csmonitor--2020-09-11--Officers charged in George Floyd's death seek individual trials

Attorneys for four former Minneapolis officers charged in the death of George Floyd say each client should get his own trial , as the officers try to diminish their roles in the Black man ’ s death by pointing fingers at one another .
Prosecutors say all four officers should be tried together because the nature of the charges and evidence is similar , and “ it is impossible to evaluate any individual Defendant ’ s conduct in a vacuum.
” The former officers are due in court Friday for a hearing on several issues , including the prosecution ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other issues being argued include defense requests to move the trial out of Minneapolis , sequester the jury , and keep jurors anonymous .
Mr. Floyd , who was in handcuffs , died May 25 , 2020 , after Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck as Mr. Floyd said he couldn ’ t breathe .
Mr. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder , third-degree murder , and manslaughter .
Thomas Lane , J. Kueng , and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be addressed Friday .
A trial is scheduled for March .
Friday ’ s hearing also marks the first time Mr. Chauvin has appeared in a courtroom .
He is in state custody and has attended previous hearings via videoconference .
A few dozen protesters gathered in a street in front of the courthouse that had been blocked off , chanting “ No justice , no peace.
” One carried a Black Lives Matter flag and wore a black helmet with swim goggles around the back of his head .
The windows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prosecutors say the case should proceed with one trial because the evidence – including witness statements , body-camera video , and police department policy on use of force – is similar for each officer .
Prosecutors say the officers also acted in close concert .
“ Here , all four Defendants worked together to murder Floyd : Chauvin , Kueng , and Lane pinned Floyd face-down , while Thao stopped the crowd from intervening , enabling the other Defendants to maintain their positions .
Defendants also discussed and coordinated their actions throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a court filing .
Prosecutors also say witnesses and Mr. Floyd ’ s family members would likely be traumatized by multiple trials , and it would be more efficient and in the interest of justice to hold one proceeding .
But defense attorneys are pushing for separate trials , saying they are likely to offer “ antagonistic ” defenses , and evidence against one officer could negatively impact another ’ s right to a fair trial .
Attempts at finger-pointing are already prevalent throughout court filings in the case .
Attorneys for Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their clients were rookies who were following Mr. Chauvin ’ s lead .
Mr. Thao ’ s attorney , Bob Paule , has said his client ’ s role was “ absolutely distinct ” from the others , because he was on crowd control and was securing the scene , while the other three restrained Mr. Floyd .
Mr. Chauvin ’ s attorney , Eric Nelson , wrote that his client ’ s case is different .
Mr. Nelson said prosecutors must prove Mr. Chauvin intended to assault Mr. Floyd , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew of Mr. Chauvin ’ s intent before it happened .
As a result , he said , Mr. Chauvin will have to defend himself differently .
“ The other defendants are clearly saying that , if a crime was committed , they neither knew about it nor assisted in it , ” Mr. Nelson wrote .
“ They blame Chauvin.
” But Mr. Chauvin also points fingers at the others .
Mr. Nelson wrote that Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng – the officers who responded to a forgery call – initiated contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Thao arrived , and that Mr. Chauvin believes Mr. Floyd was overdosing on fentanyl .
Mr. Nelson wrote that while Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng called for a paramedic and believed Mr. Floyd was “ on something , ” they didn ’ t elevate the call to one of more urgency or give medical assistance .
“ Instead , they struggled to subdue Mr. Floyd and force him into their squad car , likely exacerbating his condition considerably , ” Mr. Nelson wrote , adding that Mr. Chauvin could reasonably argue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
“ If EMS had arrived just three minutes sooner , Mr. Floyd may have survived .
If Kueng and Lane had chosen to de-escalate instead of struggle , Mr. Floyd may have survived .
If Kueng and Lane had recognized the apparent signs of an opioid overdose and rendered aid , such as administering naloxone , Mr. Floyd may have survived , ” Mr. Nelson wrote .
Attorneys for all four men have also asked that the trial be moved from Minneapolis , saying pretrial publicity has made it impossible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Paule , Mr. Thao ’ s attorney , said in a court filing that the state has tainted the jury pool by calling Mr. Floyd ’ s death a “ murder.
” Mr. Paule also cites protests that caused millions of dollars of damage in Minneapolis , saying an impartial jury can ’ t be found in Hennepin County because jurors would “ shoulder the weight of their decision creating further rioting and destruction.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .

Attorneys for four former Minneapolis officers charged in the death of George Floyd say each client should get his own trial, as the officers try to diminish their roles in the Black man’s death by pointing fingers at one another.
Prosecutors say all four officers should be tried together because the nature of the charges and evidence is similar, and “it is impossible to evaluate any individual Defendant’s conduct in a vacuum.”
The former officers are due in court Friday for a hearing on several issues, including the prosecution’s request to hold a joint trial. Other issues being argued include defense requests to move the trial out of Minneapolis, sequester the jury, and keep jurors anonymous.
Mr. Floyd, who was in handcuffs, died May 25, 2020, after Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck as Mr. Floyd said he couldn’t breathe. Mr. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter. Thomas Lane, J. Kueng, and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Defense requests to dismiss charges won’t be addressed Friday. A trial is scheduled for March.
Friday’s hearing also marks the first time Mr. Chauvin has appeared in a courtroom. He is in state custody and has attended previous hearings via videoconference.
A few dozen protesters gathered in a street in front of the courthouse that had been blocked off, chanting “No justice, no peace.” One carried a Black Lives Matter flag and wore a black helmet with swim goggles around the back of his head. The windows on most nearby buildings were boarded up.
Prosecutors say the case should proceed with one trial because the evidence – including witness statements, body-camera video, and police department policy on use of force – is similar for each officer. Prosecutors say the officers also acted in close concert.
“Here, all four Defendants worked together to murder Floyd: Chauvin, Kueng, and Lane pinned Floyd face-down, while Thao stopped the crowd from intervening, enabling the other Defendants to maintain their positions. Defendants also discussed and coordinated their actions throughout the incident,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
Prosecutors also say witnesses and Mr. Floyd’s family members would likely be traumatized by multiple trials, and it would be more efficient and in the interest of justice to hold one proceeding.
But defense attorneys are pushing for separate trials, saying they are likely to offer “antagonistic” defenses, and evidence against one officer could negatively impact another’s right to a fair trial.
Attempts at finger-pointing are already prevalent throughout court filings in the case. Attorneys for Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng have argued that their clients were rookies who were following Mr. Chauvin’s lead. Mr. Thao’s attorney, Bob Paule, has said his client’s role was “absolutely distinct” from the others, because he was on crowd control and was securing the scene, while the other three restrained Mr. Floyd.
Mr. Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, wrote that his client’s case is different. Mr. Nelson said prosecutors must prove Mr. Chauvin intended to assault Mr. Floyd, but they must also show that the other officers knew of Mr. Chauvin’s intent before it happened. As a result, he said, Mr. Chauvin will have to defend himself differently.
“The other defendants are clearly saying that, if a crime was committed, they neither knew about it nor assisted in it,” Mr. Nelson wrote. “They blame Chauvin.”
But Mr. Chauvin also points fingers at the others. Mr. Nelson wrote that Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng – the officers who responded to a forgery call – initiated contact with Mr. Floyd before Mr. Chauvin and Mr. Thao arrived, and that Mr. Chauvin believes Mr. Floyd was overdosing on fentanyl. Mr. Nelson wrote that while Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng called for a paramedic and believed Mr. Floyd was “on something,” they didn’t elevate the call to one of more urgency or give medical assistance.
“Instead, they struggled to subdue Mr. Floyd and force him into their squad car, likely exacerbating his condition considerably,” Mr. Nelson wrote, adding that Mr. Chauvin could reasonably argue that their inaction led to Floyd’s death.
“If EMS had arrived just three minutes sooner, Mr. Floyd may have survived. If Kueng and Lane had chosen to de-escalate instead of struggle, Mr. Floyd may have survived. If Kueng and Lane had recognized the apparent signs of an opioid overdose and rendered aid, such as administering naloxone, Mr. Floyd may have survived,” Mr. Nelson wrote.
Attorneys for all four men have also asked that the trial be moved from Minneapolis, saying pretrial publicity has made it impossible for them to receive a fair trial.
Mr. Paule, Mr. Thao’s attorney, said in a court filing that the state has tainted the jury pool by calling Mr. Floyd’s death a “murder.” Mr. Paule also cites protests that caused millions of dollars of damage in Minneapolis, saying an impartial jury can’t be found in Hennepin County because jurors would “shoulder the weight of their decision creating further rioting and destruction.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-09-11--With or without Lukashenko, ‘Belarus will never be the same again’

“ We have grown up as a nation , ” says Ksenia Turchina , a leader of the student strike committee at Belarusian State University in Minsk .
“ We ’ ve seen a real civil society starting to emerge , with people organizing in ways they never did .
... Belarus may change , for better or worse , but it will never be the same again.
” Regardless of that meeting ’ s outcome , many Belarusian protesters say that a month of struggle against Mr. Lukashenko ’ s regime has cleared their minds and changed their perceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t accept in future .
Whatever happens next , they say , Belarusian society has crossed into new territory .
A lasting resolution may depend on Mr. Lukashenko ’ s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday .
Though Russia is closely tied to Belarus , Mr. Putin has little love for Mr. Lukashenko , who has tended to ask much but give little to the Kremlin .
Since the protests against President Alexander Lukashenko ’ s contested reelection began over a month ago , Belarus has been in a state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crack down on demonstrators and opposition leaders with various approaches , but little lasting effect .
The impasse in Belarus has blown hot and cold over the past month , ever since people from all walks of life began pouring into the streets to protest an allegedly fraudulent election victory by their longtime leader , Alexander Lukashenko .
Security forces first tried to suppress protests with indiscriminate violence , then backed off and allowed people to rally peacefully .
Most recently they have attempted a more targeted approach of rounding up opposition leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No police measures have worked , and Belarus awaits yet another weekend of massive street protests demanding Mr. Lukashenko ’ s departure and new , fair elections .
Much may hinge upon a summit between Mr. Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin , to be held in Moscow Monday .
Russia , which backs Mr. Lukashenko ’ s reelection claim and upon which Belarus is economically dependent , holds the key to shoring up the country ’ s collapsing economy and faltering banking system with financial infusions and other aid .
But even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even a clear way forward , many Belarusian protesters say that a month of struggle against Mr. Lukashenko ’ s regime has cleared their minds and changed their perceptions of what they will and won ’ t accept in future .
Whatever happens next , they say , Belarusian society has crossed into new territory .
“ During this month we have discovered that we can consolidate , we have grown up as a nation , ” says Ksenia Turchina , a leader of the student strike committee at Belarusian State University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen a real civil society starting to emerge , with people organizing in ways they never did , with initiatives of mutual assistance , holding creative evenings in the courtyards of residential buildings , many new things .
People who never before declared a political position are now speaking out .
... “ Belarus may change , for better or worse , but it will never be the same again.
” “ Changes are in store for us ” Belarus , a nation of 10 million on the western fringe of the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economically frozen since Mr. Lukashenko came to power in a free election in 1994 .
Since then he has stacked the political deck , rigged elections , and tightly controlled the economic levers .
Soviet Belarus had a highly developed industrial base , productive agriculture , and a well-educated population that was relatively homogeneous and almost entirely Russian-speaking .
Mr. Lukashenko retained state control over the main industrial enterprises , and allowed only limited privatization in other sectors .
As a result many Belarusians remain dependent on the state for their economic security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenko in power through five election cycles – but which may have failed for him this time around .
“ Belarusians are not united in their attitude toward Lukashenko , ” says Andrei Bastunets , head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists .
“ Part of the population , perhaps a considerable part – including those dependent on the state and security forces – are behind him .
Nobody can say what was the true result of the election , or how many actually voted for him .
Now there is a perception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the mass demonstrations have made that clear.
” The protests in Minsk and other cities have been impressively huge and filled with enthusiasm , but they may not be an expression of universal will .
In past election cycles it was mainly professionals , students , and intellectuals who took to the streets , and their protests petered out due to the failure of agricultural workers and the large working class to join them .
This time considerable numbers of workers did join in , and independent union leaders promised a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Representatives of the creative class , intelligentsia , and business are more inclined to focus on liberation , economic reform , and ensuring political and civic rights , ” says Ms. Turchina , the student leader .
“ For those who are popular with the working class , social reforms and raising living standards are principal concerns .
In this situation the opposition has only voiced one program : fair elections and a new president.
” That lack of political planning is related at least partially to the virtually leaderless nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in power , Mr. Lukashenko has actively suffocated any sign of emerging civil society , independent political parties , or even public figures who might attract popular trust .
Hence , outside of the official ruling circles , there is a distinct shortage of administrative expertise , managerial skill , and political savvy to draw upon .
That ’ s been aggravated by the latest policy of scooping up opposition figures on the streets and deporting them to Poland or Ukraine .
As for those who are not protesting , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part because many seem reluctant – or afraid – to talk about it .
Natalia Larionova , a medical worker and young mother in the provincial city of Vitebsk , says she is tired of quarreling with her family and friends about politics .
“ I work a lot , and my principal concern is my family and my children , ” she says .
“ I am not going to go out into the street and make myself a target , because I see no sense in it .
We have good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including things like subsidies for children under 3 , flats provided for families with children , and other benefits .
... “ I suppose changes are in store for us , and we shall have to accept them .
But I am not sure about it .
Look at the crises in Europe and the U.S. , do we want that ?
I have relatives in Ukraine who say that after all those struggles , it seems like Europe doesn ’ t even want them .
Actually , Russia looks better to me.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial aid and subsidized energy , and long ago signed on for a “ union state ” that would eventually lead to full economic integration between Russia and Belarus .
He will almost certainly go to Moscow on Monday with his hand out .
But in recent years his relationship with the Kremlin has soured because of Mr. Lukashenko ’ s regular flirtations with the West , his frequent ultimatums to Russia over energy subsidies , and his foot-dragging on Russian demands to open up for Russian investment in Belarus ’ closed economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance – Russia and Belarus belong to a common NATO-like security alliance – in the event that Belarus is threatened from outside and , more ominously , promised to create a reserve police unit to help restore order if Belarus should face civic breakdown .
After a mass walkout of Belarusian television workers , technicians and experts from Russia ’ s giant state-run RT media conglomerate came in to take their places .
Russian experts say that Mr. Putin ’ s short-term objective will be to bolster Mr. Lukashenko and prevent any precipitous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vital “ buffer state ” between Russia and NATO .
That might include assistance to ward off an impending financial crisis in Belarus , which will likely be paid for by major economic concessions by Mr. Lukashenko .
In the longer term , the Kremlin is likely to back a process that might rearrange the leadership in Belarus without threatening its pro-Russian geopolitical allegiance .
“ Russia will probably push Lukashenko toward constitutional reforms that will make possible fresh elections in a year or so , ” says Fyodor Lukyanov , editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow-based foreign policy journal .
“ Most likely that will be synchronized with some reset of the union state , with a new position opened up for Lukashenko to be shifted to .
The main thing will be for Belarus to remain part of the Russian sphere and continue its integration with the Russian economy.
” Many Belarusians say they are leery of Russian involvement , and fear that Moscow ’ s priorities will not align with those of the Belarusian people .
“ I believe that the Kremlin is considering various options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s influence in Belarus , ” says Yaroslav Romanchuk , a political activist who ran against Mr. Lukashenko in elections 10 years ago and now heads the Mizes Center , a liberal think tank in Minsk .
“ But Russia needs to find a credible solution , one that does not ignore the will of Belarusian society .
Any good plan must include a humanitarian component , that frees political prisoners and punishes the culprits responsible for the past month ’ s repressions .
So far we do not see any Kremlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not the way .
... “ Lukashenko ’ s trip to Moscow may facilitate dialogue , or not .
But this conflict isn ’ t going to die down .
The demand is already too strong among Belarusians for freedom , democracy , and revenge .
”

“We have grown up as a nation,” says Ksenia Turchina, a leader of the student strike committee at Belarusian State University in Minsk. “We’ve seen a real civil society starting to emerge, with people organizing in ways they never did. ... Belarus may change, for better or worse, but it will never be the same again.”
Regardless of that meeting’s outcome, many Belarusian protesters say that a month of struggle against Mr. Lukashenko’s regime has cleared their minds and changed their perceptions of what they will and won’t accept in future. Whatever happens next, they say, Belarusian society has crossed into new territory.
Alexander Lukashenko has ruled a largely static Belarus for 26 years, and his people have had little expectation of change. But a month of protest has reshaped Belarusians’ vision of what their country should be.
A lasting resolution may depend on Mr. Lukashenko’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Though Russia is closely tied to Belarus, Mr. Putin has little love for Mr. Lukashenko, who has tended to ask much but give little to the Kremlin.
Since the protests against President Alexander Lukashenko’s contested reelection began over a month ago, Belarus has been in a state of limbo. Security forces have tried to crack down on demonstrators and opposition leaders with various approaches, but little lasting effect.
The impasse in Belarus has blown hot and cold over the past month, ever since people from all walks of life began pouring into the streets to protest an allegedly fraudulent election victory by their longtime leader, Alexander Lukashenko.
Security forces first tried to suppress protests with indiscriminate violence, then backed off and allowed people to rally peacefully. Most recently they have attempted a more targeted approach of rounding up opposition leaders and expelling them from the country. No police measures have worked, and Belarus awaits yet another weekend of massive street protests demanding Mr. Lukashenko’s departure and new, fair elections.
Much may hinge upon a summit between Mr. Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin, to be held in Moscow Monday. Russia, which backs Mr. Lukashenko’s reelection claim and upon which Belarus is economically dependent, holds the key to shoring up the country’s collapsing economy and faltering banking system with financial infusions and other aid.
Why We Wrote This Alexander Lukashenko has ruled a largely static Belarus for 26 years, and his people have had little expectation of change. But a month of protest has reshaped Belarusians’ vision of what their country should be.
But even without a resolution to the conflict, or even a clear way forward, many Belarusian protesters say that a month of struggle against Mr. Lukashenko’s regime has cleared their minds and changed their perceptions of what they will and won’t accept in future. Whatever happens next, they say, Belarusian society has crossed into new territory.
“During this month we have discovered that we can consolidate, we have grown up as a nation,” says Ksenia Turchina, a leader of the student strike committee at Belarusian State University in Minsk. “We’ve seen a real civil society starting to emerge, with people organizing in ways they never did, with initiatives of mutual assistance, holding creative evenings in the courtyards of residential buildings, many new things. People who never before declared a political position are now speaking out. ...
“Belarus may change, for better or worse, but it will never be the same again.”
“Changes are in store for us”
Belarus, a nation of 10 million on the western fringe of the former Soviet Union, has been politically and economically frozen since Mr. Lukashenko came to power in a free election in 1994. Since then he has stacked the political deck, rigged elections, and tightly controlled the economic levers. Soviet Belarus had a highly developed industrial base, productive agriculture, and a well-educated population that was relatively homogeneous and almost entirely Russian-speaking. Mr. Lukashenko retained state control over the main industrial enterprises, and allowed only limited privatization in other sectors.
As a result many Belarusians remain dependent on the state for their economic security, a fact that has kept Mr. Lukashenko in power through five election cycles – but which may have failed for him this time around.
“Belarusians are not united in their attitude toward Lukashenko,” says Andrei Bastunets, head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists. “Part of the population, perhaps a considerable part – including those dependent on the state and security forces – are behind him. Nobody can say what was the true result of the election, or how many actually voted for him. Now there is a perception that the majority did not back him, and the mass demonstrations have made that clear.”
The protests in Minsk and other cities have been impressively huge and filled with enthusiasm, but they may not be an expression of universal will. In past election cycles it was mainly professionals, students, and intellectuals who took to the streets, and their protests petered out due to the failure of agricultural workers and the large working class to join them. This time considerable numbers of workers did join in, and independent union leaders promised a general strike that has yet to materialize.
“Representatives of the creative class, intelligentsia, and business are more inclined to focus on liberation, economic reform, and ensuring political and civic rights,” says Ms. Turchina, the student leader. “For those who are popular with the working class, social reforms and raising living standards are principal concerns. In this situation the opposition has only voiced one program: fair elections and a new president.”
That lack of political planning is related at least partially to the virtually leaderless nature of the protests. During his 26 years in power, Mr. Lukashenko has actively suffocated any sign of emerging civil society, independent political parties, or even public figures who might attract popular trust. Hence, outside of the official ruling circles, there is a distinct shortage of administrative expertise, managerial skill, and political savvy to draw upon. That’s been aggravated by the latest policy of scooping up opposition figures on the streets and deporting them to Poland or Ukraine.
As for those who are not protesting, it is hard to gauge their thinking, in part because many seem reluctant – or afraid – to talk about it.
Natalia Larionova, a medical worker and young mother in the provincial city of Vitebsk, says she is tired of quarreling with her family and friends about politics.
“I work a lot, and my principal concern is my family and my children,” she says. “I am not going to go out into the street and make myself a target, because I see no sense in it. We have good conditions here in Vitebsk for families, including things like subsidies for children under 3, flats provided for families with children, and other benefits. ...
“I suppose changes are in store for us, and we shall have to accept them. But I am not sure about it. Look at the crises in Europe and the U.S., do we want that? I have relatives in Ukraine who say that after all those struggles, it seems like Europe doesn’t even want them. Actually, Russia looks better to me.”
A leery eye on Russia’s involvement
Mr. Lukashenko has courted Russia for financial aid and subsidized energy, and long ago signed on for a “union state” that would eventually lead to full economic integration between Russia and Belarus. He will almost certainly go to Moscow on Monday with his hand out. But in recent years his relationship with the Kremlin has soured because of Mr. Lukashenko’s regular flirtations with the West, his frequent ultimatums to Russia over energy subsidies, and his foot-dragging on Russian demands to open up for Russian investment in Belarus’ closed economy.
Mr. Putin has already pledged military assistance – Russia and Belarus belong to a common NATO-like security alliance – in the event that Belarus is threatened from outside and, more ominously, promised to create a reserve police unit to help restore order if Belarus should face civic breakdown. After a mass walkout of Belarusian television workers, technicians and experts from Russia’s giant state-run RT media conglomerate came in to take their places.
Russian experts say that Mr. Putin’s short-term objective will be to bolster Mr. Lukashenko and prevent any precipitous changes in what the Kremlin regards as a vital “buffer state” between Russia and NATO. That might include assistance to ward off an impending financial crisis in Belarus, which will likely be paid for by major economic concessions by Mr. Lukashenko. In the longer term, the Kremlin is likely to back a process that might rearrange the leadership in Belarus without threatening its pro-Russian geopolitical allegiance.
“Russia will probably push Lukashenko toward constitutional reforms that will make possible fresh elections in a year or so,” says Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs, a Moscow-based foreign policy journal. “Most likely that will be synchronized with some reset of the union state, with a new position opened up for Lukashenko to be shifted to. The main thing will be for Belarus to remain part of the Russian sphere and continue its integration with the Russian economy.”
Many Belarusians say they are leery of Russian involvement, and fear that Moscow’s priorities will not align with those of the Belarusian people.
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“I believe that the Kremlin is considering various options to ease Lukashenko out while increasing Russia’s influence in Belarus,” says Yaroslav Romanchuk, a political activist who ran against Mr. Lukashenko in elections 10 years ago and now heads the Mizes Center, a liberal think tank in Minsk. “But Russia needs to find a credible solution, one that does not ignore the will of Belarusian society. Any good plan must include a humanitarian component, that frees political prisoners and punishes the culprits responsible for the past month’s repressions. So far we do not see any Kremlin support for these demands. Supporting Lukashenko is not the way. ...
“Lukashenko’s trip to Moscow may facilitate dialogue, or not. But this conflict isn’t going to die down. The demand is already too strong among Belarusians for freedom, democracy, and revenge.”


csmonitor--2020-09-11--Youth protests spur change in Nepal's coronavirus response

On a sunny June day in Nepal , hundreds of young people in face masks stood a meter apart behind the barbed-wire barricades and rows of riot police guarding the prime minister ’ s residence , shouting slogans demanding a better government response to the coronavirus pandemic .
In a rare show of young people humbling a powerful government to action in Asia , they got one .
But not before hundreds of protesters were doused with water cannons , some beaten with police batons , and others detained .
A charismatic young leader nearly died on hunger strike .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many countries but it was unique for youths in Nepal to come together for nonpolitical peaceful protests to point out the wrongdoings , make them admit it , and then correct it , ” said Dinesh Prasain , sociologist at the the prestigious Tribhuvan University .
Prime Minister K.P .
Sharma Oli ’ s government imposed a nationwide lockdown in March , sending tens of thousands of migrant workers , hungry and cashless , from the capital , Kathmandu , to their rural mountain villages , mirroring a similar exodus in neighboring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of Nepalese streamed back across the Indian border , but there were no quarantine centers or government assistance to help them reach home .
As Nepal ’ s caseload grew daily , Mr. Oli was publicly embroiled in a power struggle within the ruling party and a feud with India over disputed borderlands .
Top officials were accused of corruption in local media over the government ’ s purchases of medical equipment and supplies from abroad .
Authorities failed to expand the country ’ s hospital bed count and quarantine and isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheaper – and less accurate – tests to determine the disease ’ s spread across the Himalayan nation .
“ For months we stayed home and gave our support to the government obeying the orders , but during the lockdown we realized the incompetence of the government to handle the coronavirus situation , ” said Robic Upadhayay , a 29-year-old filmmaker .
Mr. Upadhayay joined friends locked at home in a social media campaign that quickly organized street protests under the banner “ Enough is Enough , ” attracting hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a country of 30 million .
A social media post from Iih , a 29-year-old high school dropout who previously had campaigned for the rights of ethnic minorities , gathered 400 demonstrators at the first protest .
He was detained by police .
“ After weeks of lockdown , we thought that just protest in virtual space was not enough .
It was an issue of life and death , so I asked on Instagram if anyone was ready to come out .
There were 400 people who responded , ” Mr. Iih @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
But response from the government did not come easy at first .
Mr. Iih went on hunger strike , initially for 12 days in June and then again for 23 days in July , when he had to be taken to a hospital because his health deteriorated .
The government finally gave in to the pressure of the growing campaign and signed an agreement with Mr. Iih on Aug. 9 to scrap the use of rapid diagnostic tests for coronavirus , and instead rely entirely on the gold-standard PCR tests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal protective equipment to front-line health workers treating COVID-19 patients and regular consultations with health experts .
It promised better access to medicines , which previously had not reached all the country ’ s hospitals , and committed to free treatment for COVID-19 patients .
Other points included protection by local authorities of patients and their families from harassment by nervous neighbors , and making public the spending on anti-coronavirus measures and expenses .
“ The peaceful protests in the country were successful in putting pressure on the government , “ Mr. Iih @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government , if willing , can actually work to better manage the situation , increase the number of tests and testing facilities , emphasize on preventative measures , and isolate the area and people where there is infection.
” The government has increased testing to more than 10,000 daily tests and has allowed private hospitals to do tests .
It has also given authority to local district administrations to impose lockdowns and isolate areas of infection .
“ The government has taken the demands by the youth positively and has agreed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address .
We assure to work together with the youths to combat the disease in the country , ” Health Ministry official Sameer Shrestha said .
However , the number of cases has been rising in Nepal – from 1,798 and eight deaths on June 1 to a total of 48,138 and 306 deaths by Tuesday – and restrictions have been reimposed in many parts of the country .
The protesters say they will return to the streets if the government falls back on its promises .
This story was reported by @ @ @ @

On a sunny June day in Nepal, hundreds of young people in face masks stood a meter apart behind the barbed-wire barricades and rows of riot police guarding the prime minister’s residence, shouting slogans demanding a better government response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a rare show of young people humbling a powerful government to action in Asia, they got one.
But not before hundreds of protesters were doused with water cannons, some beaten with police batons, and others detained. A charismatic young leader nearly died on hunger strike.
“Governments have mishandled the coronavirus situation in many countries but it was unique for youths in Nepal to come together for nonpolitical peaceful protests to point out the wrongdoings, make them admit it, and then correct it,” said Dinesh Prasain, sociologist at the the prestigious Tribhuvan University.
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s government imposed a nationwide lockdown in March, sending tens of thousands of migrant workers, hungry and cashless, from the capital, Kathmandu, to their rural mountain villages, mirroring a similar exodus in neighboring India.
At the same time, thousands of Nepalese streamed back across the Indian border, but there were no quarantine centers or government assistance to help them reach home.
As Nepal’s caseload grew daily, Mr. Oli was publicly embroiled in a power struggle within the ruling party and a feud with India over disputed borderlands.
Top officials were accused of corruption in local media over the government’s purchases of medical equipment and supplies from abroad. Authorities failed to expand the country’s hospital bed count and quarantine and isolation facilities. They also began relying on cheaper – and less accurate – tests to determine the disease’s spread across the Himalayan nation.
“For months we stayed home and gave our support to the government obeying the orders, but during the lockdown we realized the incompetence of the government to handle the coronavirus situation,” said Robic Upadhayay, a 29-year-old filmmaker.
Mr. Upadhayay joined friends locked at home in a social media campaign that quickly organized street protests under the banner “Enough is Enough,” attracting hundreds of thousands of online followers – a significant feat in a country of 30 million.
A social media post from Iih, a 29-year-old high school dropout who previously had campaigned for the rights of ethnic minorities, gathered 400 demonstrators at the first protest. He was detained by police.
“After weeks of lockdown, we thought that just protest in virtual space was not enough. It was an issue of life and death, so I asked on Instagram if anyone was ready to come out. There were 400 people who responded,” Mr. Iih, who goes by one name, said.
But response from the government did not come easy at first. Mr. Iih went on hunger strike, initially for 12 days in June and then again for 23 days in July, when he had to be taken to a hospital because his health deteriorated.
The government finally gave in to the pressure of the growing campaign and signed an agreement with Mr. Iih on Aug. 9 to scrap the use of rapid diagnostic tests for coronavirus, and instead rely entirely on the gold-standard PCR tests.
The government also agreed to provide better personal protective equipment to front-line health workers treating COVID-19 patients and regular consultations with health experts. It promised better access to medicines, which previously had not reached all the country’s hospitals, and committed to free treatment for COVID-19 patients.
Other points included protection by local authorities of patients and their families from harassment by nervous neighbors, and making public the spending on anti-coronavirus measures and expenses.
“The peaceful protests in the country were successful in putting pressure on the government,“ Mr. Iih said. “It also showed that the government, if willing, can actually work to better manage the situation, increase the number of tests and testing facilities, emphasize on preventative measures, and isolate the area and people where there is infection.”
The government has increased testing to more than 10,000 daily tests and has allowed private hospitals to do tests. It has also given authority to local district administrations to impose lockdowns and isolate areas of infection.
“The government has taken the demands by the youth positively and has agreed to the demands that are we are able to address. We assure to work together with the youths to combat the disease in the country,” Health Ministry official Sameer Shrestha said.
However, the number of cases has been rising in Nepal – from 1,798 and eight deaths on June 1 to a total of 48,138 and 306 deaths by Tuesday – and restrictions have been reimposed in many parts of the country.
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The protesters say they will return to the streets if the government falls back on its promises.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-09-11--Is the economy running fast or slow? It depends where you look.

For those focused on the ongoing deep downturn in certain sectors , the Democrats ’ much larger relief package might appear more appropriate .
Could the economy recover without any stimulus ?
That ’ s a risky premise , according to economists .
Says Daniel Zhao at job site Glassdoor : “ We don ’ t want to see the recovery lag when we ’ re still so deep in the hole.
” So when Congress tries to craft a relief package , it has to consider which picture to look at .
For those focused on signs of recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advance Thursday might have looked just fine : extra unemployment benefits at $ 300 per week , half the level of the previous round of relief , and added funding for a small-business loan program .
In places like Montpelier , Vermont , companies like TimberHomes Vermont are booming , with demand surging for everything from its trailhead kiosks to timber-framed cabins .
But down the road , businesses that aren ’ t so geared for this era of social distancing are struggling , including a massage parlor and an art-house cinema @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress is struggling with passing a new coronavirus relief bill is that economic recovery is operating at two speeds : forward and a sputtering neutral .
Business is booming at TimberHomes Vermont outside Montpelier .
Demand for its timber-framed structures – from trailhead kiosks to rustic cabins – is high .
In the past two weeks , the company has hired three new workers and is in the process of adding another two to keep up with the surge in demand , boosting the workforce by a quarter .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Timo Bradley , one of six member-owners of the company .
But heading into Montpelier , less than a mile down the road , Massage Vermont is temporarily closed while its co-owners try to operate virtual healing sessions using breathing techniques .
And in the state capital itself , the Savoy Theater , an art-house cinema showing independent films , is now open only for weekends .
On its home page is a link to a national campaign .
The message reads : “ Tell Congress to # SaveYourCinema.
” Will Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company will it listen to ?
In Vermont and across the United States , economic recovery is taking place at two speeds .
Some companies are moving , even rocketing , ahead .
Others seem stuck in neutral , waiting for pandemic rules to ease or demand to pick back up .
And for Congress , faltering in its bid to pass a new coronavirus relief bill , the proper size and scope of the package may hinge on these mixed signals as well as on an ideological divide over economic policies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there ’ s plenty of evidence for it .
E-commerce , home-related industries , and goods-producing companies are seeing demand snap back smartly after a dismal spring .
“ For the moment , it looks like households have been able to sustain spending pretty well , ” despite the expiration of $ 600-per-week extra federal benefits to the unemployed , says Jonathan Millar , senior U.S. economist at Barclays Research in New York .
Thus , the economy might benefit from a small stimulus bill , such as the GOP ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday .
For those focused on struggling businesses , the House Democrats ’ $ 3 trillion package looks far more appealing .
It would provide checks to individuals and offer a cushion of federal aid to companies and state and local governments , buying them more time to recover from the effects of lockdowns and squeezed revenues .
“ We don ’ t want to see the recovery lag when we ’ re still so deep in the hole , ” says Daniel Zhao , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job and recruiting site .
“ It just extends the length of the recovery ” toward pre-pandemic employment levels .
“ And the longer the recovery , the greater the risk that temporary reductions turn into permanent losses.
” The big question for Congress now is whether the pace of recovery is sustainable without further federal help .
And here the evidence is mixed .
Not only has consumer demand held up , but corporate earnings have snapped back since the spring , sometimes with surprising speed .
Whether due to those relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it appears to have grown more difficult for members of Congress to reach a compromise – despite the economy ’ s parallel signs of severe stress .
“ Unfortunately , what has happened is that they ’ ve taken their foot off the gas because momentum has waned for the urgency of the moment , ” says Caroline Bruckner , an American University tax expert who researches women-owned businesses .
But “ that ’ s not what I see in my neighborhood .
It ’ s not what I hear when I talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short walk from her home , she counts at least seven restaurants that have closed permanently since the spring .
“ In every crisis , you ’ re going to have a population that thrives , right ?
” Professor Bruckner adds .
“ But that ’ s not everybody .
And , you know , the data is pretty clear that self-employed workers – who are the smallest of small business owners – are suffering pretty intensely.
” One potential reason that consumer spending looks OK is that the previous round of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of savings that consumers can now draw on , says Mr. Millar of Barclays Research .
A study for the National Bureau of Economic Research found that through early July the recipients of those payments had spent only about 40 % of the money .
The rest either went to pay off debt or was stashed away in savings accounts .
“ It ’ s not too surprising that it ’ s 40 % , ” says Michael Weber , a finance professor at the University of Chicago business school and a co-author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous downturns generated only a slightly higher rate of spending .
The danger is that that saved stimulus will run out and that demand will taper off , economists warn .
If the goal is to stimulate demand , there are more efficient ways to do it , Dr. Weber adds .
His study found that low-income families , people out of the labor force , and larger households with children were more apt to spend their stimulus payments than other groups .
The GOP proposal didn ’ t include new stimulus checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra federal payments to the unemployed at $ 300 per week .
For businesses , the bill offered includes liability protection for COVID-19 and a new round of funding for the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) , which offered loans to small businesses and forgave the debt if firms held on to their employees .
The House bill included general stimulus checks , extra unemployment benefits at the previous $ 600 per week rate , an extension of the PPP , and more .
Other stimulus targets might also provide more bang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests , such as direct government purchases of goods and services and aid to cash-strapped local and state governments to help prevent them from cutting the services they provide .
The latter provision was a feature of the Democratic measure , not the Republican one .
All this suggests that , should the recovery falter or Wall Street plunge to new depths , pressure on Congress to do something will ratchet up and the prospects of a bipartisan compromise would brighten .
But speed is important , analysts say .
“ Better to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four or six weeks , ” says Dr. Weber .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

For those focused on the ongoing deep downturn in certain sectors, the Democrats’ much larger relief package might appear more appropriate. Could the economy recover without any stimulus? That’s a risky premise, according to economists. Says Daniel Zhao at job site Glassdoor: “We don’t want to see the recovery lag when we’re still so deep in the hole.”
So when Congress tries to craft a relief package, it has to consider which picture to look at. For those focused on signs of recovery, a Republican Senate proposal that failed to advance Thursday might have looked just fine: extra unemployment benefits at $300 per week, half the level of the previous round of relief, and added funding for a small-business loan program.
The U.S. economy really has made a lot of progress since the pandemic caused a spring nosedive. But it's also far from recovered, leaving a sharp divide between booming and struggling sectors.
In places like Montpelier, Vermont, companies like TimberHomes Vermont are booming, with demand surging for everything from its trailhead kiosks to timber-framed cabins. But down the road, businesses that aren’t so geared for this era of social distancing are struggling, including a massage parlor and an art-house cinema that shows independent films.
One reason Congress is struggling with passing a new coronavirus relief bill is that economic recovery is operating at two speeds: forward and a sputtering neutral.
Business is booming at TimberHomes Vermont outside Montpelier. Demand for its timber-framed structures – from trailhead kiosks to rustic cabins – is high. In the past two weeks, the company has hired three new workers and is in the process of adding another two to keep up with the surge in demand, boosting the workforce by a quarter.
“We’re definitely firing on all pistons,” says Timo Bradley, one of six member-owners of the company.
But heading into Montpelier, less than a mile down the road, Massage Vermont is temporarily closed while its co-owners try to operate virtual healing sessions using breathing techniques. And in the state capital itself, the Savoy Theater, an art-house cinema showing independent films, is now open only for weekends. On its home page is a link to a national campaign. The message reads: “Tell Congress to #SaveYourCinema.”
Why We Wrote This The U.S. economy really has made a lot of progress since the pandemic caused a spring nosedive. But it's also far from recovered, leaving a sharp divide between booming and struggling sectors.
Will Congress hear? And if so, which company will it listen to?
In Vermont and across the United States, economic recovery is taking place at two speeds. Some companies are moving, even rocketing, ahead. Others seem stuck in neutral, waiting for pandemic rules to ease or demand to pick back up. And for Congress, faltering in its bid to pass a new coronavirus relief bill, the proper size and scope of the package may hinge on these mixed signals as well as on an ideological divide over economic policies.
If one looks for signs of recovery, there’s plenty of evidence for it. E-commerce, home-related industries, and goods-producing companies are seeing demand snap back smartly after a dismal spring.
“For the moment, it looks like households have been able to sustain spending pretty well,” despite the expiration of $600-per-week extra federal benefits to the unemployed, says Jonathan Millar, senior U.S. economist at Barclays Research in New York.
Thus, the economy might benefit from a small stimulus bill, such as the GOP’s so-called “skinny” rescue package, which failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday.
For those focused on struggling businesses, the House Democrats’ $3 trillion package looks far more appealing. It would provide checks to individuals and offer a cushion of federal aid to companies and state and local governments, buying them more time to recover from the effects of lockdowns and squeezed revenues.
“We don’t want to see the recovery lag when we’re still so deep in the hole,” says Daniel Zhao, senior economist at Glassdoor, an online job and recruiting site. “It just extends the length of the recovery” toward pre-pandemic employment levels. “And the longer the recovery, the greater the risk that temporary reductions turn into permanent losses.”
Michael Conroy/AP View caption Hide caption A help wanted sign is displayed at a Home Depot store in Indianapolis on Sept. 2, 2020. The U.S. unemployment rate has fallen since the spring, but remains severely elevated at 8.4%. Republicans and Democrats in Congress remain far apart on how much additional economic aid the government should provide.
The big question for Congress now is whether the pace of recovery is sustainable without further federal help. And here the evidence is mixed. Not only has consumer demand held up, but corporate earnings have snapped back since the spring, sometimes with surprising speed.
Whether due to those relatively positive signals or clashing partisan positions, it appears to have grown more difficult for members of Congress to reach a compromise – despite the economy’s parallel signs of severe stress.
“Unfortunately, what has happened is that they’ve taken their foot off the gas because momentum has waned for the urgency of the moment,” says Caroline Bruckner, an American University tax expert who researches women-owned businesses. But “that’s not what I see in my neighborhood. It’s not what I hear when I talk to ... business owners.”
Within a short walk from her home, she counts at least seven restaurants that have closed permanently since the spring.
“In every crisis, you’re going to have a population that thrives, right?” Professor Bruckner adds. “But that’s not everybody. And, you know, the data is pretty clear that self-employed workers – who are the smallest of small business owners – are suffering pretty intensely.”
One potential reason that consumer spending looks OK is that the previous round of federal stimulus checks built up a reserve of savings that consumers can now draw on, says Mr. Millar of Barclays Research. A study for the National Bureau of Economic Research found that through early July the recipients of those payments had spent only about 40% of the money. The rest either went to pay off debt or was stashed away in savings accounts.
“It’s not too surprising that it’s 40%,” says Michael Weber, a finance professor at the University of Chicago business school and a co-author of the study. Stimulus checks in previous downturns generated only a slightly higher rate of spending.
The danger is that that saved stimulus will run out and that demand will taper off, economists warn.
If the goal is to stimulate demand, there are more efficient ways to do it, Dr. Weber adds. His study found that low-income families, people out of the labor force, and larger households with children were more apt to spend their stimulus payments than other groups.
The GOP proposal didn’t include new stimulus checks, and instead would have restarted the extra federal payments to the unemployed at $300 per week. For businesses, the bill offered includes liability protection for COVID-19 and a new round of funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which offered loans to small businesses and forgave the debt if firms held on to their employees. The House bill included general stimulus checks, extra unemployment benefits at the previous $600 per week rate, an extension of the PPP, and more.
Other stimulus targets might also provide more bang for the buck, the NBER study suggests, such as direct government purchases of goods and services and aid to cash-strapped local and state governments to help prevent them from cutting the services they provide. The latter provision was a feature of the Democratic measure, not the Republican one.
All this suggests that, should the recovery falter or Wall Street plunge to new depths, pressure on Congress to do something will ratchet up and the prospects of a bipartisan compromise would brighten.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
But speed is important, analysts say. “Better to have something small now than waiting another four or six weeks,” says Dr. Weber.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-09-11--Bahrain normalizes ties with Israel in diplomatic win for Trump

Bahrain has become the latest Arab nation to agree to normalize ties with Israel as part of a broader diplomatic push by United States President Donald Trump and his administration to fully integrate the Jewish state into the Middle East .
Mr. Trump announced the agreement on Friday , following a three-way phone call he had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain ’ s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa .
The three leaders also issued a brief six-paragraph joint statement , attesting to the deal .
The announcement on the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week before Mr. Trump hosts a White House ceremony to mark the establishment of full relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates .
Bahrain ’ s foreign minister will attend the event .
“ There ’ s no more powerful response to the hatred that spawned 9/11 than this agreement , ” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House .
It represents another diplomatic win for Mr. Trump less than two months before the the presidential election and an opportunity to shore up support among pro-Israel evangelical Christians .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in principle for Kosovo to recognize Israel and for Serbia to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem .
“ This is a historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East , ” Mr. Trump , Mr. Netanyahu and King Hamad said in the statement .
“ Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability , security , and prosperity in the region.
” Like the UAE agreement , Friday ’ s Bahrain-Israel deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and other relations between the two countries .
Bahrain , along with Saudi Arabia , had already dropped a prohibition on Israeli flights using its airspace .
Saudi acquiescence to the agreements has been considered key to the deals .
Mr. Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner noted that the agreement is the second Israel has reached with an Arab country in 30 days after having made peace with only two Arab nations – Egypt and Jordan – in 72 years of its independence .
“ This is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press .
“ The region is responding very favorably to the UAE deal and hopefully it ’ s a sign that even more will come.
” Mr. Netanyahu welcomed the agreement and thanked Mr. Trump .
“ It took us 26 years between the second peace agreement with an Arab country and the third , but only 29 days between the third and the fourth , and there will be more , ” he said , referring to the 1994 peace treaty with Jordan and the more recent agreements .
The agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setback to the Palestinians who tried unsuccessfully to have the Arab League condemn normalization with Israel until they have secured an independent state .
That was one of the few cards still held by Palestinians in negotiations as peace talks remain stalled .
The joint statement made passing mention of the Palestinians , saying the parties will continue efforts “ to achieve a just , comprehensive , and enduring resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to enable the Palestinian people to realize their full potential.
” The agreement makes Bahrain the fourth Arab country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UAE , to have full diplomatic ties with Israel .
Other Arab nations believed to be on the cusp of fully recognizing Israel include Oman and Sudan .
While tacitly blessing the deals , Saudi Arabia , the regional power player , is not expected to move as quickly .
Like the UAE , Bahrain has never fought a war against Israel and doesn ’ t share a border with it .
But Bahrain , like most of the Arab world , long rejected diplomatic ties with Israel in the absence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on lands captured by Israel in 1967 .
The agreement could give a boost to Mr. Netanyahu , who was indicted on corruption charges last year .
Deals with Gulf Arab states “ are the direct result of the policy that I have led for two decades , ” namely “ peace for peace , peace through strength , ” Mr. Netanyahu has said .
The Israeli-UAE deal required Israel to halt its contentious plan to annex occupied West Bank land sought by the Palestinians .
Telephone calls soon began working between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals , including direct flights .
While the UAE ’ s population remains small and the federation has no tradition of standing up to the country ’ s autocracy , Bahrain represents a far-different country .
Just off the coast of Saudi Arabia , the island of Bahrain is among the world ’ s smallest countries , only about 290 square miles .
Bahrain ’ s location in the Persian Gulf long has made it a trading stop and a naval defensive position .
The island is home to the U.S. Navy ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British naval base .
Bahrain is acutely aware of threats posed by Iran , an anxiety that comes from Bahrain ’ s majority Shiite population , despite being ruled since 1783 by the Sunni Al Khalifa family .
Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had pushed to take over the island after the British left , though Bahrainis in 1970 overwhelmingly supported becoming an independent nation and the U.N. Security Council unanimously backed that .
Since Iran ’ s 1979 Islamic Revolution , Bahrain ’ s rulers have blamed Iran for arming militants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations , though weapons experts suggest explosives found there bear similarities to others linked to Iran .
Israel and Iran view each other as top regional enemies .
Outside of those tensions , Bahrain ’ s Shiite majority has accused the government of treating them like second-class citizens .
The Shiites joined pro-democracy activists in demanding more political freedoms in 2011 , as Arab Spring protests swept across the wider Middle East .
Saudi and Emirati troops ultimately helped violently put down the demonstrations .
In recent years , Bahrain has cracked down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hampered independent reporting on the island .
While the Obama administration halted the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain over human rights concerns , the Trump administration dropped that after coming into office .
Bahrain ’ s royal family and officials have come out in support of the Israel-UAE agreement .
However , civil society groups and others have condemned the move and warned the monarchy not to follow in UAE ’ s footsteps – despite Bahrain ’ s years-long flirtation with Israel and Jewish leaders .
Unlike the Emirates , Jews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some still live there .
In 2017 , two prominent U.S. rabbis said Bahrain ’ s king told them he hoped the Arab boycott of Israel would end .
An interfaith group from Bahrain that year also visited Israel , though the state-run Bahrain News Agency later said that it didn ’ t “ represent any official entity ” after an uproar erupted on social media .
Bahrain has increasingly relied on support from other nations as it struggles with its debts , particularly neighboring Saudi Arabia .
In that way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning any normalization with Israel likely got the kingdom ’ s approval , though , Saudi Arabia has for its part remained silent since the Emirati announcement .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Aya Batrawy in Dubai , United Arab Emirates ; and Ilan Ben Zion and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed to this report .

Bahrain has become the latest Arab nation to agree to normalize ties with Israel as part of a broader diplomatic push by United States President Donald Trump and his administration to fully integrate the Jewish state into the Middle East.
Mr. Trump announced the agreement on Friday, following a three-way phone call he had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The three leaders also issued a brief six-paragraph joint statement, attesting to the deal.
“Another HISTORIC breakthrough today!” Mr. Trump tweeted.
The announcement on the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks came less than a week before Mr. Trump hosts a White House ceremony to mark the establishment of full relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain’s foreign minister will attend the event.
“There’s no more powerful response to the hatred that spawned 9/11 than this agreement,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House.
It represents another diplomatic win for Mr. Trump less than two months before the the presidential election and an opportunity to shore up support among pro-Israel evangelical Christians. Just last week, Mr. Trump announced agreements in principle for Kosovo to recognize Israel and for Serbia to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“This is a historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East,” Mr. Trump, Mr. Netanyahu and King Hamad said in the statement.
“Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region.”
Like the UAE agreement, Friday’s Bahrain-Israel deal will normalize diplomatic, commercial, security, and other relations between the two countries. Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia, had already dropped a prohibition on Israeli flights using its airspace. Saudi acquiescence to the agreements has been considered key to the deals.
Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner noted that the agreement is the second Israel has reached with an Arab country in 30 days after having made peace with only two Arab nations – Egypt and Jordan – in 72 years of its independence.
“This is very fast,” Mr. Kushner told The Associated Press. “The region is responding very favorably to the UAE deal and hopefully it’s a sign that even more will come.”
Mr. Netanyahu welcomed the agreement and thanked Mr. Trump. “It took us 26 years between the second peace agreement with an Arab country and the third, but only 29 days between the third and the fourth, and there will be more,” he said, referring to the 1994 peace treaty with Jordan and the more recent agreements.
The agreement will likely be seen as a further setback to the Palestinians who tried unsuccessfully to have the Arab League condemn normalization with Israel until they have secured an independent state. That was one of the few cards still held by Palestinians in negotiations as peace talks remain stalled.
The joint statement made passing mention of the Palestinians, saying the parties will continue efforts “to achieve a just, comprehensive, and enduring resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to enable the Palestinian people to realize their full potential.”
The agreement makes Bahrain the fourth Arab country, after Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE, to have full diplomatic ties with Israel. Other Arab nations believed to be on the cusp of fully recognizing Israel include Oman and Sudan. While tacitly blessing the deals, Saudi Arabia, the regional power player, is not expected to move as quickly.
Like the UAE, Bahrain has never fought a war against Israel and doesn’t share a border with it. But Bahrain, like most of the Arab world, long rejected diplomatic ties with Israel in the absence of a peace deal establishing a Palestinian state on lands captured by Israel in 1967.
The agreement could give a boost to Mr. Netanyahu, who was indicted on corruption charges last year. Deals with Gulf Arab states “are the direct result of the policy that I have led for two decades,” namely “peace for peace, peace through strength,” Mr. Netanyahu has said.
The Israeli-UAE deal required Israel to halt its contentious plan to annex occupied West Bank land sought by the Palestinians. Telephone calls soon began working between the nations as they continue to discuss other deals, including direct flights.
While the UAE’s population remains small and the federation has no tradition of standing up to the country’s autocracy, Bahrain represents a far-different country.
Just off the coast of Saudi Arabia, the island of Bahrain is among the world’s smallest countries, only about 290 square miles. Bahrain’s location in the Persian Gulf long has made it a trading stop and a naval defensive position. The island is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet and a recently built British naval base.
Bahrain is acutely aware of threats posed by Iran, an anxiety that comes from Bahrain’s majority Shiite population, despite being ruled since 1783 by the Sunni Al Khalifa family. Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had pushed to take over the island after the British left, though Bahrainis in 1970 overwhelmingly supported becoming an independent nation and the U.N. Security Council unanimously backed that.
Since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Bahrain’s rulers have blamed Iran for arming militants on the island. Iran denies the accusations, though weapons experts suggest explosives found there bear similarities to others linked to Iran. Israel and Iran view each other as top regional enemies.
Outside of those tensions, Bahrain’s Shiite majority has accused the government of treating them like second-class citizens. The Shiites joined pro-democracy activists in demanding more political freedoms in 2011, as Arab Spring protests swept across the wider Middle East. Saudi and Emirati troops ultimately helped violently put down the demonstrations.
In recent years, Bahrain has cracked down on all dissent, imprisoned activists and hampered independent reporting on the island. While the Obama administration halted the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain over human rights concerns, the Trump administration dropped that after coming into office.
Bahrain’s royal family and officials have come out in support of the Israel-UAE agreement. However, civil society groups and others have condemned the move and warned the monarchy not to follow in UAE’s footsteps – despite Bahrain’s years-long flirtation with Israel and Jewish leaders. Unlike the Emirates, Jews had a historical presence on the island and some still live there.
In 2017, two prominent U.S. rabbis said Bahrain’s king told them he hoped the Arab boycott of Israel would end. An interfaith group from Bahrain that year also visited Israel, though the state-run Bahrain News Agency later said that it didn’t “represent any official entity” after an uproar erupted on social media.
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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.
Bahrain has increasingly relied on support from other nations as it struggles with its debts, particularly neighboring Saudi Arabia. In that way, Bahrain has followed in lockstep with Riyadh, meaning any normalization with Israel likely got the kingdom’s approval, though, Saudi Arabia has for its part remained silent since the Emirati announcement.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Ilan Ben Zion and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-09-11--Where are the Black geoscientists? Diversity call highlights eco-justice.

“ Growing up , most of us didn ’ t have role models to look up to , ” says Munira Raji , a Nigerian British geologist at Durham University who helped organize the program .
“ Now that we ’ re in the position to be the role models , we want to do something to encourage the next generation.
” This week , thousands of Black geoscientists like Ms. Phoma gathered online for the first Black in Geoscience Week , part of a larger movement to highlight the work of Black people working in the natural sciences .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have scientists of color in the earth sciences , because around the world , it is communities of color that stand on the front lines of the climate crisis and other environmental emergencies .
Today , however , Ms. Phoma is on the cusp of finishing her doctorate in microbial ecology .
“ I am aware that I am occupying a space that never had me in mind , ” she says .
“ Scientists work every day with incredibly complex ideas , but we struggle to understand more basic ones like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nelson Mandela ’ s South Africa , Sandra Boitumelo Phoma never considered becoming a scientist .
“ When I saw scientists , I saw Einstein .
I saw white people , ” she says .
As a child , Sandra Boitumelo Phoma never considered becoming a scientist .
“ When I saw scientists , I saw Einstein .
I saw white people , ” she says .
“ For me , it felt so far-fetched.
” This was Nelson Mandela ’ s South Africa , where Black women like her could now aspire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctor .
She could dream of being a lawyer or a teacher .
But a scientist ?
“ That still wasn ’ t for someone like me , ” she says .
Today , however , Ms. Phoma is on the cusp of finishing her doctorate in microbial ecology .
She studies what she calls the adventures of the ocean ’ s microorganisms , whose diversity is a bellwether for that of ocean life more generally , and whose contributions to their ecosystem , she says , are often overlooked by researchers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lies at the core of her scientific work , equally important is making the world see that this work can be done by people like her .
“ I am aware that I am occupying a space that never had me in mind , ” she says .
“ Scientists work every day with incredibly complex ideas , but we struggle to understand more basic ones like race and power.
” This week , thousands of Black geoscientists like Ms. Phoma gathered on Twitter , Zoom , and YouTube for the first Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most of us didn ’ t have role models to look up to , so now that we ’ re in the position to be the role models , we want to do something to encourage the next generation , ” says Munira Raji , a Nigerian British geologist at Durham University in the United Kingdom who co-organized the program with Craig Poku , an atmospheric scientist at the University of Leeds , and Hendratta Ali , a geologist at Fort Hays State University in Kansas .
Black in Geoscience Week followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black in… ” weeks on social media in recent months .
The trend began in June , with Black Birders Week , organized after a video of a birder named Christian Cooper being threatened in New York ’ s Central Park by a white woman went viral in May .
After that came Black in Chem Week , Black Women in STEM Week , Black in Neuroscience Week , and several others .
For the scientists who thought up Black in Geoscience , the crisis in their field felt especially acute .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of current graduate students in the earth sciences were Black , Indigenous , or people of color as of 2019 .
Just 3 % were Black .
And racial minorities as a whole make up only 4 % of all tenured or tenure-track professors in the top 100 geosciences programs in the U.S. “ We wanted a chance to celebrate the work that Black geoscientists are doing , but at the same time to ask why we remain the smallest demographic in the field , ” says Dr. Poku .
That lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wider cultural stereotypes about who “ belongs ” in the outdoors – the very kind that led to Mr. Cooper having the police called on him for birding , or made Ms. Phoma question herself throughout her Ph.D. research as her fellow graduate students chatted about the weekends they spent surfing and sailing .
But many observers argue it is particularly important to have scientists of color in the earth sciences , many of which explore the impacts of climate change , because around the world , it is communities of color that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
Long before Ruth Sitienei studied and worked with Kenya ’ s top scientific minds as a soil scientist , she had another teacher in the field : her father .
Growing up on his farm , she learned from him how to conserve nutrients in the soil , and protect their environment from degradation .
“ Even now that I work in the field , I know there is no one who knows a farm better than the farmer , ” says Ms. Sitienei , a soil scientist with the Nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones most invested in protecting it.
” Tiara Moore , a postdoctoral researcher working in soil biodiversity at the University of Washington , says Black geoscientists often make the connection between their research and wider issues of environmental justice much more quickly than their white colleagues , who may not have such direct lived experience with it .
“ When I look at my research questions , I look at them differently , ” she says .
“ I bring a different set of experiences to the table.
” On Twitter this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chatted about their struggles in the field .
Many said they had never had a Black mentor or professor .
Others noted the loneliness of being the only Black scientist in a department or lab .
In a Twitter chat called # Blackinthemud about fieldwork , Dr. Moore shared the experience of a white woman threatening to call the cops on her as she conducted her research .
“ These conversations we ’ re starting to have this week are only scratching the surface , ” Dr. Poku says .
“ But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we can continue after this week is over .
”

“Growing up, most of us didn’t have role models to look up to,” says Munira Raji, a Nigerian British geologist at Durham University who helped organize the program. “Now that we’re in the position to be the role models, we want to do something to encourage the next generation.”
This week, thousands of Black geoscientists like Ms. Phoma gathered online for the first Black in Geoscience Week , part of a larger movement to highlight the work of Black people working in the natural sciences.
Many observers argue it is particularly important to have scientists of color in the earth sciences, because around the world, it is communities of color that stand on the front lines of the climate crisis and other environmental emergencies.
An online movement reflects a growing acknowledgment that the scientific study of the Earth and all of its diversity ought to reflect the diversity of the people who live on it.
Today, however, Ms. Phoma is on the cusp of finishing her doctorate in microbial ecology. “I am aware that I am occupying a space that never had me in mind,” she says. “Scientists work every day with incredibly complex ideas, but we struggle to understand more basic ones like race and power.”
Growing up in Nelson Mandela’s South Africa, Sandra Boitumelo Phoma never considered becoming a scientist. “When I saw scientists, I saw Einstein. I saw white people,” she says.
As a child, Sandra Boitumelo Phoma never considered becoming a scientist.
“When I saw scientists, I saw Einstein. I saw white people,” she says. “For me, it felt so far-fetched.”
This was Nelson Mandela’s South Africa, where Black women like her could now aspire to be an engineer or maybe a doctor. She could dream of being a lawyer or a teacher. But a scientist? “That still wasn’t for someone like me,” she says.
Why We Wrote This An online movement reflects a growing acknowledgment that the scientific study of the Earth and all of its diversity ought to reflect the diversity of the people who live on it.
Today, however, Ms. Phoma is on the cusp of finishing her doctorate in microbial ecology. She studies what she calls the adventures of the ocean’s microorganisms, whose diversity is a bellwether for that of ocean life more generally, and whose contributions to their ecosystem, she says, are often overlooked by researchers.
If revealing the importance of those organisms lies at the core of her scientific work, equally important is making the world see that this work can be done by people like her.
“I am aware that I am occupying a space that never had me in mind,” she says. “Scientists work every day with incredibly complex ideas, but we struggle to understand more basic ones like race and power.”
This week, thousands of Black geoscientists like Ms. Phoma gathered on Twitter, Zoom, and YouTube for the first Black in Geoscience Week.
“Growing up, most of us didn’t have role models to look up to, so now that we’re in the position to be the role models, we want to do something to encourage the next generation,” says Munira Raji, a Nigerian British geologist at Durham University in the United Kingdom who co-organized the program with Craig Poku, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Leeds, and Hendratta Ali, a geologist at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
Whose outdoors?
Black in Geoscience Week followed in the footsteps of several other “Black in…” weeks on social media in recent months. The trend began in June, with Black Birders Week, organized after a video of a birder named Christian Cooper being threatened in New York’s Central Park by a white woman went viral in May. After that came Black in Chem Week, Black Women in STEM Week, Black in Neuroscience Week, and several others.
For the scientists who thought up Black in Geoscience, the crisis in their field felt especially acute. In the United States, only 12% of current graduate students in the earth sciences were Black, Indigenous, or people of color as of 2019. Just 3% were Black. And racial minorities as a whole make up only 4% of all tenured or tenure-track professors in the top 100 geosciences programs in the U.S.
“We wanted a chance to celebrate the work that Black geoscientists are doing, but at the same time to ask why we remain the smallest demographic in the field,” says Dr. Poku.
That lack of diversity, many argue, speaks to wider cultural stereotypes about who “belongs” in the outdoors – the very kind that led to Mr. Cooper having the police called on him for birding, or made Ms. Phoma question herself throughout her Ph.D. research as her fellow graduate students chatted about the weekends they spent surfing and sailing.
But many observers argue it is particularly important to have scientists of color in the earth sciences, many of which explore the impacts of climate change, because around the world, it is communities of color that stand on the front lines of that crisis.
Scratching the surface
Long before Ruth Sitienei studied and worked with Kenya’s top scientific minds as a soil scientist, she had another teacher in the field: her father. Growing up on his farm, she learned from him how to conserve nutrients in the soil, and protect their environment from degradation.
“Even now that I work in the field, I know there is no one who knows a farm better than the farmer,” says Ms. Sitienei, a soil scientist with the Nature Conservancy. “And they are the ones most invested in protecting it.”
Tiara Moore, a postdoctoral researcher working in soil biodiversity at the University of Washington, says Black geoscientists often make the connection between their research and wider issues of environmental justice much more quickly than their white colleagues, who may not have such direct lived experience with it.
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“When I look at my research questions, I look at them differently,” she says. “I bring a different set of experiences to the table.”
Courtesy of Dr. Tiara Moore View caption Hide caption Dr. Tiara Moore was conducting fieldwork when she says a white woman threatened to call the police on her. Many Black earth scientists say they are often made to feel out of place in their field of study.
On Twitter this week, Black geoscientists shared their research and chatted about their struggles in the field. Many said they had never had a Black mentor or professor. Others noted the loneliness of being the only Black scientist in a department or lab. In a Twitter chat called #Blackinthemud about fieldwork, Dr. Moore shared the experience of a white woman threatening to call the cops on her as she conducted her research.
“These conversations we’re starting to have this week are only scratching the surface,” Dr. Poku says. “But we’re hoping they open a door, and we can continue after this week is over.”