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a member of the Politburo ; Zhu Hailun , party secretary of the Xinjiang political and legal committee ; and Wang Mingshan , party secretary of the Xinjiang public security bureau .
They and their immediate family members are banned from entering the United States .
Mr. Pompeo also announced that he was placing additional visa restrictions on other Chinese Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for or complicit in `` unjust detention or abuse '' of Uyghurs , ethnic Kazakhs , and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel restrictions .
The sanctions come as pressure mounts for action on the forced detention and abuse of largely Muslim minorities in China .
In response to the AP investigation , 78 senators and members of Congress signed a letter urging the Trump administration to sanction Chinese officials and call for a United Nations probe into whether the actions in Xinjiang constitute genocide .
Mr. Biden issued a statement calling the Chinese government 's actions `` unconscionable crimes '' and said he would work to `` support a pathway for those persecuted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other nations . ''
And in the first attempt to enlist international law over the human rights abuses , Uyghur exiles asked the International Criminal Court to investigate Beijing for genocide .
In recent years , the Chinese government has detained an estimated 1 million or more ethnic Turkic minorities .
The ethnic minorities are held in internment camps and prisons where they are subjected to ideological discipline , forced to denounce their religion and language , and physically abused .
China has also placed the children of detainees into dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are indoctrinated , former detainees and their families say .
China has long suspected the Uyghurs , who are mostly Muslim , of harboring separatist tendencies because of their distinct culture , language , and religion .
China 's officially atheist Communist government at first denied the existence of the internment camps in Xinjiang , but now says they are vocational training facilities aimed at countering Muslim radicalism and separatist tendencies .
China says Xinjiang has long been its territory and claims it is bringing prosperity and development to the vast , resource-rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnic groups say they are being denied economic options in favor of migrants from elsewhere in China and that their Muslim faith and culture and language are being gradually eradicated .
Last December , Xinjiang authorities announced that the camps had closed and all the detainees had `` graduated , '' a claim difficult to corroborate independently given tight surveillance and restrictions on reporting in the region .
Some Uyghurs and Kazakhs have told the AP that their relatives have been released , but many others say their loved ones remain in detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transferred to forced labor in factories .
In October 2019 , the United States imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials `` believed to be responsible for , or complicit in '' the detention of Muslims in Xinjiang .
It also blacklisted more than two dozen Chinese companies and agencies linked to abuses in the region – including surveillance technology manufacturers and Xinjiang 's public security bureau – effectively blocking them from buying U.S. products .
Last month , Mr. Trump signed legislation , passed with overwhelming support from Congress , mandating that individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for oppressing Uyghurs .
The law also requires that U.S. businesses and individuals selling products to or operating in Xinjiang ensure their activities do n't contribute to human rights violations , including the use of forced labor .
An AP story two years ago linked products sold in the U.S. to Uighur forced labor in China .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free .

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on three senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party, including a member of the ruling Politburo, for alleged human rights abuses targeting ethnic and religious minorities that China has detained in the western part of the country.
The decision to bar these senior officials from entering the U.S. is the latest of a series of actions the Trump administration has taken against China as relations deteriorate over the coronavirus pandemic, human rights, Hong Kong, and trade. Just a day earlier, the administration had announced visa bans against officials deemed responsible for barring foreigners' access to Tibet. Thursday's step, however, hits a more senior level of leadership and is likely to draw a harsh response from Beijing.
The measures come as President Donald Trump has increasingly sought to blame China for the spread of COVID-19 in the United States and beyond and accuse his presumptive challenger in November's election, former Vice President Joe Biden, of being soft on China.
They follow an allegation in a new book by former national security adviser John Bolton that Mr. Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping he was right to build detention camps to house hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities.
The sanctions were announced a week after an Associated Press investigation showed forced population control of the Uyghurs and other largely Muslim minorities, one of the reasons cited by the State Department for the sanctions.
"The United States will not stand idly by as the Chinese Communist Party carries out human rights abuses targeting Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang, to include forced labor, arbitrary mass detention, and forced population control, and attempts to erase their culture and Muslim faith," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
Mr. Pompeo's statement, accompanied by a similar announcement from the Treasury Department, said additional visa restrictions are being placed on other Chinese Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the unjust detention or abuse of Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members of other minority groups.
The three officials targeted by name were: Chen Quanguo, the party secretary of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in northwest China and a member of the Politburo; Zhu Hailun, party secretary of the Xinjiang political and legal committee; and Wang Mingshan, party secretary of the Xinjiang public security bureau. They and their immediate family members are banned from entering the United States.
Mr. Pompeo also announced that he was placing additional visa restrictions on other Chinese Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for or complicit in "unjust detention or abuse" of Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang. Their family members also are subject to the travel restrictions.
The sanctions come as pressure mounts for action on the forced detention and abuse of largely Muslim minorities in China. In response to the AP investigation, 78 senators and members of Congress signed a letter urging the Trump administration to sanction Chinese officials and call for a United Nations probe into whether the actions in Xinjiang constitute genocide. Mr. Biden issued a statement calling the Chinese government's actions "unconscionable crimes" and said he would work to "support a pathway for those persecuted to find safe haven in the United States and other nations." And in the first attempt to enlist international law over the human rights abuses, Uyghur exiles asked the International Criminal Court to investigate Beijing for genocide.
In recent years, the Chinese government has detained an estimated 1 million or more ethnic Turkic minorities. The ethnic minorities are held in internment camps and prisons where they are subjected to ideological discipline, forced to denounce their religion and language, and physically abused. China has also placed the children of detainees into dozens of orphanages, where they, too, are indoctrinated, former detainees and their families say.
China has long suspected the Uyghurs, who are mostly Muslim, of harboring separatist tendencies because of their distinct culture, language, and religion. China's officially atheist Communist government at first denied the existence of the internment camps in Xinjiang, but now says they are vocational training facilities aimed at countering Muslim radicalism and separatist tendencies.
China says Xinjiang has long been its territory and claims it is bringing prosperity and development to the vast, resource-rich region. Many among Xinjiang's native ethnic groups say they are being denied economic options in favor of migrants from elsewhere in China and that their Muslim faith and culture and language are being gradually eradicated.
Last December, Xinjiang authorities announced that the camps had closed and all the detainees had "graduated," a claim difficult to corroborate independently given tight surveillance and restrictions on reporting in the region. Some Uyghurs and Kazakhs have told the AP that their relatives have been released, but many others say their loved ones remain in detention, were sentenced to prison, or transferred to forced labor in factories.
In October 2019, the United States imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials "believed to be responsible for, or complicit in" the detention of Muslims in Xinjiang. It also blacklisted more than two dozen Chinese companies and agencies linked to abuses in the region – including surveillance technology manufacturers and Xinjiang's public security bureau – effectively blocking them from buying U.S. products.
Last month, Mr. Trump signed legislation, passed with overwhelming support from Congress, mandating that individuals, including Mr. Chen, face sanctions for oppressing Uyghurs. The law also requires that U.S. businesses and individuals selling products to or operating in Xinjiang ensure their activities don't contribute to human rights violations, including the use of forced labor. An AP story two years ago linked products sold in the U.S. to Uighur forced labor in China.
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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.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-07-10--With '50 Percent Initiative,' NBC leads charge to diversify news

NBC News leader Cesar Conde , in one of his first public acts in the job , has committed to building a workforce at the news organizations he supervises where at least half of the employees are minorities .
The staff is currently nearly 27 % minority , including 8 % each of Black , Latino , and Asian workers .
Mr. Conde set no deadline for achieving his “ 50 Percent Initiative.
” He also wants women to comprise half the employees at NBC News , MSNBC , and CNBC , and he ’ s already nearly there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles Times , makes Mr. Conde a leader in the current movement to diversify the news business .
That conversation has spread throughout the industry since George Floyd ’ s killing at the hands of Minneapolis police in May .
For example , the top editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer resigned after Black reporters objected to a racially insensitive headline .
Black reporters at The New York Times said an opinion piece on protests by Sen. Tom Cotton made them feel unsafe ; the Times later said the column should not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepped down .
“ It ’ s not just the right thing to do , ” Mr. Conde said in an interview Thursday .
“ It ’ s the right thing for any business that wants to grow in the United States.
” Mr. Conde , a former Telemundo executive , was appointed in May as NBC Universal News Group chairman , filling Andrew Lack ’ s role .
The networks ’ on-air record is mixed .
Lester Holt , who is Black , has the most prominent anchor role at NBC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Joy Reid to host the 7 p.m. show on MSNBC , the liberal-leaning network ’ s evening cast featured five white men and one white woman .
A more diverse workforce will be able to spot stories that might otherwise be missed , Mr. Conde said .
“ We are a news organization that I think has a unique responsibility to reflect and represent the various communities we serve , ” he said .
“ In order to do that , we wanted to make sure that we attract the best and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ms. Reid says she wants to bring some different perspectives to MSNBC ’ s evening lineup – lots of them .
“ We are going to try to fire out of the gate with whatever is the most important thing that ’ s happening that night , and try to frame it and contextualize it , ” Ms. Reid said in an interview .
“ Hopefully , I have a very unique frame.
” As a Black woman , Ms. Reid addresses a somewhat embarrassing lack of diversity at a news and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience .
“ She ’ s earned this , spot on , ” said Mr. Conde .
“ I happen to think she ’ s the right person for the right moment in time.
” A news junkie growing up , “ It almost didn ’ t even sink in until I was older that I was watching a parade of white men tell me what ’ s happening in the world , explaining the world to me , ” said Ms. Reid .
She naturally brings a different perspective to stories , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms. Reid has also sought , like MSNBC predecessors Melissa Harris-Perry and Ed Schultz , a greater variety of sources for stories .
Instead of bringing in a frequently-seen Harvard professor for a story on the economy , why not find an expert from Morehouse College , for instance ?
“ It ’ s kind of like a family dinner table in a really interesting family , a crowded dinner table in a family that adopted multiracial children from all around the world , ” she said .
Minority hiring will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news organization are judged , along with finances and ratings at the shows they supervise , Mr. Conde said .
That ’ s important , since it will force managers to focus on the issue both in hiring and in retaining minority employees , said Doris Truong , director of training and diversity at the Poynter Institute , a journalism think tank .
Ms. Truong said NBC News should also set goals for minority representation in leadership .
Mr. Conde and Ms. Truong have both suggested paid internships to attract young people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently stands , particularly with Black employees , Ms. Truong said she understands why the initiative has no deadline and is glad that progress will be checked regularly .
But she said Mr. Conde needs to ensure his initiative outlasts him .
“ What I would like to hear is whether other people at NBC are committed to this moving forward , ” she said .
Mr. Conde told his staff that NBC plans to seize the moment of awakening in the United States .
“ This is the right moment for NBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen but to take the lead in it , ” he told the AP .
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 .

NBC News leader Cesar Conde, in one of his first public acts in the job, has committed to building a workforce at the news organizations he supervises where at least half of the employees are minorities.
The staff is currently nearly 27% minority, including 8% each of Black, Latino, and Asian workers. Mr. Conde set no deadline for achieving his “50 Percent Initiative.”
He also wants women to comprise half the employees at NBC News, MSNBC, and CNBC, and he’s already nearly there.
The plan, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, makes Mr. Conde a leader in the current movement to diversify the news business. That conversation has spread throughout the industry since George Floyd’s killing at the hands of Minneapolis police in May.
For example, the top editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer resigned after Black reporters objected to a racially insensitive headline. Black reporters at The New York Times said an opinion piece on protests by Sen. Tom Cotton made them feel unsafe; the Times later said the column should not have run without changes and the opinion editor stepped down.
“It’s not just the right thing to do,” Mr. Conde said in an interview Thursday. “It’s the right thing for any business that wants to grow in the United States.”
Mr. Conde, a former Telemundo executive, was appointed in May as NBC Universal News Group chairman, filling Andrew Lack’s role.
The networks’ on-air record is mixed. Lester Holt, who is Black, has the most prominent anchor role at NBC News. But until Thursday’s appointment of Joy Reid to host the 7 p.m. show on MSNBC, the liberal-leaning network’s evening cast featured five white men and one white woman.
A more diverse workforce will be able to spot stories that might otherwise be missed, Mr. Conde said.
“We are a news organization that I think has a unique responsibility to reflect and represent the various communities we serve,” he said. “In order to do that, we wanted to make sure that we attract the best and the brightest from all walks of life.”
Ms. Reid says she wants to bring some different perspectives to MSNBC’s evening lineup – lots of them.
“We are going to try to fire out of the gate with whatever is the most important thing that’s happening that night, and try to frame it and contextualize it,” Ms. Reid said in an interview. “Hopefully, I have a very unique frame.”
As a Black woman, Ms. Reid addresses a somewhat embarrassing lack of diversity at a news and talk network aimed at a mostly liberal audience.
“She’s earned this, spot on,” said Mr. Conde. “I happen to think she’s the right person for the right moment in time.”
A news junkie growing up, “It almost didn’t even sink in until I was older that I was watching a parade of white men tell me what’s happening in the world, explaining the world to me,” said Ms. Reid.
She naturally brings a different perspective to stories, particularly with the current debate over policing.
Ms. Reid has also sought, like MSNBC predecessors Melissa Harris-Perry and Ed Schultz, a greater variety of sources for stories. Instead of bringing in a frequently-seen Harvard professor for a story on the economy, why not find an expert from Morehouse College, for instance?
“It’s kind of like a family dinner table in a really interesting family, a crowded dinner table in a family that adopted multiracial children from all around the world,” she said.
Minority hiring will be one factor in how managers at the news organization are judged, along with finances and ratings at the shows they supervise, Mr. Conde said.
That’s important, since it will force managers to focus on the issue both in hiring and in retaining minority employees, said Doris Truong, director of training and diversity at the Poynter Institute, a journalism think tank. Ms. Truong said NBC News should also set goals for minority representation in leadership.
Mr. Conde and Ms. Truong have both suggested paid internships to attract young people of different economic backgrounds.
Given where NBC currently stands, particularly with Black employees, Ms. Truong said she understands why the initiative has no deadline and is glad that progress will be checked regularly. But she said Mr. Conde needs to ensure his initiative outlasts him.
“What I would like to hear is whether other people at NBC are committed to this moving forward,” she said.
Mr. Conde told his staff that NBC plans to seize the moment of awakening in the United States.
“This is the right moment for NBC Universal to not just wait for change to happen but to take the lead in it,” he told the AP.
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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--2020-07-11--In 11th-hour commutation, Trump liberates Roger Stone

President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of his longtime political confidant Roger Stone , intervening in extraordinary fashion in a criminal case that was central to the Russia investigation and that concerned the president ’ s own conduct .
The move came Friday , just days before Mr. Stone was to begin serving a 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress , witness tampering , and obstructing the House investigation into whether Mr. Trump ’ s campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election .
The action , which Mr. Trump had foreshadowed in recent days , underscores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation and is part of a continuing effort by the president and his administration to rewrite the narrative of a probe that has shadowed the White House from the outset .
Democrats , already alarmed by the Justice Department ’ s earlier dismissal of the case against Mr. Trump ’ s first national security adviser , Michael Flynn , denounced the president as further undermining the rule of law .
Mr. Stone had been set to report to prison on Tuesday after a federal appeals court rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But he told The Associated Press that Mr. Trump called him Friday evening to tell him he was off the hook .
“ The president told me that he had decided , in an act of clemency , to issue a full commutation of my sentence , and he urged me to vigorously pursue my appeal and my vindication , ” Mr. Stone said by phone from Fort Lauderdale , Florida , where he was celebrating with friends .
He said he had to change rooms because there were “ too many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although a commutation does not nullify Mr. Stone ’ s felony convictions , it protects him from serving prison time as a result .
The move marks another extraordinary intervention by Mr. Trump in the nation ’ s justice system and underscores anew his willingness to flout the norms and standards that have governed presidential conduct for decades .
As Mr. Trump stares down a coronavirus pandemic that has worsened his chances for reelection , he has been more willing than ever to test the limits of his power .
Democrats denounced Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee Chair Adam Schiff called it “ offensive to the rule of law and principles of justice .
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez asked , “ Is there any power Trump won ’ t abuse ?
” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , in a statement , called Mr. Stone a “ victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media , ” and declared , “ Roger Stone is now a free man !
” Mr. Stone had been open about his desire for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s help with a monthslong television and social media campaign and seeking to postpone his surrender date by months after getting a brief extension from the judge , in part by citing the coronavirus .
Mr. Trump , who had made clear in recent days that he was inching closer to acting , had repeatedly publicly inserted himself into Mr. Stone ’ s case , including just before Mr. Stone ’ s sentencing .
That earned a public rebuke from his own attorney general , William Barr , who said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it impossible ” for him to do his job .
Mr. Barr was so incensed that he told people he was considering resigning over the matter .
“ With this commutation , Trump makes clear that there are two systems of justice in America : one for his criminal friends , and one for everyone else , ” Mr. Schiff said .
“ Donald Trump , Bill Barr , and all those who enable them pose the gravest of threats to the rule of law.
” Mr. Stone , a larger-than-life political character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trickster , was the sixth Trump aide or adviser to have been convicted of charges brought during Mr. Mueller ’ s investigation .
A longtime Trump friend and informal adviser , Mr. Stone boasted during the campaign that he was in contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks ’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee .
But Mr. Stone denied any wrongdoing and consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his trial , did not speak at his sentencing .
His lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense .
Prosecutors had originally recommended Mr. Stone serve seven to nine years in prison .
But in a highly unusual move , Mr. Barr reversed that decision after a Trump tweet and recommended a more lenient punishment , prompting a mini-revolt inside the Justice Department , with the entire prosecution team resigning from the case .
Department officials have vehemently denied Barr was responding to Trump ’ s criticism and have insisted there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the decision .
Barr has also pointed out that the judge , in imposing a 40-month sentence , had agreed with him that the original sentencing recommendation was excessive .
Mr. Barr has said the prosecution was justified , and the Justice Department did not support Mr. Stone ’ s more recent effort to put off his surrender date .
Though the Justice Department raised concerns about the handling of Mr. Flynn ’ s case , including what it said were irregularities about his FBI interview , prosecutors did not point to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stone prosecution .
Even so , the commutation will almost certainly contribute to a portrait of a president determined to erase the impact of the Russia investigation and to intervene on behalf of allies .
The commutation was the latest example of Mr. Trump using his unlimited clemency power to pardon powerful men he believes have been mistreated by the justice system .
Mr. Trump went on a clemency spree in February , commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich , a Democrat , and pardoning former New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financier Michael Milken , and several others .
Mr. Trump has also offered clemency to other political allies , including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio , who was awaiting sentencing at the time , conservative commentator Dinesh D ’ Souza , who had been convicted on campaign finance violations , and Conrad Black , a newspaper publisher convicted of fraud who had written a flattering book about the president .
Mr. Trump , however , has spent much more time trumpeting his decision to commute the sentence of Alice Marie Johnson , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug offenses and who came to Mr. Trump ’ s attention after reality star Kim Kardashian West took up her cause .
Her story was featured in a Trump campaign Super Bowl ad .
Mr. Stone told the AP he expressed his gratitude to Mr. Trump in the phone call .
“ You know , he has a great sense of fairness , ” Mr. Stone said .
“ We ’ ve been friends for many , many years , and he understands that I was targeted strictly for political reasons.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of his longtime political confidant Roger Stone, intervening in extraordinary fashion in a criminal case that was central to the Russia investigation and that concerned the president’s own conduct.
The move came Friday, just days before Mr. Stone was to begin serving a 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstructing the House investigation into whether Mr. Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.
The action, which Mr. Trump had foreshadowed in recent days, underscores the president’s lingering rage over special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and is part of a continuing effort by the president and his administration to rewrite the narrative of a probe that has shadowed the White House from the outset. Democrats, already alarmed by the Justice Department’s earlier dismissal of the case against Mr. Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, denounced the president as further undermining the rule of law.
Mr. Stone had been set to report to prison on Tuesday after a federal appeals court rejected his bid to postpone his surrender date. But he told The Associated Press that Mr. Trump called him Friday evening to tell him he was off the hook.
“The president told me that he had decided, in an act of clemency, to issue a full commutation of my sentence, and he urged me to vigorously pursue my appeal and my vindication,” Mr. Stone said by phone from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was celebrating with friends. He said he had to change rooms because there were “too many people opening bottles of Champagne here.”
Although a commutation does not nullify Mr. Stone’s felony convictions, it protects him from serving prison time as a result.
The move marks another extraordinary intervention by Mr. Trump in the nation’s justice system and underscores anew his willingness to flout the norms and standards that have governed presidential conduct for decades. As Mr. Trump stares down a coronavirus pandemic that has worsened his chances for reelection, he has been more willing than ever to test the limits of his power.
Democrats denounced Mr. Trump’s action. House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff called it “offensive to the rule of law and principles of justice. Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez asked, “Is there any power Trump won’t abuse?”
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, in a statement, called Mr. Stone a “victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media,” and declared, “Roger Stone is now a free man!”
Mr. Stone had been open about his desire for a pardon or commutation, appealing for the president’s help with a monthslong television and social media campaign and seeking to postpone his surrender date by months after getting a brief extension from the judge, in part by citing the coronavirus.
Mr. Trump, who had made clear in recent days that he was inching closer to acting, had repeatedly publicly inserted himself into Mr. Stone’s case, including just before Mr. Stone’s sentencing.
That earned a public rebuke from his own attorney general, William Barr, who said the president’s comments were “making it impossible” for him to do his job. Mr. Barr was so incensed that he told people he was considering resigning over the matter.
“With this commutation, Trump makes clear that there are two systems of justice in America: one for his criminal friends, and one for everyone else,” Mr. Schiff said. “Donald Trump, Bill Barr, and all those who enable them pose the gravest of threats to the rule of law.”
Mr. Stone, a larger-than-life political character who embraced his reputation as a dirty trickster, was the sixth Trump aide or adviser to have been convicted of charges brought during Mr. Mueller’s investigation.
A longtime Trump friend and informal adviser, Mr. Stone boasted during the campaign that he was in contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee.
But Mr. Stone denied any wrongdoing and consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated. He did not take the stand during his trial, did not speak at his sentencing. His lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense.
Prosecutors had originally recommended Mr. Stone serve seven to nine years in prison. But in a highly unusual move, Mr. Barr reversed that decision after a Trump tweet and recommended a more lenient punishment, prompting a mini-revolt inside the Justice Department, with the entire prosecution team resigning from the case.
Department officials have vehemently denied that Mr. Barr was responding to Mr. Trump’s criticism and have insisted there was no contact with the White House over the decision. Mr. Barr has also pointed out that the judge, in imposing a 40-month sentence, had agreed with him that the original sentencing recommendation was excessive.
Mr. Barr has said the prosecution was justified, and the Justice Department did not support Mr. Stone’s more recent effort to put off his surrender date. Though the Justice Department raised concerns about the handling of Mr. Flynn’s case, including what it said were irregularities about his FBI interview, prosecutors did not point to any similar issues or problems with the Stone prosecution.
Even so, the commutation will almost certainly contribute to a portrait of a president determined to erase the impact of the Russia investigation and to intervene on behalf of allies.
The commutation was the latest example of Mr. Trump using his unlimited clemency power to pardon powerful men he believes have been mistreated by the justice system.
Mr. Trump went on a clemency spree in February, commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, and pardoning former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik, financier Michael Milken, and several others.
Mr. Trump has also offered clemency to other political allies, including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was awaiting sentencing at the time, conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, who had been convicted on campaign finance violations, and Conrad Black, a newspaper publisher convicted of fraud who had written a flattering book about the president.
Mr. Trump, however, has spent much more time trumpeting his decision to commute the sentence of Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving life in prison for nonviolent drug offenses and who came to Mr. Trump’s attention after reality star Kim Kardashian West took up her cause. Her story was featured in a Trump campaign Super Bowl ad.
Mr. Stone told the AP he expressed his gratitude to Mr. Trump in the phone call.
“You know, he has a great sense of fairness,” Mr. Stone said. “We’ve been friends for many, many years, and he understands that I was targeted strictly for political reasons.”
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.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.