csmonitor--2020-03-30--Wuhan revives: From outbreak epicenter to forefront of hope

Shopkeepers in the city at the center of China 's virus outbreak were reopening Monday but customers were scarce after authorities lifted more of the anti-virus controls that kept tens of millions of people at home for two months .
`` I 'm so excited , I want to cry , '' said a woman on one of Wuhan 's major shopping streets , the Chuhe Hanjie pedestrian mall , who would give only the English name Kat .
Kat said she was a teacher in the eastern city of Nanjing and was visiting her family when most access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people and the manufacturing hub of central China , was suspended Jan. 23 to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
`` After two months trapped at home , I want to jump , '' said Kat , jumping up and down excitedly .
`` I want to revenge shop . ''
While other governments tighten travel and other controls , the ruling Communist Party has rolled back curbs on Wuhan and other areas as it tries to revive the world 's second-largest economy after declaring victory over the outbreak .
Wuhan in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under travel controls .
Residents are allowed to go to other parts of Hubei but can not leave the province .
Restrictions on other Hubei residents were lifted March 23 .
The final curbs on Wuhan end April 8 .
Wuhan became the center of the most intensive anti-disease controls ever imposed after the virus emerged in December .
Some researchers suggest it may have jumped to humans from a bat at one of the city 's wildlife markets .
The ruling party suppressed information about the outbreak and reprimanded doctors in Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As late as Jan. 19 , city leaders went ahead with a dinner for 40,000 households to celebrate the Lunar New Year .
Local leaders held one more event , a Jan. 22 holiday gala at which musicians and actors were sniffling and sneezing , before the government acknowledged the severity of the problem .
The next morning , residents awoke to news that their sprawling city that straddles the Yangtze River was cut off from the outside world .
Police set up roadblocks at expressway entrances .
Only truckers leaving the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other drivers with official passes were allowed through .
Bus and subway service inside Wuhan shut down .
Restaurants , shops , cinemas , and other businesses were ordered to close , leaving streets empty and silent in a foreshadowing of controls that would spread to other countries .
Families were ordered to stay home .
Restrictions spread to cities around Wuhan and eventually expanded to cover some 800 million people , or more than half of China 's population .
Restaurants , shopping malls , factories , and other businesses were closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Wuhan became the center of a massive effort to treat the sick , understand the virus , and stop its spread .
Two temporary hospitals with more than 1,000 beds each were built and a third one was set up in an exhibition center .
Hundreds of military doctors and nurses were dispatched to the city , along with tons of medical supplies .
President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan for the first time March 10 in a show of official confidence that the virus was under control .
The next day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Hubei , allowing some factories and other businesses deemed essential to the economy or to producing daily necessities to reopen .
On Monday , 70 % to 80 % of shops on the Chuhe Hanjie mall in the city center were open but many imposed limits on how many people could enter .
Shopkeepers set up dispensers for hand sanitizer and checked customers for signs of fever .
Buses and subways started to run again Saturday and the train station reopened , bringing thousands of people to the city .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolled out a massive propaganda effort to portray its leaders as the heroes of the outbreak and deflect accusations they allowed the virus to spread due to politically motivated foot-dragging .
Government spokespeople have suggested the coronavirus ' origin is unknown , contradicting earlier official statements that it came from Wuhan .
A foreign ministry spokesman said the virus might have been brought to Wuhan by visiting American military officials , a claim that prompted an angry response from Washington .
Wuhan suffered 2,547 coronavirus deaths , accounting for about 80 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of midnight Sunday , according to the National Health Commission .
The country had a total of 81,470 confirmed cases .
Officials are under orders to revive manufacturing , retailing , and other industries while also preventing a spike in infections as people return to work .
This week , visitors to Wuhan were required to report how they arrived and their reason for coming .
Hotel guests were checked twice a day for fever .
They were required to show a code on a smartphone app that tracks the user 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aside five hotels to quarantine visitors including foreigners who lack Chinese identity cards .
Hotel staff and volunteers in protective coveralls sprayed guests and their luggage with disinfectant .
Passengers who wanted to board a public bus had to show a smartphone health code to volunteers in red vests .
Some of Wuhan 's major shopping malls reopened Monday .
Others planned to reopen later in the week .
Customers at the upscale Wuhan International Mall were greeted by employees who wore masks and carried signs that said , `` Please wear masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gather .
Please keep a safe distance . ''
Cinemas , teahouses , and some restaurants still were closed .
Automakers and other manufacturers in Wuhan have reopened but say they need to restore the flow of components from suppliers before production returns to normal levels .
Some are waiting for employees who went to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year holiday and were stranded when plane , train , and bus services in areas deemed at high risk of the disease were suspended .
On Monday , some parents were on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was light on streets that normally are jammed with cars .
The owner of a candy shop on the Chuhe Hanjie mall said two of her four employees are back at work but she was n't sure whether the others were willing to come back .
`` We 've only prepared a little stock , '' said the owner , Li Zhen .
`` Most people are still afraid of the virus . ''
A poster at the entrance to the pedestrian mall asked customers to wear masks , cooperate with fever checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A banner nearby said , `` Wuhan We Are Coming Back .
Thank You . ''
Two women who wore protective clothing that identified them as medical workers were surrounded by pedestrians who waved Chinese flags at them in a gesture of gratitude .
Mr. Li gave them bags of candy .
`` We may have to wait for a while to see when things can return to normal , '' said Mr. Li .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Mr. McDonald reported from Beijing .
AP producer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Shopkeepers in the city at the center of China's virus outbreak were reopening Monday but customers were scarce after authorities lifted more of the anti-virus controls that kept tens of millions of people at home for two months.
"I'm so excited, I want to cry," said a woman on one of Wuhan's major shopping streets, the Chuhe Hanjie pedestrian mall, who would give only the English name Kat.
Kat said she was a teacher in the eastern city of Nanjing and was visiting her family when most access to Wuhan, a city of 11 million people and the manufacturing hub of central China, was suspended Jan. 23 to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
"After two months trapped at home, I want to jump," said Kat, jumping up and down excitedly. "I want to revenge shop."
While other governments tighten travel and other controls, the ruling Communist Party has rolled back curbs on Wuhan and other areas as it tries to revive the world's second-largest economy after declaring victory over the outbreak.
Wuhan in Hubei province is the last city still under travel controls. Residents are allowed to go to other parts of Hubei but cannot leave the province. Restrictions on other Hubei residents were lifted March 23. The final curbs on Wuhan end April 8.
Wuhan became the center of the most intensive anti-disease controls ever imposed after the virus emerged in December. Some researchers suggest it may have jumped to humans from a bat at one of the city's wildlife markets.
The ruling party suppressed information about the outbreak and reprimanded doctors in Wuhan who tried to warn the public. As late as Jan. 19, city leaders went ahead with a dinner for 40,000 households to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Local leaders held one more event, a Jan. 22 holiday gala at which musicians and actors were sniffling and sneezing, before the government acknowledged the severity of the problem. The next morning, residents awoke to news that their sprawling city that straddles the Yangtze River was cut off from the outside world.
Police set up roadblocks at expressway entrances. Only truckers leaving the city to collect food and a handful of other drivers with official passes were allowed through. Bus and subway service inside Wuhan shut down.
Restaurants, shops, cinemas, and other businesses were ordered to close, leaving streets empty and silent in a foreshadowing of controls that would spread to other countries. Families were ordered to stay home.
Restrictions spread to cities around Wuhan and eventually expanded to cover some 800 million people, or more than half of China's population. Restaurants, shopping malls, factories, and other businesses were closed nationwide and families were told to stay home.
Wuhan became the center of a massive effort to treat the sick, understand the virus, and stop its spread. Two temporary hospitals with more than 1,000 beds each were built and a third one was set up in an exhibition center. Hundreds of military doctors and nurses were dispatched to the city, along with tons of medical supplies.
President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan for the first time March 10 in a show of official confidence that the virus was under control. The next day, the government began to ease controls on Hubei, allowing some factories and other businesses deemed essential to the economy or to producing daily necessities to reopen.
On Monday, 70% to 80% of shops on the Chuhe Hanjie mall in the city center were open but many imposed limits on how many people could enter. Shopkeepers set up dispensers for hand sanitizer and checked customers for signs of fever.
Buses and subways started to run again Saturday and the train station reopened, bringing thousands of people to the city.
At the same time, the ruling party has rolled out a massive propaganda effort to portray its leaders as the heroes of the outbreak and deflect accusations they allowed the virus to spread due to politically motivated foot-dragging.
Government spokespeople have suggested the coronavirus' origin is unknown, contradicting earlier official statements that it came from Wuhan. A foreign ministry spokesman said the virus might have been brought to Wuhan by visiting American military officials, a claim that prompted an angry response from Washington.
Wuhan suffered 2,547 coronavirus deaths, accounting for about 80% of China's total fatality toll of 3,186 as of midnight Sunday, according to the National Health Commission. The country had a total of 81,470 confirmed cases.
Officials are under orders to revive manufacturing, retailing, and other industries while also preventing a spike in infections as people return to work.
This week, visitors to Wuhan were required to report how they arrived and their reason for coming. Hotel guests were checked twice a day for fever. They were required to show a code on a smartphone app that tracks the user's health status and travel.
Authorities set aside five hotels to quarantine visitors including foreigners who lack Chinese identity cards. Hotel staff and volunteers in protective coveralls sprayed guests and their luggage with disinfectant.
Passengers who wanted to board a public bus had to show a smartphone health code to volunteers in red vests.
Some of Wuhan's major shopping malls reopened Monday. Others planned to reopen later in the week.
Customers at the upscale Wuhan International Mall were greeted by employees who wore masks and carried signs that said, "Please wear masks all the way. Please don't gather. Please keep a safe distance."
Cinemas, teahouses, and some restaurants still were closed.
Automakers and other manufacturers in Wuhan have reopened but say they need to restore the flow of components from suppliers before production returns to normal levels.
Some are waiting for employees who went to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year holiday and were stranded when plane, train, and bus services in areas deemed at high risk of the disease were suspended.
On Monday, some parents were on the streets with children, but traffic was light on streets that normally are jammed with cars.
The owner of a candy shop on the Chuhe Hanjie mall said two of her four employees are back at work but she wasn't sure whether the others were willing to come back.
"We've only prepared a little stock," said the owner, Li Zhen. "Most people are still afraid of the virus."
A poster at the entrance to the pedestrian mall asked customers to wear masks, cooperate with fever checks, and show a smartphone health code.
A banner nearby said, "Wuhan We Are Coming Back. Thank You."
Two women who wore protective clothing that identified them as medical workers were surrounded by pedestrians who waved Chinese flags at them in a gesture of gratitude. Mr. Li gave them bags of candy.
"We may have to wait for a while to see when things can return to normal," said Mr. Li.
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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. Mr. McDonald reported from Beijing. AP producer Olivia Zhang 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--2020-03-27--Why US placed a $15 million bounty on Venezuela's Maduro

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stood defiant in the face of a $ 15 million bounty by the United States to face drug trafficking charges , calling Donald Trump a `` racist cowboy , '' and warning that he is ready to fight by whatever means necessary should the U.S. and neighboring Colombia dare to invade .
Mr. Maduro 's bellicose remarks on Thursday night came hours after the U.S. announced sweeping indictments against the socialist leader and several members of his inner circle for allegedly converting Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello , head of the rubber-stamp constitutional assembly , of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military `` to flood the United States with cocaine '' and use the drug trade as a `` weapon against America . ''
Mr. Maduro , a former bus driver who fashions himself as an everyman icon of the Latin American left , said the charges were politically motivated .
He said they ignore U.S. ally Colombia 's role as the main source of the world 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace talks between Colombia 's government and that country 's rebels over the past decade .
`` Donald Trump , you are a miserable human being , '' Mr. Maduro railed during his televised address .
`` You manage international relations like a New York mafia extortion artist you once were as a real estate boss . ''
Some of Mr. Maduro 's most venomous rhetoric ever against Mr. Trump also came with a threat of military force : `` If one day the imperialists and Colombian oligarchy dare to touch even a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolivarian fury of an entire nation that will wipe them all out . ''
Earlier , Venezuela 's chief prosecutor opened an investigation against opposition leader Juan Guaidó for allegedly plotting a coup with retired army Gen. Cliver Alcalá , who after being named in the U.S. indictments said he had stockpiled assault weapons in Colombia for a cross-border incursion .
Without offering evidence , Mr. Maduro said the Drug Enforcement Administration was behind a plan by Mr. Alcalá to assassinate him and other political leaders .
The indictment of a functioning head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bound to ratchet up tensions with Washington as the spread of the coronavirus threatens to collapse Venezuela 's shortage-plagued health system .
Mr. Maduro has ordered Venezuelans to stay home in an effort to curb the spread of the virus , which officials say has infected 107 people and claimed its first death on Thursday .
Criminal acts to advance a drug and weapons conspiracy that dates back to the start of Hugo Chavez 's revolution in 1999 occurred as far afield as Syria , Mexico , Honduras , and Iran , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated the conspiracy helped smuggle as much as 250 metric tons of cocaine a year out of South America .
`` The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality , '' Mr. Barr said in an online news conference from Washington .
`` While the Venezuelan people suffer , this cabal lines their pockets with drug money , and the proceeds of their corruption .
And this has to come to an end . ''
The coordinated unsealing of indictments against 14 officials and government-connected individuals , along with the announcement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maduro and four others , attacked all the key planks of what Mr. Barr called the `` corrupt Venezuelan regime , '' including the Maduro-dominated judiciary and the powerful armed forces .
In Miami , prosecutors charged Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno with laundering in the U.S. at least $ 3 million in illegal proceeds from case fixing in Venezuela , including one involving a General Motors factory .
Much of the money he spent on private aircraft , luxury watches , and shopping at Prada , prosecutors allege .
Mr. Maduro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was charged with conspiracy to smuggle narcotics in a May 2019 indictment unsealed in Washington .
`` This announcement is a major blow for Maduro who has been running Venezuela like a mafia state , with rampant corruption and widespread atrocities , and absolute impunity , '' said Jose Miguel Vivanco , the Americas director of Human Rights Watch .
`` With this indictment he may now lose his aura of invincibility , of being completely above the law , which is very welcome news . ''
But its unclear how it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15-month standoff between Mr. Maduro , who has the support of Russia and China , and U.S.-backed Mr. Guaidó .
It also could fragment the U.S.-led coalition against Mr. Maduro if European and Latin American allies think the Trump administration is overreaching .
An estimated 5 million Venezuelans have left the country in recent years , fleeing hyperinflation and widespread food and medicine shortages .
`` It 's an incredibly dangerous gamble to redouble the offensive against Maduro 's regime when the priority must be to shore up the country 's collapsing health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exodus , '' said Ivan Briscoe , the Latin America director for the Crisis Group .
`` These U.S. charges could spell doom for any thaw , expose Guaidó to grave risks , and appear high-handedly indifferent to the immediate suffering of Venezuela 's people . ''
Mr. Maduro has long accused the U.S. `` empire '' of looking for any excuse to take control of the world 's largest oil reserves , likening its plotting to the 1989 invasion of Panama and the removal of strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega to face drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Elliott Abrams , the State Department 's special envoy on Venezuela , are driving the hawkish U.S. stance toward Mr. Maduro , much as they pushed for Mr. Noriega 's ouster in the late 1980s – Mr. Barr as a senior Justice Department official and Mr. Abrams as assistant secretary of state for Latin America .
U.S. officials see other parallels as well .
Mr. Noriega transformed Panama into a playground for violent , international drug cartels , and the Trump administration has accused Mr. Maduro and his military henchmen of harboring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even Hezbollah , a designated terrorist group .
They also have accused government officials together with well-connected businessmen of stealing hundreds of billions of dollars from the state coffers , much of it from state oil giant PDVSA , which has seen its production plunge to a seven-decade low .
Still , charging Mr. Maduro was no easy task .
Sitting foreign leaders normally enjoy immunity from prosecution under U.S. law and international norms .
But the U.S. is among 60 countries that no longer consider Mr. Maduro a head of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power .
They instead recognize Mr. Guaidó , the head of the congress , as Venezuela 's rightful leader following the socialist 's re-election in a 2018 race marred by allegations of fraud and an opposition boycott .
The evidence against Mr. Maduro was collected over several years by investigators in Miami , New York , Houston , and Washington who have brought drug trafficking , foreign bribery , and money-laundering charges against several senior Venezuelan officials , members of the military and government-connected businessmen .
To the surprise of many , Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Trump administration raised the ante last fall , withdrawing support for a Norway-sponsored mediation effort and extending sanctions so that even foreign companies faced retaliation for extending Mr. Maduro a lifeline .
Separately , Mr. Barr prioritized investigations into Mr. Maduro 's inner circle , according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Justice Department deliberations .
The pressure to deliver , the people said , went into overdrive around the time Mr. Guaidó visited Washington in February and Mr. Trump praised him as his guest at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling him `` a very brave man , who carries with him the hopes , dreams , and aspirations of all Venezuelans . ''
Frank Mora , a former Pentagon official , said the U.S. is right to condemn Mr. Maduro and others for repressing his people , stealing from state coffers , and turning Venezuela into a criminal state .
But he worries the indictments play more into the emotion of voters in Florida – a must-win state for Mr. Trump where Venezuelans , Cubans , and Nicaraguans fleeing authoritarian governments have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's grinding crisis .
`` We 're not going to go in and capture him , '' said Mr. Mora , who now heads the Latin America studies institute at Florida International University .
`` This is n't about regime change or restoring democracy to Venezuela .
It 's about electoral politics . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press with contributions from writers Scott Smith in Venezuela , Jim Mustian in New York , and Michael Balsamo , and Matthew Lee in Washington .
Editor ’ s note : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stood defiant in the face of a $15 million bounty by the United States to face drug trafficking charges, calling Donald Trump a "racist cowboy," and warning that he is ready to fight by whatever means necessary should the U.S. and neighboring Colombia dare to invade.
Mr. Maduro's bellicose remarks on Thursday night came hours after the U.S. announced sweeping indictments against the socialist leader and several members of his inner circle for allegedly converting Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups.
One indictment by prosecutors in New York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello, head of the rubber-stamp constitutional assembly, of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military "to flood the United States with cocaine" and use the drug trade as a "weapon against America."
Mr. Maduro, a former bus driver who fashions himself as an everyman icon of the Latin American left, said the charges were politically motivated. He said they ignore U.S. ally Colombia's role as the main source of the world's cocaine and his own role in facilitating peace talks between Colombia's government and that country's rebels over the past decade.
"Donald Trump, you are a miserable human being," Mr. Maduro railed during his televised address. "You manage international relations like a New York mafia extortion artist you once were as a real estate boss."
Some of Mr. Maduro's most venomous rhetoric ever against Mr. Trump also came with a threat of military force: "If one day the imperialists and Colombian oligarchy dare to touch even a single hair, they will face the Bolivarian fury of an entire nation that will wipe them all out."
Earlier, Venezuela's chief prosecutor opened an investigation against opposition leader Juan Guaidó for allegedly plotting a coup with retired army Gen. Cliver Alcalá, who after being named in the U.S. indictments said he had stockpiled assault weapons in Colombia for a cross-border incursion. Without offering evidence, Mr. Maduro said the Drug Enforcement Administration was behind a plan by Mr. Alcalá to assassinate him and other political leaders.
The indictment of a functioning head of state is highly unusual and is bound to ratchet up tensions with Washington as the spread of the coronavirus threatens to collapse Venezuela's shortage-plagued health system. Mr. Maduro has ordered Venezuelans to stay home in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, which officials say has infected 107 people and claimed its first death on Thursday.
Criminal acts to advance a drug and weapons conspiracy that dates back to the start of Hugo Chavez's revolution in 1999 occurred as far afield as Syria, Mexico, Honduras, and Iran, the indictment alleges. Attorney General William Barr estimated the conspiracy helped smuggle as much as 250 metric tons of cocaine a year out of South America.
"The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality," Mr. Barr said in an online news conference from Washington. "While the Venezuelan people suffer, this cabal lines their pockets with drug money, and the proceeds of their corruption. And this has to come to an end."
The coordinated unsealing of indictments against 14 officials and government-connected individuals, along with the announcement of rewards of $55 million against Mr. Maduro and four others, attacked all the key planks of what Mr. Barr called the "corrupt Venezuelan regime," including the Maduro-dominated judiciary and the powerful armed forces.
In Miami, prosecutors charged Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno with laundering in the U.S. at least $3 million in illegal proceeds from case fixing in Venezuela, including one involving a General Motors factory. Much of the money he spent on private aircraft, luxury watches, and shopping at Prada, prosecutors allege.
Mr. Maduro's defense minister, Gen. Vladimir Padrino, was charged with conspiracy to smuggle narcotics in a May 2019 indictment unsealed in Washington.
"This announcement is a major blow for Maduro who has been running Venezuela like a mafia state, with rampant corruption and widespread atrocities, and absolute impunity," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Americas director of Human Rights Watch. "With this indictment he may now lose his aura of invincibility, of being completely above the law, which is very welcome news."
But its unclear how it brings Venezuela any closer to ending a 15-month standoff between Mr. Maduro, who has the support of Russia and China, and U.S.-backed Mr. Guaidó. It also could fragment the U.S.-led coalition against Mr. Maduro if European and Latin American allies think the Trump administration is overreaching. An estimated 5 million Venezuelans have left the country in recent years, fleeing hyperinflation and widespread food and medicine shortages.
"It's an incredibly dangerous gamble to redouble the offensive against Maduro's regime when the priority must be to shore up the country's collapsing health system and prevent an even worse migrant exodus," said Ivan Briscoe, the Latin America director for the Crisis Group. "These U.S. charges could spell doom for any thaw, expose Guaidó to grave risks, and appear high-handedly indifferent to the immediate suffering of Venezuela's people."
Mr. Maduro has long accused the U.S. "empire" of looking for any excuse to take control of the world's largest oil reserves, likening its plotting to the 1989 invasion of Panama and the removal of strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega to face drug trafficking charges in Florida.
Mr. Barr and Elliott Abrams, the State Department's special envoy on Venezuela, are driving the hawkish U.S. stance toward Mr. Maduro, much as they pushed for Mr. Noriega's ouster in the late 1980s – Mr. Barr as a senior Justice Department official and Mr. Abrams as assistant secretary of state for Latin America.
U.S. officials see other parallels as well. Mr. Noriega transformed Panama into a playground for violent, international drug cartels, and the Trump administration has accused Mr. Maduro and his military henchmen of harboring drug traffickers, guerrillas from Colombia, and even Hezbollah, a designated terrorist group.
They also have accused government officials together with well-connected businessmen of stealing hundreds of billions of dollars from the state coffers, much of it from state oil giant PDVSA, which has seen its production plunge to a seven-decade low.
Still, charging Mr. Maduro was no easy task. Sitting foreign leaders normally enjoy immunity from prosecution under U.S. law and international norms.
But the U.S. is among 60 countries that no longer consider Mr. Maduro a head of state even if he does hold de facto power. They instead recognize Mr. Guaidó, the head of the congress, as Venezuela's rightful leader following the socialist's re-election in a 2018 race marred by allegations of fraud and an opposition boycott.
The evidence against Mr. Maduro was collected over several years by investigators in Miami, New York, Houston, and Washington who have brought drug trafficking, foreign bribery, and money-laundering charges against several senior Venezuelan officials, members of the military and government-connected businessmen.
To the surprise of many, Mr. Maduro has stubbornly clung to power. The Trump administration raised the ante last fall, withdrawing support for a Norway-sponsored mediation effort and extending sanctions so that even foreign companies faced retaliation for extending Mr. Maduro a lifeline.
Separately, Mr. Barr prioritized investigations into Mr. Maduro's inner circle, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Justice Department deliberations.
The pressure to deliver, the people said, went into overdrive around the time Mr. Guaidó visited Washington in February and Mr. Trump praised him as his guest at the State of the Union address, calling him "a very brave man, who carries with him the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of all Venezuelans."
Frank Mora, a former Pentagon official, said the U.S. is right to condemn Mr. Maduro and others for repressing his people, stealing from state coffers, and turning Venezuela into a criminal state.
But he worries the indictments play more into the emotion of voters in Florida – a must-win state for Mr. Trump where Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans fleeing authoritarian governments have political muscle – than help address the country's grinding crisis.
"We're not going to go in and capture him," said Mr. Mora, who now heads the Latin America studies institute at Florida International University. "This isn't about regime change or restoring democracy to Venezuela. It's about electoral politics."
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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 with contributions from writers Scott Smith in Venezuela, Jim Mustian in New York, and Michael Balsamo, and Matthew Lee in Washington.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-03--Victory over the virus? Sidewalks bustle to life in Wuhan.

Sidewalk vendors wearing face masks and gloves sold pork , tomatoes , carrots , and other vegetables to shoppers on Friday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began , as workers prepared for a national memorial this weekend for health workers and others who died in the outbreak .
Shoppers and sellers in the Minyi neighborhood on the city 's southwest side had to do their business over high yellow barriers , as access to the community is still controlled .
Authorities are easing controls that kept Wuhan 's 11 million people at home for two months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Residents have been relying on online groceries and government-organized food deliveries after most access to the city was suspended on Jan. 23 and restaurants , shops , and other businesses shut down .
While the United States and other governments tighten controls and shut down businesses , Chinese leaders are trying to revive the world 's second-largest economy after declaring victory over the outbreak .
Still , local authorities have orders to prevent new infections as millions of people stream back to work in factories , offices , and shops .
Passengers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buses are checked for fever and employers have orders to disinfect workplaces regularly .
Vegetable vendor Xie Lianning said she picked up supplies at a wholesale market at 5 a.m. and drove to Minyi .
She was checked for fever at the neighborhood entrance .
Ms. Xie set up shop on a sidewalk in front of closed shops that were covered by roll-down metal doors .
The block was surrounded by the head-high yellow barriers installed to keep residents inside during the quarantine .
`` Our business is not bad .
Here is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Xie .
`` Nobody wanted to go inside .
People are willing to buy things outside . ''
`` I do n't feel safe going to a supermarket , '' said Zhan Zhongwu , who wore two layers of masks and was buying pork for his wife and grandchild .
`` There are too many people , '' he said .
`` Many infections happened in the supermarket . ''
Wuhan and the rest of China are preparing for a nationwide three minutes of silence on Saturday in honor of the 3,322 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including doctors , nurses , and other health workers who have been declared martyrs .
They include Li Wenliang , an eye doctor in Wuhan who was reprimanded in December for warning about the virus and later died of the disease .
He became a symbol of public anger at the ruling Communist Party for suppressing information about the coronavirus , possibly worsening its spread , before it took action in late January .
The party rescinded Mr. Li 's reprimand and declared him a hero as part of a propaganda effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response .
On Saturday , national flags will be lowered to half-staff at 10 a.m. while air raid sirens and the horns of cars , trains , and ships will `` wail in grief , '' the official Xinhua News Agency said .
People have been told to avoid cemeteries on Saturday , the start of a three-day holiday when families traditionally tend the graves of ancestors .
Wuhan accounts for three-quarters of China 's virus deaths but has reported no new cases for a week .
Despite that , controls requiring official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are to stay in place through Tuesday .
Ms. Xie said she still was worried about the virus but had to get back to work .
`` We have no choice , '' she said .
`` There are old and young in my family living with us .
We have a heavy financial burden . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free .

Sidewalk vendors wearing face masks and gloves sold pork, tomatoes, carrots, and other vegetables to shoppers on Friday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began, as workers prepared for a national memorial this weekend for health workers and others who died in the outbreak.
Shoppers and sellers in the Minyi neighborhood on the city's southwest side had to do their business over high yellow barriers, as access to the community is still controlled.
Authorities are easing controls that kept Wuhan's 11 million people at home for two months, but many shops are still closed.
Residents have been relying on online groceries and government-organized food deliveries after most access to the city was suspended on Jan. 23 and restaurants, shops, and other businesses shut down.
While the United States and other governments tighten controls and shut down businesses, Chinese leaders are trying to revive the world's second-largest economy after declaring victory over the outbreak.
Still, local authorities have orders to prevent new infections as millions of people stream back to work in factories, offices, and shops.
Passengers on planes, trains, subways, and buses are checked for fever and employers have orders to disinfect workplaces regularly.
Vegetable vendor Xie Lianning said she picked up supplies at a wholesale market at 5 a.m. and drove to Minyi. She was checked for fever at the neighborhood entrance.
Ms. Xie set up shop on a sidewalk in front of closed shops that were covered by roll-down metal doors. The block was surrounded by the head-high yellow barriers installed to keep residents inside during the quarantine.
"Our business is not bad. Here is definitely better than indoors," said Ms. Xie. "Nobody wanted to go inside. People are willing to buy things outside."
"I don't feel safe going to a supermarket," said Zhan Zhongwu, who wore two layers of masks and was buying pork for his wife and grandchild. "There are too many people," he said. "Many infections happened in the supermarket."
Wuhan and the rest of China are preparing for a nationwide three minutes of silence on Saturday in honor of the 3,322 people who officially died of the virus, including doctors, nurses, and other health workers who have been declared martyrs.
They include Li Wenliang, an eye doctor in Wuhan who was reprimanded in December for warning about the virus and later died of the disease. He became a symbol of public anger at the ruling Communist Party for suppressing information about the coronavirus, possibly worsening its spread, before it took action in late January.
The party rescinded Mr. Li's reprimand and declared him a hero as part of a propaganda effort aimed at deflecting criticism of the official response.
On Saturday, national flags will be lowered to half-staff at 10 a.m. while air raid sirens and the horns of cars, trains, and ships will "wail in grief," the official Xinhua News Agency said.
People have been told to avoid cemeteries on Saturday, the start of a three-day holiday when families traditionally tend the graves of ancestors.
Wuhan accounts for three-quarters of China's virus deaths but has reported no new cases for a week. Despite that, controls requiring official permission to enter or leave the city are to stay in place through Tuesday.
Ms. Xie said she still was worried about the virus but had to get back to work.
"We have no choice," she said. "There are old and young in my family living with us. We have a heavy financial burden."
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP producer Olivia Zhang 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--2020-05-06--Craving a burger? Plant-based alternatives step into the void.

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have moved beyond meat processing plants and are now hitting dinner plates .
Several U.S. production plants have been temporarily shuttered in the last two weeks after hundreds of workers were sickened by the virus .
That has led to meat shortages , with Wendy 's pulling some burgers off its menus and Costco limiting pork sales .
Fake meat companies , meanwhile , are making their moves to capture some of those lost sales .
Beyond Meat , which makes burgers and sausage from pea protein , said Tuesday it 's launching new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Impossible Foods is expanding sales to more than 1,700 Kroger groceries .
As of Monday , U.S. beef and pork processing capacity was down 40 % from last year , according to Jayson Lusk , head of the department of agricultural economics at Purdue University .
Some meatpacking plants are coming back online after President Donald Trump issued an executive order last week requiring them to stay open .
But until they 're back at full capacity , consumers will likely see some shortages and higher prices for beef and pork , Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been impacted , but to a lesser degree .
On Tuesday , the attorneys general for 11 Midwestern states urged the Justice Department to pursue a federal investigation into market concentration and potential price fixing by meatpackers in the cattle industry , pointing out the disparity in the price of live cattle and the retail cost of boxed beef that is sold to consumers .
`` Given the concentrated market structure of the beef industry , it may be particularly susceptible to market manipulation , particularly during times of food insecurity , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they wrote .
Just over 1,000 Wendy 's restaurants – or nearly 20 % – had no beef items available on their online menus Monday night , according to an analysis by Stephens Inc. , an investment bank .
Stephens analyst James Rutherford said some states , like Ohio , Michigan , and New York , seemed to be impacted more than others .
Wendy 's responded that some menu items may be temporarily limited , but it continues to supply its restaurants with beef two to three times a week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disruptions to its supplies .
Costco , Sam 's Club , Hy-Vee , and Kroger are limiting purchases of meat to avoid panic buying .
Kroger Co. , which also owns Ralphs and Harris Teeter markets , said it wants to ensure buyers have a broad assortment .
`` There is plenty of protein in the supply chain , '' Kroger said in a statement .
Empty and underfilled coolers greeted shoppers in the meat department at the Costco in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park Tuesday morning , one day after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to three items per customer .
On Tuesday afternoon , a Kroger store in suburban Atlanta was limiting purchases to two packages of chicken , two packages of pork , or three packages of ground beef at a time .
Marie Livingston left the store with beef stew meat and some other cuts .
She accepted the limits as inevitable .
`` Ultimately , you had to see it was coming to this , '' Ms. Livingston said .
`` You have to limit the supply so everyone can get some and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yards away at Publix Super Markets on Tuesday afternoon , the store was limiting shoppers to two packages of chicken and was running low .
But it was noticeably better stocked on beef and pork .
Some companies – including Target and McDonald 's – have no restrictions in place .
McDonald 's said last week it has seen no supply interruptions because it uses a wide variety of suppliers .
Meat producer Tyson Foods Inc. said it 's working hard to get its plants back up safely .
`` It 's very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the food supply will evolve in the coming weeks , but we are doing our best to maximize our production to meet demand , '' the company said in a statement .
Makers of alternative proteins say they can help fill the void .
El Segundo , California-based Beyond Meat said Tuesday it will be offering lower-cost value packs over the next few weeks to encourage companies to try its burgers .
The company said its first-quarter revenue jumped 141 % to $ 97 million , partly because consumers stocked up ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have snuck in at just the right time , '' Beyond Meat President and CEO Ethan Brown said .
Impossible Foods , which makes soy-based burgers and sausage , said Tuesday it 's accelerating its retail sales after seeing a falloff in sales to restaurants .
Its burgers will go on sale at 1,700 Kroger grocery stores starting this week , which more than doubles the number of stores offering them .
In January , the burgers were only available at 250 stores nationwide .
Impossible said consumer awareness of its products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing evidence that more people are trying alternative meats .
Impossible says it 's able to produce plant-based foods safely because workers can stay farther apart and more machinery is automated than in slaughterhouses .
Beyond Meat also said it has had no reported illnesses at its facilities .
`` Anytime there 's a spotlight illuminating what 's actually involved in slaughtering animals and producing meat it is bad news for the meat industry , '' Impossible CEO Pat Brown said .
Dr. Praeger 's , a New Jersey-based maker of plant-based chicken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products , said it has also seen higher sales since the pandemic began and is adding another production line to handle demand .
Nielsen says sales of fresh meat alternatives were up 224 % the week ending April 25 .
It noted fresh meat sales jumped 50 % in the same period .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP Writers Amy Forliti and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis and Jeff Amy in Atlanta contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have moved beyond meat processing plants and are now hitting dinner plates.
Several U.S. production plants have been temporarily shuttered in the last two weeks after hundreds of workers were sickened by the virus. That has led to meat shortages, with Wendy's pulling some burgers off its menus and Costco limiting pork sales. Fake meat companies, meanwhile, are making their moves to capture some of those lost sales.
Beyond Meat, which makes burgers and sausage from pea protein, said Tuesday it's launching new value packs to entice consumers while rival Impossible Foods is expanding sales to more than 1,700 Kroger groceries.
As of Monday, U.S. beef and pork processing capacity was down 40% from last year, according to Jayson Lusk, head of the department of agricultural economics at Purdue University.
Some meatpacking plants are coming back online after President Donald Trump issued an executive order last week requiring them to stay open. But until they're back at full capacity, consumers will likely see some shortages and higher prices for beef and pork, Mr. Lusk said. Poultry production has also been impacted, but to a lesser degree.
On Tuesday, the attorneys general for 11 Midwestern states urged the Justice Department to pursue a federal investigation into market concentration and potential price fixing by meatpackers in the cattle industry, pointing out the disparity in the price of live cattle and the retail cost of boxed beef that is sold to consumers.
"Given the concentrated market structure of the beef industry, it may be particularly susceptible to market manipulation, particularly during times of food insecurity, such as the current COVID-19 crisis," they wrote.
Just over 1,000 Wendy's restaurants – or nearly 20% – had no beef items available on their online menus Monday night, according to an analysis by Stephens Inc., an investment bank. Stephens analyst James Rutherford said some states, like Ohio, Michigan, and New York, seemed to be impacted more than others.
Wendy's responded that some menu items may be temporarily limited, but it continues to supply its restaurants with beef two to three times a week. The company said it's trying to limit disruptions to its supplies.
Costco, Sam's Club, Hy-Vee, and Kroger are limiting purchases of meat to avoid panic buying. Kroger Co., which also owns Ralphs and Harris Teeter markets, said it wants to ensure buyers have a broad assortment.
"There is plenty of protein in the supply chain," Kroger said in a statement.
Empty and underfilled coolers greeted shoppers in the meat department at the Costco in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park Tuesday morning, one day after the retailer started limiting fresh meat purchases to three items per customer.
On Tuesday afternoon, a Kroger store in suburban Atlanta was limiting purchases to two packages of chicken, two packages of pork, or three packages of ground beef at a time.
Marie Livingston left the store with beef stew meat and some other cuts. She accepted the limits as inevitable.
"Ultimately, you had to see it was coming to this," Ms. Livingston said. "You have to limit the supply so everyone can get some and it's fair."
A few hundred yards away at Publix Super Markets on Tuesday afternoon, the store was limiting shoppers to two packages of chicken and was running low. But it was noticeably better stocked on beef and pork.
Some companies – including Target and McDonald's – have no restrictions in place. McDonald's said last week it has seen no supply interruptions because it uses a wide variety of suppliers.
Meat producer Tyson Foods Inc. said it's working hard to get its plants back up safely.
"It's very difficult to speculate on how challenges to the food supply will evolve in the coming weeks, but we are doing our best to maximize our production to meet demand," the company said in a statement.
Makers of alternative proteins say they can help fill the void. El Segundo, California-based Beyond Meat said Tuesday it will be offering lower-cost value packs over the next few weeks to encourage companies to try its burgers. The company said its first-quarter revenue jumped 141% to $97 million, partly because consumers stocked up ahead of lockdowns in March.
"I think we have snuck in at just the right time," Beyond Meat President and CEO Ethan Brown said.
Impossible Foods, which makes soy-based burgers and sausage, said Tuesday it's accelerating its retail sales after seeing a falloff in sales to restaurants. Its burgers will go on sale at 1,700 Kroger grocery stores starting this week, which more than doubles the number of stores offering them. In January, the burgers were only available at 250 stores nationwide.
Impossible said consumer awareness of its products is up sharply, and it's seeing evidence that more people are trying alternative meats.
Impossible says it's able to produce plant-based foods safely because workers can stay farther apart and more machinery is automated than in slaughterhouses. Beyond Meat also said it has had no reported illnesses at its facilities.
"Anytime there's a spotlight illuminating what's actually involved in slaughtering animals and producing meat it is bad news for the meat industry," Impossible CEO Pat Brown said.
Dr. Praeger's, a New Jersey-based maker of plant-based chicken tenders, veggie burgers, and other products, said it has also seen higher sales since the pandemic began and is adding another production line to handle demand.
Nielsen says sales of fresh meat alternatives were up 224% the week ending April 25. It noted fresh meat sales jumped 50% in the same period.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP Writers Amy Forliti and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis and Jeff Amy in Atlanta 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--2020-05-11--Behold Greeks bearing up better

Behold Greeks bearing up better

During the world ’ s last full-blown crisis – the financial meltdown of a decade ago – Greece was an example of a country not to follow .
Its economy had been so mismanaged it needed three international bailouts .
Only last year , after experiencing extreme austerity and reform , did it begin to see success ; the Greek stock market , for example , performed the best in the world .
Even more , in March as the coronavirus pandemic began to strike , its people were well prepared to spring into action .
Early on , Greece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diligently followed government officials in honoring the rules of a lockdown .
The resiliency that Greeks had built up was put to good use .
The country has one of Europe ’ s lowest death rates per capita from COVID-19 , a result of new social discipline and better faith in institutions .
“ We have matured , ” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Kathimerini newspaper .
As Greece carefully now opens its economy , it will need to draw on its renewed civic trust and its ability to adapt and learn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourism , an industry that may be among the slowest to recover .
It must again deal with high unemployment .
Still , because of their success against the coronavirus , Greeks now display a unity and confidence that will help them tackle the new challenge .
Much of Europe is watching Greece , not as a black sheep but as a strong example .
Resiliency is more than bouncing back to the status quo after a disaster .
It is the ability to adopt new ideas and practices that strengthen a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy says resiliency is a reflection of society ’ s religious and cultural attributes , or what he calls “ mental representations.
” These traits are the hidden shock absorbers during a crisis .
Merely being efficient in either business or government is not enough , he says .
Communities that thrive after a disaster have already built up strong social ties .
Strangers are ready to help strangers .
Trials are not seen as a matter of chance but as opportunities to grow .
Individuals often expand their thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ societies that gain in maturity are able to take on each new crisis .

During the world’s last full-blown crisis – the financial meltdown of a decade ago – Greece was an example of a country not to follow. Its economy had been so mismanaged it needed three international bailouts. Only last year, after experiencing extreme austerity and reform, did it begin to see success; the Greek stock market, for example, performed the best in the world.
Even more, in March as the coronavirus pandemic began to strike, its people were well prepared to spring into action. Early on, Greece shuttered much of its society and citizens diligently followed government officials in honoring the rules of a lockdown. The resiliency that Greeks had built up was put to good use. The country has one of Europe’s lowest death rates per capita from COVID-19, a result of new social discipline and better faith in institutions. “We have matured,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Kathimerini newspaper.
As Greece carefully now opens its economy, it will need to draw on its renewed civic trust and its ability to adapt and learn. The country is highly dependent on foreign tourism, an industry that may be among the slowest to recover. It must again deal with high unemployment.
Still, because of their success against the coronavirus, Greeks now display a unity and confidence that will help them tackle the new challenge. Much of Europe is watching Greece, not as a black sheep but as a strong example.
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Resiliency is more than bouncing back to the status quo after a disaster. It is the ability to adopt new ideas and practices that strengthen a person or a community. Former World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy says resiliency is a reflection of society’s religious and cultural attributes, or what he calls “mental representations.” These traits are the hidden shock absorbers during a crisis. Merely being efficient in either business or government is not enough, he says.
Communities that thrive after a disaster have already built up strong social ties. Strangers are ready to help strangers. Trials are not seen as a matter of chance but as opportunities to grow. Individuals often expand their thinking about their purpose. Like Greece, societies that gain in maturity are able to take on each new crisis.


csmonitor--2020-05-11--Report from Milan: Finding spiritual peace amid the pandemic

I live in Milan , the largest city in the region of Italy most affected by the global coronavirus pandemic .
We quickly went into almost total lockdown .
Even the church bells , a familiar sound in Italy , stopped ringing .
It hasn ’ t been easy .
The staggering statistics of suffering , the mounting anxiety about the future , and now the looming economic disaster paint a bleak scene .
Yet the creativity and joy my fellow countrymen and women have exhibited through it all have been truly inspiring , showing that goodness can not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started , having family and friends all over the world , I was swamped by requests for details about the situation and how we were doing .
Feeling the need to pray and find peace , I decided to reread a chapter called “ Creation ” in “ Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures ” by Mary Baker Eddy , the discoverer of Christian Science .
Especially at this time , I have been deeply grateful for this book as well as the Bible , on which the teachings of Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spiritual tools to uplift thought to a more spiritual view that helps us feel peace and comfort even in the face of challenges .
And most importantly , to know that all things are possible with God , including the healing of any disease .
As I read , I found a couple of sentences that brought me the peace and comfort I needed and helped establish a spiritual starting point for my prayers : “ Divine Mind is the only cause or Principle of existence .
Cause does not exist in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in physical forms ” ( p. 262 ) .
And Mrs. Eddy prefaces this by saying that “ to begin rightly ” enables us to “ end rightly , ” or come to the right conclusions about life and health .
The chapter goes on to explain that we begin rightly when we acknowledge that everyone is God ’ s creation , the spiritual , flawless reflection of God ’ s being ; also , that God is the only true creator and creates only that which is spiritual and harmless .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize more consistently that any disruptive picture the material senses present to us is ultimately not our reality .
The spiritual reality is always God , and God ’ s creation held in His arms , loved and protected , filled with love and joy , not fear .
As a result of this study , I was able to feel the peace of God .
In turn I was able to radiate this peace whenever I had the opportunity to share with others these spiritual ideas , which can break down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and give us the strength to stand calmly .
Although I have overcome many fears regarding the pandemic , recently I found myself being put to the test once again .
While in line to enter the supermarket , I started to panic once I saw the guard at the door taking each customer ’ s temperature before allowing us in one at a time .
I had been in line for some time , enjoying a warm spring sun , and I thought : “ Could I appear to have a fever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the sun ?
” In just a few seconds I had a flood of negative thoughts .
Realizing I should not ignore them , I immediately recalled the aforementioned passage in Science and Health and realized that I was asking the wrong question , thinking from the wrong premise .
So I began to reason this way : I am not a vulnerable mortal , but a spiritual idea , reflecting the beautiful , pure thoughts of God , manifested in health , joy , and fearlessness .
This universal spiritual truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispelled the river of fear and silenced my questions and speculations .
I was back on track , got the groceries I needed without a problem , and went home .
This experience brought to my attention the importance of being spiritually alert – of keeping thought aligned with God .
Last week , the church bells began ringing again in Italy , a symbol of the spiritual fact that nothing can silence the voice of divine Truth .
It is present to reach receptive hearts in every corner of the earth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mortality .
Adapted from an article published on sentinel.christianscience.com , May 7 , 2020 .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all the Monitor ’ s coronavirus coverage is free , including articles from this column .
There ’ s also a special free section of JSH-Online.com on a healing response to the coronavirus .
There is no paywall for any of this coverage .

I live in Milan, the largest city in the region of Italy most affected by the global coronavirus pandemic. We quickly went into almost total lockdown. Even the church bells, a familiar sound in Italy, stopped ringing.
It hasn’t been easy. The staggering statistics of suffering, the mounting anxiety about the future, and now the looming economic disaster paint a bleak scene. Yet the creativity and joy my fellow countrymen and women have exhibited through it all have been truly inspiring, showing that goodness cannot be stifled or extinguished.
When the lockdown started, having family and friends all over the world, I was swamped by requests for details about the situation and how we were doing. Feeling the need to pray and find peace, I decided to reread a chapter called “Creation” in “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science.
Especially at this time, I have been deeply grateful for this book as well as the Bible, on which the teachings of Christian Science are based. They give humanity the spiritual tools to uplift thought to a more spiritual view that helps us feel peace and comfort even in the face of challenges. And most importantly, to know that all things are possible with God, including the healing of any disease.
As I read, I found a couple of sentences that brought me the peace and comfort I needed and helped establish a spiritual starting point for my prayers: “Divine Mind is the only cause or Principle of existence. Cause does not exist in matter, in mortal mind, or in physical forms” (p. 262). And Mrs. Eddy prefaces this by saying that “to begin rightly” enables us to “end rightly,” or come to the right conclusions about life and health.
The chapter goes on to explain that we begin rightly when we acknowledge that everyone is God’s creation, the spiritual, flawless reflection of God’s being; also, that God is the only true creator and creates only that which is spiritual and harmless.
A study of this chapter enabled me to recognize more consistently that any disruptive picture the material senses present to us is ultimately not our reality. The spiritual reality is always God, and God’s creation held in His arms, loved and protected, filled with love and joy, not fear.
As a result of this study, I was able to feel the peace of God. In turn I was able to radiate this peace whenever I had the opportunity to share with others these spiritual ideas, which can break down the palpable wall of anxiety about the future and give us the strength to stand calmly.
Although I have overcome many fears regarding the pandemic, recently I found myself being put to the test once again. While in line to enter the supermarket, I started to panic once I saw the guard at the door taking each customer’s temperature before allowing us in one at a time. I had been in line for some time, enjoying a warm spring sun, and I thought: “Could I appear to have a fever simply because I felt warm from being in the sun?”
In just a few seconds I had a flood of negative thoughts. Realizing I should not ignore them, I immediately recalled the aforementioned passage in Science and Health and realized that I was asking the wrong question, thinking from the wrong premise. So I began to reason this way: I am not a vulnerable mortal, but a spiritual idea, reflecting the beautiful, pure thoughts of God, manifested in health, joy, and fearlessness.
This universal spiritual truth – which applies to everyone – quickly dispelled the river of fear and silenced my questions and speculations. I was back on track, got the groceries I needed without a problem, and went home.
This experience brought to my attention the importance of being spiritually alert – of keeping thought aligned with God. Last week, the church bells began ringing again in Italy, a symbol of the spiritual fact that nothing can silence the voice of divine Truth. It is present to reach receptive hearts in every corner of the earth and bring freedom from the chains of fear and mortality.
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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.
Adapted from an article published on sentinel.christianscience.com, May 7, 2020.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all the Monitor’s coronavirus coverage is free, including articles from this column. There’s also a special free section of JSH-Online.com on a healing response to the coronavirus. There is no paywall for any of this coverage.


csmonitor--2020-04-21--Plant, restore soil, repeat. Could nature help curb climate change?

“ Do I think we can restore a trillion trees to the planet ?
Probably not , ” says James Mulligan , a senior associate in the World Resources Institute ’ s food , forests , and water program .
“ The question for me is : would this help ?
And the answer is yes.
” This approach has gained widespread and bipartisan support , but it ’ s not without critics – even among climate activists , who worry that it takes emphasis off the energy shift that needs to happen .
Many endeavors have locally targeted goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hurricanes , floods , or fire .
But experts say such approaches have another potential benefit : harnessing the natural ability of trees , plants , and soil to store carbon .
A landmark study published in 2017 found that natural climate solutions could do about one-third of the mitigation work required in the next decade to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius .
At the core of a climate mitigation strategy that has gained attention over the past few years lies an embrace of nature .
Often described as “ nature-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wide range of conservation and restoration projects involving trees , mangroves , soil , and marshlands .
Just off Highway 880 at the edge of Hayward , the cityscape changes abruptly .
Businesses and parking lots give way to large swaths of pickle grass and pools of water stretching out to the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay .
On a recent sunny , windy March day – just before COVID-19 sent the Bay Area into lockdown – Dave Halsing stood on the trails at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve and pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salt ponds .
He noted how they ’ re gradually being restored into a rich mosaic of tidal wetlands and other ecosystems in the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project .
Little by little , he explains , over 15,000 acres of salt ponds – largely ecological dead zones that had been transferred from industrial companies to the state – are being brought back to functional ecosystems .
They provide important habitat for species like the Western snowy plover and California least tern , add recreational trails for Bay Area residents , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay – a needed adaptation in an era of rising seas .
“ It ’ s inspiring but challenging , ” says Mr. Halsing , the executive project manager .
The work to restore the Bay Area ’ s tidal marshes is just one example of a strategy that has been gaining attention in the past few years from climate change experts .
Often described as “ nature-based climate solutions , ” this strategy encompasses a wide range of conservation and restoration approaches involving trees , mangroves , soil , and marshlands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project – have locally targeted goals : improved habitat for species or resilience to climate change-related events like hurricanes , floods , or fire .
But investing in such approaches at a large scale has another potential benefit , too , say experts : harnessing the natural ability of trees , plants , and soil to store carbon .
“ Nature figured out how to solve the toxic carbon dioxide problem 3 billion years ago when it invented photosynthesis , and we ’ re trying to invent similar processes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atmosphere .
So why not use nature , ” explains Peter Ellis , a forest carbon scientist with The Nature Conservancy , who co-authored a landmark study in 2017 showing that natural climate solutions could accomplish about one-third of the mitigation work required in the next decade to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius .
Could planting one trillion trees actually work ?
Those promoting natural climate solutions emphasize that it ’ s just one piece of a puzzle that also requires a major shift away from fossil fuels and carbon-based energy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ solutions as low-hanging fruit that have yet to be tapped at a large scale .
In January , the World Economic Forum launched the ambitious One Trillion Trees initiative , with the goal of planting and conserving 1 trillion trees around the globe in the coming decade .
Even President Donald Trump signed on .
The initiative has received some criticism , even among climate activists , who worry it ’ s overly simplistic , takes emphasis off of the energy shift that needs to happen , and will encourage poorly conceived projects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And some climate experts have argued that the claims made by natural-solutions proponents in general are lofty and overly optimistic – that they couldn ’ t come close to reducing carbon dioxide at the magnitude some studies have found .
But those debates , ultimately , are unproductive , says James Mulligan , a senior associate in the World Resources Institute ’ s food , forests , and water program .
Climate solutions , he notes , aren ’ t a zero-sum game .
Nature-based solutions won ’ t ever be enough on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they have some big upsides , particularly that most are relatively low cost , some have more bipartisan appeal , and many are “ win-win , ” with none of the “ losers ” that can be a byproduct of other strategies .
“ The question for me is : would this help ?
And the answer is yes , ” says Mr. Mulligan .
“ Do I think we can restore a trillion trees to the planet ?
Probably not .
...
In the U.S. , our analysis shows we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landscape.
” That , he says , would be a “ tall order , ” but would remove about a half a gigaton of CO2 per year .
“ That ’ s a meaningful wedge , ” he says .
“ And that ’ s just one nature-based solution.
” All trees – and all nature-based solutions – aren ’ t created equal .
And many advocates stress that it makes sense to focus on the ecosystems with the most to offer , or the methods that yield the biggest dividends .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold the line , ” says Mr. Ellis of The Nature Conservancy , explaining that he views good management of existing ecosystems as being even more important than restoration .
Certain ecosystems , like mangroves and peatlands , are of vital importance to conserve , says Will Turner , senior vice president of global strategies for Conservation International .
In those ecosystems , the soil stores so much carbon that losing much more of it in coming years would be devastating , he says .
But to Dr. Turner , conservation and restoration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both necessary .
Protecting critical ecosystems like tropical forests and mangroves that are being destroyed at a steady rate is crucial in terms of reducing current emissions , he says .
But removing carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere is also necessary , if there is any hope of keeping warming below 2 degrees Celsius .
“ We have a long way to go before we have any technology that is capable of removing CO2 from the atmosphere at scale except trees , ” says Dr. Turner .
“ We ’ d be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regrowing forests.
” Despite all the potential of natural climate solutions , most of the examples being tried so far are at a relatively small scale .
WRI ’ s plan for 60 billion trees planted in the U.S. over the next 20 years , Mr. Mulligan notes , would require about $ 4 billion a year in federal subsidies .
But many of these efforts are “ happening at the pace and scale of the conservation sector , ” he says .
And that figure , while relatively modest in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nonprofit community can handle .
Dr. Turner , of Conservation International , agrees .
What the conservation community has done well , he says , is shown how these projects can work , how technology can be used to monitor and verify emissions reductions , and how financial mechanisms can allow governments or corporations to invest in these strategies .
Discovering an ecosystem in every backyard Meanwhile , part of the beauty of nature-based solutions , Dr. Turner says , is that – while some may certainly have more payoff than others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is something that can happen anywhere .
Every community has an option to protect a forest or grow a forest or protect a grassland , or to better manage grazing lands so you can get greater carbon stored in the soil.
” And many of those solutions – like the marsh restoration taking place in the San Francisco Bay – offer significant local benefits that go far beyond potential emissions reduction : habitat for endangered species , cleaner air and water , recreation opportunities for residents , flood risk mitigation at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay Area , emissions mitigation isn ’ t a real driver of the restoration work , and the carbon market for wetlands isn ’ t as robust as that for forests .
But that doesn ’ t mean those benefits don ’ t exist , says Letitia Grenier , co-director of the Resilient Landscapes Program for the San Francisco Estuary Institute .
In her role at the institute , Dr. Grenier looks for creative ways to harness the natural benefits of ecosystems in ways that work for both people and nature – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ One of the things climate change has shown us is that we live in ecosystems , ” says Dr. Grenier .
“ Not only do we impact ecosystems , but our ecosystem impacts us.
” In many instances , she says , when she looks at , say , a large watershed , the system is essentially broken .
Too many discordant elements have been introduced .
“ Suddenly , our system is not working for us , ” says Dr. Grenier .
“ Climate change is creating the realization of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Staff photographer Ann Hermes contributed to this report from Hayward , California .
This story was published as part of Covering Climate Now , a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story .

“Do I think we can restore a trillion trees to the planet? Probably not,” says James Mulligan, a senior associate in the World Resources Institute’s food, forests, and water program. “The question for me is: would this help? And the answer is yes.”
This approach has gained widespread and bipartisan support, but it’s not without critics – even among climate activists, who worry that it takes emphasis off the energy shift that needs to happen.
“Nature-based solutions” are the latest climate buzzwords, offering a strategy to fight climate change that is gaining widespread and bipartisan support. But what does it mean to do this well? This story is part of an occasional series on “ Climate Realities .”
Many endeavors have locally targeted goals: improved habitat for species or resilience to hurricanes, floods, or fire. But experts say such approaches have another potential benefit: harnessing the natural ability of trees, plants, and soil to store carbon. A landmark study published in 2017 found that natural climate solutions could do about one-third of the mitigation work required in the next decade to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
At the core of a climate mitigation strategy that has gained attention over the past few years lies an embrace of nature. Often described as “nature-based climate solutions,” this approach encompasses a wide range of conservation and restoration projects involving trees, mangroves, soil, and marshlands.
Just off Highway 880 at the edge of Hayward, the cityscape changes abruptly. Businesses and parking lots give way to large swaths of pickle grass and pools of water stretching out to the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay.
On a recent sunny, windy March day – just before COVID-19 sent the Bay Area into lockdown – Dave Halsing stood on the trails at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve and pointed out what used to be old industrial salt ponds. He noted how they’re gradually being restored into a rich mosaic of tidal wetlands and other ecosystems in the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project.
Little by little, he explains, over 15,000 acres of salt ponds – largely ecological dead zones that had been transferred from industrial companies to the state – are being brought back to functional ecosystems. They provide important habitat for species like the Western snowy plover and California least tern, add recreational trails for Bay Area residents, and provide flood protection for the San Francisco Bay – a needed adaptation in an era of rising seas. “It’s inspiring but challenging,” says Mr. Halsing, the executive project manager.
Why We Wrote This “Nature-based solutions” are the latest climate buzzwords, offering a strategy to fight climate change that is gaining widespread and bipartisan support. But what does it mean to do this well? This story is part of an occasional series on “Climate Realities.”
The work to restore the Bay Area’s tidal marshes is just one example of a strategy that has been gaining attention in the past few years from climate change experts. Often described as “nature-based climate solutions,” this strategy encompasses a wide range of conservation and restoration approaches involving trees, mangroves, soil, and marshlands.
Many current projects – like the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project – have locally targeted goals: improved habitat for species or resilience to climate change-related events like hurricanes, floods, or fire. But investing in such approaches at a large scale has another potential benefit, too, say experts: harnessing the natural ability of trees, plants, and soil to store carbon.
“Nature figured out how to solve the toxic carbon dioxide problem 3 billion years ago when it invented photosynthesis, and we’re trying to invent similar processes now to solve carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. So why not use nature,” explains Peter Ellis, a forest carbon scientist with The Nature Conservancy, who co-authored a landmark study in 2017 showing that natural climate solutions could accomplish about one-third of the mitigation work required in the next decade to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
Could planting one trillion trees actually work?
Those promoting natural climate solutions emphasize that it’s just one piece of a puzzle that also requires a major shift away from fossil fuels and carbon-based energy. But many experts are seeing these natural solutions as low-hanging fruit that have yet to be tapped at a large scale.
In January, the World Economic Forum launched the ambitious One Trillion Trees initiative, with the goal of planting and conserving 1 trillion trees around the globe in the coming decade. Even President Donald Trump signed on.
The initiative has received some criticism, even among climate activists, who worry it’s overly simplistic, takes emphasis off of the energy shift that needs to happen, and will encourage poorly conceived projects that might perpetuate other environmental issues.
And some climate experts have argued that the claims made by natural-solutions proponents in general are lofty and overly optimistic – that they couldn’t come close to reducing carbon dioxide at the magnitude some studies have found.
But those debates, ultimately, are unproductive, says James Mulligan, a senior associate in the World Resources Institute’s food, forests, and water program. Climate solutions, he notes, aren’t a zero-sum game. Nature-based solutions won’t ever be enough on their own, says Mr. Mulligan, but they have some big upsides, particularly that most are relatively low cost, some have more bipartisan appeal, and many are “win-win,” with none of the “losers” that can be a byproduct of other strategies.
“The question for me is: would this help? And the answer is yes,” says Mr. Mulligan. “Do I think we can restore a trillion trees to the planet? Probably not. ... In the U.S., our analysis shows we could restore 60 billion trees to the American landscape.” That, he says, would be a “tall order,” but would remove about a half a gigaton of CO2 per year.
“That’s a meaningful wedge,” he says. “And that’s just one nature-based solution.”
Rodrigo Abd/AP View caption Hide caption A reforestation assistant measures a newly-planted tree in a field damaged during illegal gold mining in Madre de Dios, Peru, on March 29, 2019. Since the project began three years ago, the team has planted more than 115 acres with native seedlings, the largest reforestation effort in the Peruvian Amazon to date. The group is in discussion with Peru’s government to expand their efforts.
Protection before planting?
All trees – and all nature-based solutions – aren’t created equal. And many advocates stress that it makes sense to focus on the ecosystems with the most to offer, or the methods that yield the biggest dividends.
“We need to protect first, to hold the line,” says Mr. Ellis of The Nature Conservancy, explaining that he views good management of existing ecosystems as being even more important than restoration.
Certain ecosystems, like mangroves and peatlands, are of vital importance to conserve, says Will Turner, senior vice president of global strategies for Conservation International. In those ecosystems, the soil stores so much carbon that losing much more of it in coming years would be devastating, he says.
But to Dr. Turner, conservation and restoration are two sides of a coin, both necessary. Protecting critical ecosystems like tropical forests and mangroves that are being destroyed at a steady rate is crucial in terms of reducing current emissions, he says. But removing carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere is also necessary, if there is any hope of keeping warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
“We have a long way to go before we have any technology that is capable of removing CO2 from the atmosphere at scale except trees,” says Dr. Turner. “We’d be foolish not to invest incredibly heavily in regrowing forests.”
Despite all the potential of natural climate solutions, most of the examples being tried so far are at a relatively small scale.
WRI’s plan for 60 billion trees planted in the U.S. over the next 20 years, Mr. Mulligan notes, would require about $4 billion a year in federal subsidies. But many of these efforts are “happening at the pace and scale of the conservation sector,” he says. And that figure, while relatively modest in terms of government spending, is far beyond what the nonprofit community can handle.
Dr. Turner, of Conservation International, agrees. What the conservation community has done well, he says, is shown how these projects can work, how technology can be used to monitor and verify emissions reductions, and how financial mechanisms can allow governments or corporations to invest in these strategies.
Ann Hermes/Staff View caption Hide caption A family walks along the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline trail, which sits along the Arrowhead Marsh, a restored wetlands habitat on March 13, 2020 in Oakland, California.
Discovering an ecosystem in every backyard
Meanwhile, part of the beauty of nature-based solutions, Dr. Turner says, is that – while some may certainly have more payoff than others in terms of climate mitigation – “there is something that can happen anywhere. Every community has an option to protect a forest or grow a forest or protect a grassland, or to better manage grazing lands so you can get greater carbon stored in the soil.”
And many of those solutions – like the marsh restoration taking place in the San Francisco Bay – offer significant local benefits that go far beyond potential emissions reduction: habitat for endangered species, cleaner air and water, recreation opportunities for residents, flood risk mitigation at a time of rising seas.
In the Bay Area, emissions mitigation isn’t a real driver of the restoration work, and the carbon market for wetlands isn’t as robust as that for forests. But that doesn’t mean those benefits don’t exist, says Letitia Grenier, co-director of the Resilient Landscapes Program for the San Francisco Estuary Institute.
In her role at the institute, Dr. Grenier looks for creative ways to harness the natural benefits of ecosystems in ways that work for both people and nature – and they are plentiful, she says.
“One of the things climate change has shown us is that we live in ecosystems,” says Dr. Grenier. “Not only do we impact ecosystems, but our ecosystem impacts us.” In many instances, she says, when she looks at, say, a large watershed, the system is essentially broken. Too many discordant elements have been introduced.
“Suddenly, our system is not working for us,” says Dr. Grenier. “Climate change is creating the realization of that, and the opportunity to fix it.”
Staff photographer Ann Hermes contributed to this report from Hayward, California.
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This story was published as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.


csmonitor--2020-05-13--The power of honesty about COVID-19

The power of honesty about COVID-19

Last December , when COVID-19 was first detected in China , one of the first casualties was the truth about its existence .
Hundreds of Chinese who raised alarms were suppressed .
Even six months later , China still attacks those calling for an independent investigation of the virus ’ s origin or how officials initially dealt with it – despite such information being essential to preventing a similar pandemic .
The first hurdle in persuading China ’ s ruling Communist Party to allow such a probe is to show that it is living a lie .
To stay in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falsehoods and rely on fear to stifle the truth .
While a few countries such as Australia are now asking for an investigation of COVID-19 ’ s beginnings , the most powerful voices for accountability may be those Chinese simply insisting on the freedom to tell the truth .
One of them is writer Fang Fang who wrote an insightful journal about life in the city of Wuhan during the outbreak .
Another is prominent businessman Ren Zhiqiang who wrote an essay critical of how Chinese leader Xi Jinping responded to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed an open letter demanding the right to free speech for those now criticizing the government .
Last Saturday , legal scholar Zhang Xuezhong joined this chorus with a letter on the popular social app WeChat .
He suggested that China ’ s suppression of constitutional rights contributed to the pandemic .
He asked the country ’ s rubber-stamp legislature , the National People ’ s Congress , to create a representative committee that would write a new constitution according to “ modern political principles.
” For writing the letter , Mr. Zhang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like other grassroots intellectuals in China , he has learned to counter official lies by “ living in the truth , ” as the late Czech dissident Václav Havel put it .
“ The best way to fight for freedom of expression is for everyone to speak as if we already have freedom of speech , ” Mr. Zhang wrote in the letter .
Many dissidents in China do not wish to topple the regime .
They seek to rebuild society from the bottom up by the fearless practice of independent thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as residing in conscience and honest dignity , not the Communist Party .
“ One word of truth outweighs the whole world , ” wrote Alexander Solzhenitsyn , the Russian dissident .
In China , the truth may yet come out about COVID-19 , even if bit by bit , as more individuals see themselves as already free to speak out .
Being self-governed by truth is the best path to creating a truthful government .

Last December, when COVID-19 was first detected in China, one of the first casualties was the truth about its existence. Hundreds of Chinese who raised alarms were suppressed. Even six months later, China still attacks those calling for an independent investigation of the virus’s origin or how officials initially dealt with it – despite such information being essential to preventing a similar pandemic.
The first hurdle in persuading China’s ruling Communist Party to allow such a probe is to show that it is living a lie. To stay in power, authoritarian regimes often hide behind falsehoods and rely on fear to stifle the truth.
While a few countries such as Australia are now asking for an investigation of COVID-19’s beginnings, the most powerful voices for accountability may be those Chinese simply insisting on the freedom to tell the truth.
One of them is writer Fang Fang who wrote an insightful journal about life in the city of Wuhan during the outbreak. Another is prominent businessman Ren Zhiqiang who wrote an essay critical of how Chinese leader Xi Jinping responded to the coronavirus. In February, 10 Wuhan professors signed an open letter demanding the right to free speech for those now criticizing the government.
Last Saturday, legal scholar Zhang Xuezhong joined this chorus with a letter on the popular social app WeChat. He suggested that China’s suppression of constitutional rights contributed to the pandemic. He asked the country’s rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress, to create a representative committee that would write a new constitution according to “modern political principles.”
For writing the letter, Mr. Zhang was detained for 24 hours by officials. Like other grassroots intellectuals in China, he has learned to counter official lies by “living in the truth,” as the late Czech dissident Václav Havel put it.
“The best way to fight for freedom of expression is for everyone to speak as if we already have freedom of speech,” Mr. Zhang wrote in the letter.
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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.
Many dissidents in China do not wish to topple the regime. They seek to rebuild society from the bottom up by the fearless practice of independent thinking in daily life. They see power as residing in conscience and honest dignity, not the Communist Party.
“One word of truth outweighs the whole world,” wrote Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Russian dissident. In China, the truth may yet come out about COVID-19, even if bit by bit, as more individuals see themselves as already free to speak out. Being self-governed by truth is the best path to creating a truthful government.