csmonitor--2020-06-15--From Tokyo to New Zealand, why Black lives matter

Holding handmade signs that read “ Black Lives Matter , ” hundreds of people marched peacefully in Tokyo on Sunday , highlighting the outrage over the death of George Floyd even in a country often perceived as homogeneous and untouched by racial issues .
Mitsuaki Shidara , standing in the crowd at Yoyogi Park , where the march began , said Japan has plenty of discrimination problems , but they 're overlooked .
“ We are all human first , but we are divided by nationality , gender , religion , skin color , ” he said , wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love , ” which he said was his favorite word .
“ What ’ s happening in the U.S. shows racism is going on , even after 400 years , ” said Mr. Shidara , who works for a food maker .
Mio Kosaka , another participant , said she had been a victim of discrimination at times while growing up in Beijing and Tokyo , because her parents were Japanese and Chinese .
“ I think it is so wrong to discriminate based on appearance , and I wanted to relay the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Japan , ” said Ms. Kosaka , who is studying design at a college in the United States .
“ Some people don ’ t even know there is discrimination .
Awareness needs to be raised , ” she added .
Protests have continued across the U.S. but also in Europe , including Belgium , Germany , and Britain , as well as Australia , where people have been confronting racism and demanding change .
The demonstrators were pushed into action by the May 25 death of George Floyd , a black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a white Minneapolis police officer pushed his knee against his neck for nearly nine minutes .
In New Zealand , thousands protested in Auckland and Wellington on Sunday .
The Auckland protest began at the central Aotea Square and ended at the U.S. Consulate , where people took a knee and observed a minute of silence for Mr. Floyd .
“ When George Floyd took his last breath , it allowed the rest of us to breathe , ” social activist Julia Whaipooti told the crowd , according to the news organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealanders were showing solidarity with people in the U.S. , highlighting discrimination at home was critical .
In Wellington , New Zealand 's capital , protesters marched from Civic Square to the grounds of Parliament , chanting “ Black Lives Matter ” and holding placards with slogans including “ Racism is a pandemic , let ’ s fight it !
” Sunday ’ s turnout in Tokyo underlined how Japan has historically been reticent in dealing with diversity and is now trying to understand the Black Lives Matter movement and grapple with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attitudes date back to the feudal era , with the Buraku underclass , and include more recently the offspring of marriages between Japanese and non-Japanese .
The children are called “ hafu , ” derived from “ half , ” which critics resent as discriminatory .
Kyodo News agency reported that more than 1,000 people took part in Sunday 's march , which went from the park through the streets of Tokyo 's Shibuya area .
The event 's organizers put the turnout at 3,500 , while police did not give a crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with similar themes in Tokyo drew several hundred people , and one in Osaka , in central Japan , drew about 2,000 .
More Black Lives Matter gatherings are planned for next week , in the southwestern city of Fukuoka and the central city of Nagoya .
The rallies reflect how more people of various backgrounds are becoming part of a rapidly globalizing Japan .
Although Japan is not reputed for police brutality , people have come forward recently , complaining that police have treated foreigners , especially Black people , unfairly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have handled people with unneeded force .
“ There is no country without racism , and I think the countries that don ’ t portray it are just because people are ignorant of the problem , ” said Kazuna Yamamoto , a Japanese woman living in Chile who was taking part in Sunday ’ s rally in Tokyo .
“ There is inequality because certain people are definitely profiting or benefiting from it , ” she said .
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka , the world 's highest-paid female athlete , has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Japan and has gotten some flak on social media .
Ms. Osaka , who has Haitian and Japanese parents , has expressed empathy for the Black Lives Matter movement , and posted a photo of Colin Kaepernick , the NFL player who knelt during the U.S. national anthem , in protest of racism and police brutality .
“ I hate when random people say athletes shouldn ’ t get involved with politics and just entertain .
Firstly , this is a human rights issue .
Secondly , what gives you more right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logic if you work at IKEA you are only allowed to talk about the GRÖNLID , ” Osaka said in a recent tweet , referring to a type of sofa sold at the furniture chain .
European protesters also sought to show solidarity with their American counterparts and to confront bias in their own countries on Sunday .
In Paris , riot police fired tear gas Saturday to disperse a largely peaceful but unauthorized protest against police brutality and entrenched racism , as France ’ s minorities increasingly push back against a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eradicate discrimination .
In London , far-right activists and soccer rowdies scuffled with police while trying to “ guard ” historical monuments that have been targeted recently by anti-racism protesters for their links to slavery and British colonialism .
The events in the two European capitals reflected the global emotion unleashed by the death of Mr. Floyd in the United States and the ensuing reckoning with racial injustice and historical wrongs .
In both cities , protesters defied restrictions on public gatherings imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
In Milan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ’ and “ racist ’ ’ in Italian on the statue of a late Italian journalist who had acknowledged having had a 12-year-old Eritrean bride while stationed in the Italian colony on the horn of Africa in the 1930s .
The statue of Indro Montanelli , inside a Milan park that bears his name , has been a flashpoint in Italy ’ s Black Lives Matter protests .
In Germany , protesters in Berlin on Sunday formed 5 ½-mile chain in a message against racism , among a range of other causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forming what organizers called a “ ribbon of solidarity ” that stretched southeast from the Brandenburg Gate to the Neukoelln neighborhood .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Nick Perry in Wellington , New Zealand ; Geir Moulson in Berlin ; and Colleen Barry in Milan 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 .

Holding handmade signs that read “Black Lives Matter,” hundreds of people marched peacefully in Tokyo on Sunday, highlighting the outrage over the death of George Floyd even in a country often perceived as homogeneous and untouched by racial issues.
Mitsuaki Shidara, standing in the crowd at Yoyogi Park, where the march began, said Japan has plenty of discrimination problems, but they're overlooked.
“We are all human first, but we are divided by nationality, gender, religion, skin color,” he said, wearing a pendant with the Japanese character for “love,” which he said was his favorite word.
“What’s happening in the U.S. shows racism is going on, even after 400 years,” said Mr. Shidara, who works for a food maker.
Mio Kosaka, another participant, said she had been a victim of discrimination at times while growing up in Beijing and Tokyo, because her parents were Japanese and Chinese.
“I think it is so wrong to discriminate based on appearance, and I wanted to relay the message that the American people have allies in Japan,” said Ms. Kosaka, who is studying design at a college in the United States.
“Some people don’t even know there is discrimination. Awareness needs to be raised,” she added.
Protests have continued across the U.S. but also in Europe, including Belgium, Germany, and Britain, as well as Australia, where people have been confronting racism and demanding change.
The demonstrators were pushed into action by the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who said he could not breathe as a white Minneapolis police officer pushed his knee against his neck for nearly nine minutes.
In New Zealand, thousands protested in Auckland and Wellington on Sunday. The Auckland protest began at the central Aotea Square and ended at the U.S. Consulate, where people took a knee and observed a minute of silence for Mr. Floyd.
“When George Floyd took his last breath, it allowed the rest of us to breathe,” social activist Julia Whaipooti told the crowd, according to the news organization Stuff.
Ms. Whaipooti said that while New Zealanders were showing solidarity with people in the U.S., highlighting discrimination at home was critical.
In Wellington, New Zealand's capital, protesters marched from Civic Square to the grounds of Parliament, chanting “Black Lives Matter” and holding placards with slogans including “Racism is a pandemic, let’s fight it!”
Sunday’s turnout in Tokyo underlined how Japan has historically been reticent in dealing with diversity and is now trying to understand the Black Lives Matter movement and grapple with its own history of discrimination.
Such attitudes date back to the feudal era, with the Buraku underclass, and include more recently the offspring of marriages between Japanese and non-Japanese. The children are called “hafu,” derived from “half,” which critics resent as discriminatory.
Kyodo News agency reported that more than 1,000 people took part in Sunday's march, which went from the park through the streets of Tokyo's Shibuya area. The event's organizers put the turnout at 3,500, while police did not give a crowd estimate.
Last week, a rally with similar themes in Tokyo drew several hundred people, and one in Osaka, in central Japan, drew about 2,000. More Black Lives Matter gatherings are planned for next week, in the southwestern city of Fukuoka and the central city of Nagoya. The rallies reflect how more people of various backgrounds are becoming part of a rapidly globalizing Japan.
Although Japan is not reputed for police brutality, people have come forward recently, complaining that police have treated foreigners, especially Black people, unfairly, stopping them for no reason, or have handled people with unneeded force.
“There is no country without racism, and I think the countries that don’t portray it are just because people are ignorant of the problem,” said Kazuna Yamamoto, a Japanese woman living in Chile who was taking part in Sunday’s rally in Tokyo.
“There is inequality because certain people are definitely profiting or benefiting from it,” she said.
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, the world's highest-paid female athlete, has also been vocal in raising awareness about racism in Japan and has gotten some flak on social media. Ms. Osaka, who has Haitian and Japanese parents, has expressed empathy for the Black Lives Matter movement, and posted a photo of Colin Kaepernick, the NFL player who knelt during the U.S. national anthem, in protest of racism and police brutality.
“I hate when random people say athletes shouldn’t get involved with politics and just entertain. Firstly, this is a human rights issue. Secondly, what gives you more right to speak than me? By that logic if you work at IKEA you are only allowed to talk about the GRÖNLID,” Osaka said in a recent tweet, referring to a type of sofa sold at the furniture chain.
European protesters also sought to show solidarity with their American counterparts and to confront bias in their own countries on Sunday.
In Paris, riot police fired tear gas Saturday to disperse a largely peaceful but unauthorized protest against police brutality and entrenched racism, as France’s minorities increasingly push back against a national doctrine of colorblindness that has failed to eradicate discrimination.
In London, far-right activists and soccer rowdies scuffled with police while trying to “guard” historical monuments that have been targeted recently by anti-racism protesters for their links to slavery and British colonialism.
The events in the two European capitals reflected the global emotion unleashed by the death of Mr. Floyd in the United States and the ensuing reckoning with racial injustice and historical wrongs. In both cities, protesters defied restrictions on public gatherings imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In Milan, Italy, protesters scrawled “rapist’’ and “racist’’ in Italian on the statue of a late Italian journalist who had acknowledged having had a 12-year-old Eritrean bride while stationed in the Italian colony on the horn of Africa in the 1930s. The statue of Indro Montanelli, inside a Milan park that bears his name, has been a flashpoint in Italy’s Black Lives Matter protests.
In Germany, protesters in Berlin on Sunday formed 5 ½-mile chain in a message against racism, among a range of other causes. Demonstrators were linked by colored ribbons, forming what organizers called a “ribbon of solidarity” that stretched southeast from the Brandenburg Gate to the Neukoelln neighborhood.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Nick Perry in Wellington, New Zealand; Geir Moulson in Berlin; and Colleen Barry in Milan 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--2020-06-15--Justice denied? Russian court convicts American of spying.

A Russian court convicted an American corporate security executive Monday of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison after a closed trial that the U.S. denounced as a “ mockery of justice , ” and it angrily said his treatment in jail was “ appalling.
” Paul Whelan , a former Marine from Novi , Michigan , has insisted he was innocent , saying he was set up when he was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 while he was visiting Russia to attend a friend 's wedding .
” We have serious concerns that Mr. Whelan was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia is required to provide him in accordance with its international human rights obligations , ” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement .
Mr. Whelan , who also holds British , Irish and Canadian citizenship , has publicly complained of poor prison conditions and has said his life is in danger .
Two weeks ago , Mr. Whelan underwent a hernia operation , which his twin brother , David , described as “ emergency surgery ... which is never a good sign . ''
He said his brother had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months and had voiced concern about coronavirus infections in Moscow ’ s Lefortovo prison , where he was being held .
Secretary Pompeo said the U.S. was “ outraged ” by the verdict and noted that Mr. Whelan ’ s treatment “ has been appalling , ” adding that authorities ignored his medical condition and kept him isolated from family and friends .
He called the proceedings “ a secret trial , with secret evidence and without appropriate allowances for defense witnesses.
” The Moscow City Court , where the trial took place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors because authorities saw it as necessary for considering sensitive information .
Speaking to reporters after the verdict , U.S .
Ambassador John Sullivan called the trial “ a mockery of justice.
” Mr. Whelan ’ s lawyer has said his client was handed a flash drive that had classified information on it that he didn ’ t know about .
David Whelan described the case as political and voiced hope that the U.S. government will help gain his freedom .
“ The Russian Federation wouldn ’ t talk about releasing Paul until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Associated Press .
`` And so , now that that has happened , we hope that the U.S. government will speak to the Russian government .
We will have to continue to treat it as a political case , which is what it is , and seek a political solution for his freedom.
” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected allegations that Mr. Whelan was a political hostage , telling reporters his guilt was proven at the trial .
Mr. Peskov refused to comment on whether Russia could be eyeing his exchange for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody .
Mr. Whelan ’ s Russian lawyer , Vladimir Zherebenkov , pointed at Russian official statements signaling a possibility that Mr. Whelan could be exchanged for Russians Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko .
“ There have been proposals of exchange , the issue is being discussed , ” he said .
Mr .
Bout , a Russian arms trader , is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. for a 2011 conviction on charges he conspired to sell millions of dollars of weapons to Colombian rebels .
He insisted he was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian pilot , is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. after he was arrested in Liberia in 2010 and extradited to the U.S. Russian officials have cast the convictions of Mr .
Bout and Mr. Yaroshenko as politically motivated and pushed for their release .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Mike Householder in Canton Township , Michigan , contributed .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s free .

A Russian court convicted an American corporate security executive Monday of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison after a closed trial that the U.S. denounced as a “mockery of justice,” and it angrily said his treatment in jail was “appalling.”
Paul Whelan, a former Marine from Novi, Michigan, has insisted he was innocent, saying he was set up when he was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 while he was visiting Russia to attend a friend's wedding.
”We have serious concerns that Mr. Whelan was deprived of the fair trial guarantees that Russia is required to provide him in accordance with its international human rights obligations,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
Mr. Whelan, who also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship, has publicly complained of poor prison conditions and has said his life is in danger. Two weeks ago, Mr. Whelan underwent a hernia operation, which his twin brother, David, described as “emergency surgery ... which is never a good sign."
He said his brother had been allowed one phone call in 18 months and had voiced concern about coronavirus infections in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, where he was being held.
Secretary Pompeo said the U.S. was “outraged” by the verdict and noted that Mr. Whelan’s treatment “has been appalling,” adding that authorities ignored his medical condition and kept him isolated from family and friends.
He called the proceedings “a secret trial, with secret evidence and without appropriate allowances for defense witnesses.” The Moscow City Court, where the trial took place, said it was held behind closed doors because authorities saw it as necessary for considering sensitive information.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan called the trial “a mockery of justice.” Mr. Whelan’s lawyer has said his client was handed a flash drive that had classified information on it that he didn’t know about.
David Whelan described the case as political and voiced hope that the U.S. government will help gain his freedom.
“The Russian Federation wouldn’t talk about releasing Paul until he was convicted,” he told The Associated Press. "And so, now that that has happened, we hope that the U.S. government will speak to the Russian government. We will have to continue to treat it as a political case, which is what it is, and seek a political solution for his freedom.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected allegations that Mr. Whelan was a political hostage, telling reporters his guilt was proven at the trial. Mr. Peskov refused to comment on whether Russia could be eyeing his exchange for some of its citizens in the U.S. custody.
Mr. Whelan’s Russian lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, pointed at Russian official statements signaling a possibility that Mr. Whelan could be exchanged for Russians Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko.
“There have been proposals of exchange, the issue is being discussed,” he said.
Mr. Bout, a Russian arms trader, is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. for a 2011 conviction on charges he conspired to sell millions of dollars of weapons to Colombian rebels. He insisted he was a legitimate businessman.
Mr. Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot, is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. after he was arrested in Liberia in 2010 and extradited to the U.S.
Russian officials have cast the convictions of Mr. Bout and Mr. Yaroshenko as politically motivated and pushed for their release.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Mike Householder in Canton Township, Michigan, contributed.
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csmonitor--2020-06-18--Why a Dhaka foundation is delivering fruit baskets in a pandemic

When her father tested positive for COVID-19 , Sumona Khanom struggled to get a bed for him at an already overwhelmed Dhaka Medical College Hospital .
The family struggled , too , with a lack of money to buy food .
She was exhausted .
But then , solace came in the form of a fruit basket from the Bidyanondo Foundation .
There were mangoes , litchis , oranges , apples , lemons , and other food .
And there was a get-well card for her father that read , “ We are here to stand by you .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love .
Our heart goes to you !
” The basket was presented by volunteers working for the foundation , established in 2013 and known for its food assistance programs for street children and the poor .
The group – its name means “ learn for fun ” – has stepped in to build awareness of COVID-19 among families of virus ’ victims and the community .
Its efforts have been inspired by news reports of neglect of victims , or hostility toward them .
One family abandoned an elderly woman in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was infected .
In another incident , a father died being locked in his room when he returned from work with fever .
The family did not take him to a hospital .
Other families have refused to take bodies for burial or cremation .
The incidents have prompted Bangladesh ’ s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to express her regret in a speech in Parliament .
Foundation officials said families should understand how important it is to support those battling COVID-19 when they need it the most .
“ Those news reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe this can happen in a society where relatives usually throng a hospital when someone becomes ill .
But this pandemic is teaching us many new things and showing its teeth , ” said Salman Khan Yeasin , a foundation manager .
“ Actually , in this time of corona , humanity is in a sort fading away .
But in this case , we are trying to set an example of humanitarian approach , ” he said .
The group has distributed about 1,400 fruit baskets since it began distributing them on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowdfunding .
It has built a partnership with the military and its agencies , and works with about 80 other groups across Bangladesh .
Mr. Yeasin said while the foundation ’ s primary target is to support patients and build awareness , it does not want doctors and other health workers to be forgotten .
“ Many health workers are staying outside home , away from their families to provide health care , ” he said .
“ We wanted to thank them .
They also need mental support.
” So it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We become brave to do more [ for people ] seeing your efforts , we know you will continue this fight to save our lives if we become ill tomorrow.
” Bidyanondo ’ s efforts have been met with gratitude .
Sumona Khanom appreciated that the foundation “ has come forward to help my father.
” “ I hope , ” she said , “ they would come forward to help all other fathers.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

When her father tested positive for COVID-19, Sumona Khanom struggled to get a bed for him at an already overwhelmed Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The family struggled, too, with a lack of money to buy food.
She was exhausted. But then, solace came in the form of a fruit basket from the Bidyanondo Foundation.
There were mangoes, litchis, oranges, apples, lemons, and other food. And there was a get-well card for her father that read, “We are here to stand by you. This [gift] is a token of love. Our heart goes to you!”
The basket was presented by volunteers working for the foundation, established in 2013 and known for its food assistance programs for street children and the poor. The group – its name means “learn for fun” – has stepped in to build awareness of COVID-19 among families of virus’ victims and the community.
Its efforts have been inspired by news reports of neglect of victims, or hostility toward them.
One family abandoned an elderly woman in a forest near their home when they suspected she was infected. In another incident, a father died being locked in his room when he returned from work with fever. The family did not take him to a hospital. Other families have refused to take bodies for burial or cremation.
The incidents have prompted Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to express her regret in a speech in Parliament.
Foundation officials said families should understand how important it is to support those battling COVID-19 when they need it the most.
“Those news reports are very shocking. We cannot believe this can happen in a society where relatives usually throng a hospital when someone becomes ill. But this pandemic is teaching us many new things and showing its teeth,” said Salman Khan Yeasin, a foundation manager.
“Actually, in this time of corona, humanity is in a sort fading away. But in this case, we are trying to set an example of humanitarian approach,” he said.
The group has distributed about 1,400 fruit baskets since it began distributing them on June 1.
Bidyanondo depends mostly on crowdfunding. It has built a partnership with the military and its agencies, and works with about 80 other groups across Bangladesh.
Mr. Yeasin said while the foundation’s primary target is to support patients and build awareness, it does not want doctors and other health workers to be forgotten.
“Many health workers are staying outside home, away from their families to provide health care,” he said. “We wanted to thank them. They also need mental support.”
So it has sent them cards. One reads: “We become brave to do more [for people] seeing your efforts, we know you will continue this fight to save our lives if we become ill tomorrow.”
Bidyanondo’s efforts have been met with gratitude. Sumona Khanom appreciated that the foundation “has come forward to help my father.”
“I hope,” she said, “they would come forward to help all other fathers.”
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-15--As lockdown lingers, a rural reckoning with domestic violence

Many factors increase risks of violence against women ; in Canada , indigenous and Black women experience higher rates of domestic violence , for example .
So do rural residents .
In tightknit , traditional places , where the nearest police station might be a half an hour away , and the closest women ’ s shelter even farther , escaping abusive relationships can be particularly difficult .
Myrna Dawson , a professor at the University of Guelph , in Ontario , says that beliefs such as those dictating more rigid gender roles , and norms around the importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including lack of public transportation , increase the associated risks .
In Canada , the need to act now has been thrown into particularly sharp relief .
That is due in part to the aftermath of April ’ s deadly shooting in Nova Scotia , which left 23 people dead .
A former neighbor of the gunman in Portapique recently told the media he had a history of domestic abuse .
But it is also due to the realization that the pandemic has locked victimized women and girls worldwide into homes with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the consequences of isolation and silence toward domestic violence , often compounded in rural contexts , to the fore across North America .
Before he perpetrated the worst mass shooting in Canada ’ s history , the gunman had allegedly inflicted something lamentably more mundane : violence against his partner .
And if Nova Scotia was shocked by the 13-hour rampage through its rural hinterland that resulted in 23 deaths , including the gunman ’ s , in the middle of a global pandemic , it was less startled when a former neighbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media he had a history of domestic abuse .
That included one incident that she says she reported to police in 2013 , in which he is alleged to have beaten and strangled his female partner before three male witnesses .
It was not the first incident to be “ whispered about ” yet not confronted .
“ I think sometimes in rural Nova Scotia , there is this culture of not speaking out , of minding your own business , not rocking the boat , ” says Johannah Black , the bystander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Resource Centre , a women ’ s shelter serving two rural counties in Nova Scotia .
“ That is something that leads to isolation , to not having these discussions , to looking the other way.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
But now Nova Scotia , where blue and green tartan scarves are still fluttering from front porches and mailboxes in grief over the aftermath of the April mass shooting , is being forced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often been dismissed , or unconsciously accepted .
The reckoning comes as the pandemic has catapulted the consequences of isolation and silence toward domestic violence , often compounded in rural contexts , to the fore across North America .
“ I think our society is forever changed , I think we all recognize that .
COVID has highlighted the complexity of domestic violence , ” says Gloria Terry , the CEO of the Texas Council on Family Violence in Austin .
It ’ s also prompted a scramble , she says , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rural women from Portapique to the Texas Panhandle long after the last restrictions are lifted .
“ Three months ago no one thought about doing telehealth approaches , or giving support to survivors through virtual platforming , ” Ms. Terry says .
“ Out of sheer necessity we have equipped ourselves with new tools that can be effective.
” “ In a room full of people , and they all turned away ” In Canada , the need to act now has been thrown into particularly sharp relief – both due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the realization that the pandemic has locked victimized women and girls worldwide into homes with their abusers .
For Janet Rhodes , that has meant moving her organization , Domestic Abuse Survivor Help , which connects survivors with mentors who have also experienced violence , online .
With the possibility of in-person meetings in her home province of Saskatchewan off the table , and with the scarcity of services in rural parts of Canada and the United States in mind , Ms. Rhodes is now looking at offering support via Zoom .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , ” she says .
“ So they ’ re getting that validation that this is not just them , that this is happening to other people.
” It ’ s a lifeline Ms. Rhodes herself could have used the first time her partner abused her .
Early in their relationship in the early 1990s , when seemingly out of nowhere he threw a frying pan at her , she barely had the words to process it .
Later in their relationship , they moved into a small community of Dundurn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside the highway , in the middle of the vast Canadian prairie .
As violence escalated , Ms. Rhodes eventually turned to the only resource available : a list of crisis phone numbers at the front of the phone book .
But she called one only to have a person on the other end of the line tell her she should buy her husband some flowers .
“ That kept me there for quite a few more years , because I thought , ‘ Okay , I ’ m not doing a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many factors increase risks of violence against women ; in Canada , indigenous and Black women experience higher rates of domestic violence , for example .
So do rural residents .
In tight-knit , traditional places , where the nearest police station might be a half an hour away , and the closest women ’ s shelter even farther , escaping abusive relationships can be particularly difficult .
Myrna Dawson , a professor at the University of Guelph , in Ontario , and director of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictating more rigid gender roles and norms around the importance of guns , as well as on-the-ground realities including lack of public transportation , affordable housing , or support services , increase the associated risks .
Statistics Canada data shows rates of domestic violence are nearly twice as high in rural settings as in urban ones – and where women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner , especially with a gun .
A study in the U.S. showed similar results .
In Ms. Rhodes ’ s case , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the stakes were increasingly life-or-death .
In 2010 , when they moved to a bigger town with a police detachment down the street , she found an opportunity to load her infant son in his stroller and flee to the station .
It was only after her husband ’ s arrest that she realized how many people already knew , or suspected , and had done nothing .
“ It felt like I was sitting in the middle of a room screaming my head off , in a room full of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the context of the pandemic , advocates are worried that they aren ’ t hearing from the most isolated women .
In Texas , for example , Ms. Terry says that while many metropolitan domestic abuse hotlines have lit up , in some rural areas they have fallen silent .
Groups are mobilizing to reach victims who might feel that there is no help for them as some shelters have had to reduce capacity to adhere to social distancing .
Heather Bellino , CEO of the Texas Advocacy Project ( TAP ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic abuse victims , says they are disseminating information about alternatives to help where they can , from urgent care centers to food banks .
“ We ’ re working really hard to get the message to people in the rural communities that even if the number of beds is lowered , it doesn ’ t mean you should not reach out to your shelter , because many have now struck deals with hoteliers , ” she says , “ because we know the number of survivors or people that are being hurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ms. Black has focused on creating written resources to help bystanders intervene during the pandemic , with measures such as agreeing on a safe word that friends or family members can use over the phone to indicate if they ’ re in danger .
“ For me what ’ s hopeful is when I ’ m contacted by various survivors ... who are telling me that something like this would have made a difference for them in the past.
” But these measures alone won ’ t address the problem of domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeper societal change is necessary .
Ms. Black and others have called for a feminist inquiry into the massacre – set off after the gunman assaulted his long-term girlfriend and bound her up until she freed herself and ran into the woods .
The case in Nova Scotia may be extreme , but it ’ s part of a culture and attitudes that normalized the gunman ’ s behaviors leading up to it , they say .
“ These perpetrators represent the extreme end of a continuum of attitudes and beliefs held by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that facilitate and maintain violence against women and girls as normal and acceptable in some contexts , ” Professor Dawson says .
“ You can come and live with us , now ” Cary Ryan supports the feminist inquiry .
As a survivor of intimate partner violence herself , she knows the fundamental role that society at large plays .
She has been working with a research project with Nancy Ross , a professor in the School of Social Work at Dalhousie University in Halifax , on the effects of “ pro-arrest ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , police arrest suspected perpetrators of domestic violence , even if victims don ’ t want to proceed with charges .
The intention of such an approach is to show zero tolerance for domestic violence .
But Professor Ross and Ms. Ryan ’ s work is showing that pro-arrest policies can have negative consequences for marginalized groups , including indigenous and non-white individuals , and can backfire in rural contexts .
Research on similar policies in U.S. states has demonstrated comparable consequences .
They say it is communities themselves that need to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ms. Ryan was living in a rural part of British Columbia with a partner , who was also one of two police officers in town .
Ms. Ryan was socially isolated – they ’ d moved there for his job – and the relationship was abusive .
When she finally decided she needed to leave , she reached out to the only person in town she knew .
“ They said , ‘ You can come and live with us , now.
’ These were complete strangers.
” The fact that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her former partner – helped her heal .
“ I was able to hold my head high after all I ’ d been through in that small community.
” In Ms. Ryan ’ s case , the dynamics that can increase the risks of domestic violence in rural communities – the isolation and the smallness – may have saved her , as people came forward offering help and belonging .
“ I know that that wouldn ’ t have happened in an urban area , ” she says .
“ People came and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor ’ s note : This story was updated to correct the photo caption .

Amid the pandemic, activists have been alert for increases in domestic violence, as abusers and their victims are forced into close quarters. The problem appears most acute in rural areas.
Many factors increase risks of violence against women; in Canada, indigenous and Black women experience higher rates of domestic violence, for example. So do rural residents. In tightknit, traditional places, where the nearest police station might be a half an hour away, and the closest women’s shelter even farther, escaping abusive relationships can be particularly difficult. Myrna Dawson, a professor at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, says that beliefs such as those dictating more rigid gender roles, and norms around the importance of guns, as well as on-the-ground realities including lack of public transportation, increase the associated risks.
In Canada, the need to act now has been thrown into particularly sharp relief. That is due in part to the aftermath of April’s deadly shooting in Nova Scotia, which left 23 people dead. A former neighbor of the gunman in Portapique recently told the media he had a history of domestic abuse. But it is also due to the realization that the pandemic has locked victimized women and girls worldwide into homes with their abusers.
The coronavirus pandemic has catapulted the consequences of isolation and silence toward domestic violence, often compounded in rural contexts, to the fore across North America.
Before he perpetrated the worst mass shooting in Canada’s history, the gunman had allegedly inflicted something lamentably more mundane: violence against his partner.
And if Nova Scotia was shocked by the 13-hour rampage through its rural hinterland that resulted in 23 deaths, including the gunman’s, in the middle of a global pandemic, it was less startled when a former neighbor of the gunman in Portapique told the media he had a history of domestic abuse.
That included one incident that she says she reported to police in 2013, in which he is alleged to have beaten and strangled his female partner before three male witnesses. It was not the first incident to be “whispered about” yet not confronted.
Why We Wrote This Amid the pandemic, activists have been alert for increases in domestic violence, as abusers and their victims are forced into close quarters. The problem appears most acute in rural areas.
“I think sometimes in rural Nova Scotia, there is this culture of not speaking out, of minding your own business, not rocking the boat,” says Johannah Black, the bystander intervention program coordinator with the Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre, a women’s shelter serving two rural counties in Nova Scotia. “That is something that leads to isolation, to not having these discussions, to looking the other way.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
But now Nova Scotia, where blue and green tartan scarves are still fluttering from front porches and mailboxes in grief over the aftermath of the April mass shooting, is being forced to look at domestic violence that has too often been dismissed, or unconsciously accepted. The reckoning comes as the pandemic has catapulted the consequences of isolation and silence toward domestic violence, often compounded in rural contexts, to the fore across North America.
“I think our society is forever changed, I think we all recognize that. COVID has highlighted the complexity of domestic violence,” says Gloria Terry, the CEO of the Texas Council on Family Violence in Austin.
It’s also prompted a scramble, she says, to innovate new services that might help reach rural women from Portapique to the Texas Panhandle long after the last restrictions are lifted. “Three months ago no one thought about doing telehealth approaches, or giving support to survivors through virtual platforming,” Ms. Terry says. “Out of sheer necessity we have equipped ourselves with new tools that can be effective.”
“In a room full of people, and they all turned away”
In Canada, the need to act now has been thrown into particularly sharp relief – both due to the aftermath of the Nova Scotia shooting and the realization that the pandemic has locked victimized women and girls worldwide into homes with their abusers.
For Janet Rhodes, that has meant moving her organization, Domestic Abuse Survivor Help, which connects survivors with mentors who have also experienced violence, online.
With the possibility of in-person meetings in her home province of Saskatchewan off the table, and with the scarcity of services in rural parts of Canada and the United States in mind, Ms. Rhodes is now looking at offering support via Zoom. “We can connect with more people that way,” she says. “So they’re getting that validation that this is not just them, that this is happening to other people.”
It’s a lifeline Ms. Rhodes herself could have used the first time her partner abused her. Early in their relationship in the early 1990s, when seemingly out of nowhere he threw a frying pan at her, she barely had the words to process it.
Later in their relationship, they moved into a small community of Dundurn, Saskatchewan, a tiny grid of streets alongside the highway, in the middle of the vast Canadian prairie. As violence escalated, Ms. Rhodes eventually turned to the only resource available: a list of crisis phone numbers at the front of the phone book.
But she called one only to have a person on the other end of the line tell her she should buy her husband some flowers. “That kept me there for quite a few more years, because I thought, ‘Okay, I’m not doing a good enough job as a wife.’”
Many factors increase risks of violence against women; in Canada, indigenous and Black women experience higher rates of domestic violence, for example. So do rural residents. In tight-knit, traditional places, where the nearest police station might be a half an hour away, and the closest women’s shelter even farther, escaping abusive relationships can be particularly difficult. Myrna Dawson, a professor at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, and director of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability, says that beliefs such as those dictating more rigid gender roles and norms around the importance of guns, as well as on-the-ground realities including lack of public transportation, affordable housing, or support services, increase the associated risks.
Statistics Canada data shows rates of domestic violence are nearly twice as high in rural settings as in urban ones – and where women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner, especially with a gun. A study in the U.S. showed similar results.
In Ms. Rhodes’s case, she didn’t seek help for years until the stakes were increasingly life-or-death. In 2010, when they moved to a bigger town with a police detachment down the street, she found an opportunity to load her infant son in his stroller and flee to the station. It was only after her husband’s arrest that she realized how many people already knew, or suspected, and had done nothing. “It felt like I was sitting in the middle of a room screaming my head off, in a room full of people, and they all turned away.”
Silence amid the pandemic
In the context of the pandemic, advocates are worried that they aren’t hearing from the most isolated women. In Texas, for example, Ms. Terry says that while many metropolitan domestic abuse hotlines have lit up, in some rural areas they have fallen silent.
Groups are mobilizing to reach victims who might feel that there is no help for them as some shelters have had to reduce capacity to adhere to social distancing. Heather Bellino, CEO of the Texas Advocacy Project (TAP), which provides free legal services for domestic abuse victims, says they are disseminating information about alternatives to help where they can, from urgent care centers to food banks.
“We’re working really hard to get the message to people in the rural communities that even if the number of beds is lowered, it doesn’t mean you should not reach out to your shelter, because many have now struck deals with hoteliers,” she says, “because we know the number of survivors or people that are being hurt has not decreased.”
In Nova Scotia, Ms. Black has focused on creating written resources to help bystanders intervene during the pandemic, with measures such as agreeing on a safe word that friends or family members can use over the phone to indicate if they’re in danger. “For me what’s hopeful is when I’m contacted by various survivors ... who are telling me that something like this would have made a difference for them in the past.”
But these measures alone won’t address the problem of domestic violence, she says, noting that deeper societal change is necessary. Ms. Black and others have called for a feminist inquiry into the massacre – set off after the gunman assaulted his long-term girlfriend and bound her up until she freed herself and ran into the woods. The case in Nova Scotia may be extreme, but it’s part of a culture and attitudes that normalized the gunman’s behaviors leading up to it, they say.
“These perpetrators represent the extreme end of a continuum of attitudes and beliefs held by the general public – particularly men – that facilitate and maintain violence against women and girls as normal and acceptable in some contexts,” Professor Dawson says.
“You can come and live with us, now”
Cary Ryan supports the feminist inquiry. As a survivor of intimate partner violence herself, she knows the fundamental role that society at large plays. She has been working with a research project with Nancy Ross, a professor in the School of Social Work at Dalhousie University in Halifax, on the effects of “pro-arrest” policies in Canada.
Under pro-arrest policies, police arrest suspected perpetrators of domestic violence, even if victims don’t want to proceed with charges. The intention of such an approach is to show zero tolerance for domestic violence.
But Professor Ross and Ms. Ryan’s work is showing that pro-arrest policies can have negative consequences for marginalized groups, including indigenous and non-white individuals, and can backfire in rural contexts. Research on similar policies in U.S. states has demonstrated comparable consequences. They say it is communities themselves that need to stop tolerating domestic violence.
A decade ago, Ms. Ryan was living in a rural part of British Columbia with a partner, who was also one of two police officers in town.
Ms. Ryan was socially isolated – they’d moved there for his job – and the relationship was abusive. When she finally decided she needed to leave, she reached out to the only person in town she knew. “They said, ‘You can come and live with us, now.’ These were complete strangers.”
The fact that the community rallied around her – and rejected her former partner – helped her heal. “I was able to hold my head high after all I’d been through in that small community.”
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In Ms. Ryan’s case, the dynamics that can increase the risks of domestic violence in rural communities – the isolation and the smallness – may have saved her, as people came forward offering help and belonging. “I know that that wouldn’t have happened in an urban area,” she says. “People came and stood with me and believed me.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct the photo caption.


csmonitor--2020-06-18--‘The pandemic has united us’: A media divide fades in the Baltics

But this new sense of national unity will soon be tested by the pace of economic recovery .
“ Over 200,000 Latvians have emigrated over the past few decades to seek a more prosperous life abroad , ” says sociologist Liene Ozoliņa .
“ It will be crucial to see how the government supports the economy and protects ordinary people to prevent another wave of emigration.
” But people soon turned to more local news sources .
That switchover is credited with helping Latvia and Estonia fare better against the coronavirus than much of the rest of Europe .
Top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts to take the lead .
Tasked with informing the public , scientists spoke from both sides of the linguistic divide , which helped their countries emerge from this stage of the pandemic with little loss of life .
In Russia ’ s two smallest neighbors , Latvia and Estonia , roughly a quarter of the people are Russian-speaking – an enduring legacy of the Soviet era .
Russian speakers tend to consume Moscow-based media .
At the beginning of the pandemic , “ the message that Moscow was sending ... was that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu , ” explains Uga Dumpis , the Latvian government ’ s chief virologist .
The state of emergency in this venerable seaside capital ended last week .
Many stores are still boarded up , including some that will never open again , and sidewalk cafes are far from full capacity .
Nevertheless , as this nation of 1.9 million people enjoys a welcome burst of late spring weather , there is an undeniable feeling of collective relief .
“ It feels as if we are waking up from a bad dream , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a luxury hotel in the city ’ s historic Old Town .
Like all of Riga ’ s hostelries , it was forced to close because of the scourge .
“ But at least we are waking up , ” says Mr. Loew .
Both Latvia and her sister Baltic republic , Estonia , have good reason to be relieved .
Thanks to proactive , consensus leadership , both are emerging from this stage of the pandemic with remarkably little loss of life and lower infection rates than most of Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unity and national pride .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
A major reason for this is that the top politicians of both countries stepped aside and allowed their medical experts to take the lead in a health crisis .
Ever since both countries regained independence in 1991 , a legacy of the Soviet era has challenged them : tensions between the ethnic Latvian and Estonian majorities and their Russophile countrymen .
Roughly a quarter of the population are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family members who were Soviet troops and officials , or are themselves former military .
In Latvia , for example , both communities have differed over the Latvian government ’ s recent push to make Latvian the state language .
Some expected those tensions to evince themselves once again when the coronavirus struck .
But that didn ’ t happen – just the opposite .
Latvia ’ s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins credits both the ethnic Latvian and Russian-speaking communities for adhering to the government ’ s directives on the pandemic .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ironic , and it certainly wasn ’ t planned , ” says Prime Minister Karins .
“ But the pandemic has united us.
” “ The measures we employed to stop the virus were only effective because they entailed our entire society , ” he adds .
“ Basically , everyone collaborated on this.
” Compounding the initial challenge was the fact that the two communities tend to rely on news from disparate sources .
In Latvia , as in Estonia , much of the Russian-speaking population relies on the slicker , Moscow-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did – at least at first – with the pandemic .
What the Russian community initially absorbed from Russian media jarred with the Riga government ’ s message .
“ The message Moscow was sending , both to its own citizens , as well as ‘ Russia abroad , ’ was that the virus was nothing worse than the flu , ” says Uga Dumpis , the government ’ s head virologist .
“ Fortunately everyone realized that the virus was just as serious as we said it was.
” Meanwhile , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perevoscikovs , is a Russian speaker – putting Latvia ’ s two top health experts on different sides of the linguistic divide .
“ People quickly realized that they had a common enemy , ” says Jana Jermakova-Zaikovska , a broadcaster with Radio Latvia ’ s service for Russian speakers .
As Martins Lagzdins , the CEO of a Riga advertising firm , put it , “ The virus has helped all Latvians realize that at the end of the day we are all in same boat.
” Prominent Latvian American journalist Pauls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two communities have receded into the background , ” says Mr. Raudseps , who like the prime minister , is from the diaspora and came to Latvia in 1990 .
“ And that is a good thing.
” Across the border in Estonia , broad support for the government has also put a spotlight on new faces from the Russian community .
One of them is Dr. Arkadi Popov , chief medical officer of the Estonian Health Board ’ s crisis team .
Dr. Popov , who became a reassuring nightly TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has contributed to bringing the country together .
“ I think that in a crisis such as this , it is especially important that objective information is available to both Estonian- and Russian-speaking audiences , ” he says .
He points to the way the Russian community observed May 9 , the day that Russians in both Latvia and Estonia commemorate the end of World War II by gathering at Soviet cenotaphs in both capitals .
“ Usually the area in front of the Unknown Soldier monument in the Military Cemetery in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Popov notes .
“ This year there were just as many flowers at the monument as before , but this year it could be seen that people followed the 2 + 2 rule.
” The 2 + 2 rule allows people in public only in pairs , while maintaining a two-meter distance .
“ The pandemic has also made us more innovative , ” says Dr. Popov , pointing to a dramatic increase in use of video consultation between doctors and patients in Estonian hospitals .
Tonis Saarts , a professor of comparative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his weekly radio commentary that thanks to the “ brilliant contribution ” of Dr. Popov and other Estonian Russians , “ the crisis has almost done away with ethnic boundaries.
” As in Latvia , Russian speakers turned away from Russian news sources and began to rely on local information on the coronavirus .
“ For the first time in three decades we witnessed the birth of a common information sphere to unite the two communities , ” said Professor Saarts on his radio show .
“ When people realized that Russian TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Estonia , they started watching our Estonian Russian-speaking TV , ” says Jevgeni Zavadski , a producer for Estonia ’ s national broadcaster .
“ Our ratings have grown three times because we turned into a unique and accurate source of information.
” Professor Saarts nevertheless warns that this new sense of national unity will soon be tested by how well the government handles Estonia ’ s economic recovery .
“ Unfortunately this trust in national institutions might not last very long , ” he declares , “ because it is clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder than it will Estonians.
” Professor Saarts ’ optimism , as well as his concern , is echoed by Latvian sociologist Liene Ozoliņa , who teaches at the London School of Economics .
“ The medical challenge has been won , ” she says .
“ The next one is economic.
” Latvia ’ s unemployment rate is about 11 % , and more than half of residents say that they have been negatively affected financially by the pandemic .
“ Over 200,000 Latvians have emigrated over the past few decades to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she says , referring to what most agree is the greatest challenge holding Latvia back from its full potential – population decline .
“ It will be crucial to see how the government supports the economy and protects ordinary people to prevent another wave of emigration , ” says Dr. Ozolina , who herself is returning to her resurgent homeland next month .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

Trusted news sources can shape behavior. In the midst of a health crisis, Russian speakers in the Baltics switched loyalties to watch local news, helping Latvia and Estonia fare better against the coronavirus.
But this new sense of national unity will soon be tested by the pace of economic recovery. “Over 200,000 Latvians have emigrated over the past few decades to seek a more prosperous life abroad,” says sociologist Liene Ozoliņa. “It will be crucial to see how the government supports the economy and protects ordinary people to prevent another wave of emigration.”
But people soon turned to more local news sources. That switchover is credited with helping Latvia and Estonia fare better against the coronavirus than much of the rest of Europe. Top politicians stepped aside and allowed their medical experts to take the lead. Tasked with informing the public, scientists spoke from both sides of the linguistic divide, which helped their countries emerge from this stage of the pandemic with little loss of life.
In Russia’s two smallest neighbors, Latvia and Estonia, roughly a quarter of the people are Russian-speaking – an enduring legacy of the Soviet era. Russian speakers tend to consume Moscow-based media. At the beginning of the pandemic, “the message that Moscow was sending ... was that the virus was nothing worse than the flu,” explains Uga Dumpis, the Latvian government’s chief virologist.
The state of emergency in this venerable seaside capital ended last week. Many stores are still boarded up, including some that will never open again, and sidewalk cafes are far from full capacity.
Nevertheless, as this nation of 1.9 million people enjoys a welcome burst of late spring weather, there is an undeniable feeling of collective relief.
“It feels as if we are waking up from a bad dream,” says Bernhard Loew, the manager of a luxury hotel in the city’s historic Old Town. Like all of Riga’s hostelries, it was forced to close because of the scourge. “But at least we are waking up,” says Mr. Loew.
Why We Wrote This Trusted news sources can shape behavior. In the midst of a health crisis, Russian speakers in the Baltics switched loyalties to watch local news, helping Latvia and Estonia fare better against the coronavirus.
Both Latvia and her sister Baltic republic, Estonia, have good reason to be relieved. Thanks to proactive, consensus leadership, both are emerging from this stage of the pandemic with remarkably little loss of life and lower infection rates than most of Europe, as well as a renewed sense of unity and national pride.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
A major reason for this is that the top politicians of both countries stepped aside and allowed their medical experts to take the lead in a health crisis.
Ever since both countries regained independence in 1991, a legacy of the Soviet era has challenged them: tensions between the ethnic Latvian and Estonian majorities and their Russophile countrymen. Roughly a quarter of the population are Russian speakers, many of whom have family members who were Soviet troops and officials, or are themselves former military.
In Latvia, for example, both communities have differed over the Latvian government’s recent push to make Latvian the state language.
Some expected those tensions to evince themselves once again when the coronavirus struck. But that didn’t happen – just the opposite.
Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins credits both the ethnic Latvian and Russian-speaking communities for adhering to the government’s directives on the pandemic.
“I suppose you could say it was ironic, and it certainly wasn’t planned,” says Prime Minister Karins. “But the pandemic has united us.”
“The measures we employed to stop the virus were only effective because they entailed our entire society,” he adds. “Basically, everyone collaborated on this.”
Gordon Sander View caption Hide caption Medics to the World, by Aigars Bikše, is a sculpture dedicated to health workers that was funded by donations. It was installed this week in front of the Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga, which reopened to visitors May 19, 2020.
News via Moscow
Compounding the initial challenge was the fact that the two communities tend to rely on news from disparate sources. In Latvia, as in Estonia, much of the Russian-speaking population relies on the slicker, Moscow-based Russian media for information.
So it did – at least at first – with the pandemic. What the Russian community initially absorbed from Russian media jarred with the Riga government’s message. “The message Moscow was sending, both to its own citizens, as well as ‘Russia abroad,’ was that the virus was nothing worse than the flu,” says Uga Dumpis, the government’s head virologist. “Fortunately everyone realized that the virus was just as serious as we said it was.”
Meanwhile, the government’s chief epidemiologist, Jurijs Perevoscikovs, is a Russian speaker – putting Latvia’s two top health experts on different sides of the linguistic divide.
“People quickly realized that they had a common enemy,” says Jana Jermakova-Zaikovska, a broadcaster with Radio Latvia’s service for Russian speakers.
As Martins Lagzdins, the CEO of a Riga advertising firm, put it, “The virus has helped all Latvians realize that at the end of the day we are all in same boat.”
Prominent Latvian American journalist Pauls Raudseps agrees. “The differences between the two communities have receded into the background,” says Mr. Raudseps, who like the prime minister, is from the diaspora and came to Latvia in 1990. “And that is a good thing.”
Trusted Russian-speaking doctors
Across the border in Estonia, broad support for the government has also put a spotlight on new faces from the Russian community. One of them is Dr. Arkadi Popov, chief medical officer of the Estonian Health Board’s crisis team.
Dr. Popov, who became a reassuring nightly TV presence, says he is pleased if he has contributed to bringing the country together. “I think that in a crisis such as this, it is especially important that objective information is available to both Estonian- and Russian-speaking audiences,” he says.
He points to the way the Russian community observed May 9, the day that Russians in both Latvia and Estonia commemorate the end of World War II by gathering at Soviet cenotaphs in both capitals.
“Usually the area in front of the Unknown Soldier monument in the Military Cemetery in Tallinn is extremely crowded,” Dr. Popov notes. “This year there were just as many flowers at the monument as before, but this year it could be seen that people followed the 2 + 2 rule.”
The 2 + 2 rule allows people in public only in pairs, while maintaining a two-meter distance. “The pandemic has also made us more innovative,” says Dr. Popov, pointing to a dramatic increase in use of video consultation between doctors and patients in Estonian hospitals.
Tonis Saarts, a professor of comparative politics at Tallinn University, said during his weekly radio commentary that thanks to the “brilliant contribution” of Dr. Popov and other Estonian Russians, “the crisis has almost done away with ethnic boundaries.” As in Latvia, Russian speakers turned away from Russian news sources and began to rely on local information on the coronavirus. “For the first time in three decades we witnessed the birth of a common information sphere to unite the two communities,” said Professor Saarts on his radio show.
“When people realized that Russian TV was not talking about the situation in Estonia, they started watching our Estonian Russian-speaking TV,” says Jevgeni Zavadski, a producer for Estonia’s national broadcaster. “Our ratings have grown three times because we turned into a unique and accurate source of information.”
Next challenge, the economy
Professor Saarts nevertheless warns that this new sense of national unity will soon be tested by how well the government handles Estonia’s economic recovery.
“Unfortunately this trust in national institutions might not last very long,” he declares, “because it is clear that the looming economic crisis will hit Russians harder than it will Estonians.”
Professor Saarts’ optimism, as well as his concern, is echoed by Latvian sociologist Liene Ozoliņa, who teaches at the London School of Economics. “The medical challenge has been won,” she says. “The next one is economic.” Latvia’s unemployment rate is about 11%, and more than half of residents say that they have been negatively affected financially by the pandemic.
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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.
“Over 200,000 Latvians have emigrated over the past few decades to seek a more prosperous life abroad,” she says, referring to what most agree is the greatest challenge holding Latvia back from its full potential – population decline. “It will be crucial to see how the government supports the economy and protects ordinary people to prevent another wave of emigration,” says Dr. Ozolina, who herself is returning to her resurgent homeland next month.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-06-15--Europe reopens for Europeans. No outsiders allowed yet.

Europe is taking a big step toward a new normality as many countries open borders to fellow Europeans after three months of coronavirus lockdowns – but even though Europeans love their summer vacations , it 's not clear how many are ready to travel again .
Tourists from the United States , Asia , Latin America , Africa , and the Middle East will just have to wait for now .
Europe is expected to start opening up to some visitors from elsewhere next month , but details remain unclear .
The European Union home affairs commissioner , Ylva Johansson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they “ should open up as soon as possible '' and suggested Monday was a good date .
Many countries are doing just that , allowing travel from the EU , Britain , and the rest of Europe ’ s usually passport-free Schengen travel area , which includes non-EU countries like Switzerland .
Europe ’ s reopening won ’ t be a repeat of the chaotic free-for-all in March when panicked , uncoordinated border closures caused traffic jams that stretched for miles .
Still , it ’ s a complicated , shifting patchwork @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regions are desperately counting on them , a lot of Europeans may decide to stay close to home this summer .
That 's something tourism-dependent Mediterranean countries such as Greece are keen to avoid .
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged Saturday that “ a lot will depend on whether people feel comfortable to travel and whether we can project Greece as a safe destination.
” Greece has emphasized its handling of its outbreak , which saw only 183 deaths .
Overall , Europe has seen more than 182,000 virus-linked deaths this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University that also shows Europe has had 2.04 million of the world 's 7.8 million infections .
Hard-hit Spain , which on Sunday moved forward its opening to European travelers by 10 days to June 21 , is allowing thousands of Germans to fly to its Balearic Islands for a trial run starting Monday – waiving its 14-day quarantine for the group .
“ This pilot program will help us learn a lot for what lies ahead in the coming months , '' Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said .
“ We want our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a world-class tourist destination , to be recognized as also a secure destination.
” Border checks in some places have already wound down .
Italy opened its borders on June 3 and towns on the German-Polish border celebrated early Saturday as Poland opened the gates .
At midnight , the mayors of Goerlitz , Germany and Zgorzelec , Poland cut through chains on a makeshift fence that had divided the towns .
Germany , like France and others , is lifting remaining border checks on Monday and scrapping a requirement that arrivals must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enter .
It also is easing a worldwide warning against nonessential travel to exempt European countries – except , probably , Finland , Norway , and Spain , where travel restrictions remain , and Sweden , where the level of new coronavirus infections is deemed too high .
Many German regions have reimposed a quarantine requirement for arrivals from Sweden , whose virus strategy avoided a lockdown but produced a relatively high death rate .
Czech authorities will require arrivals from Sweden to show a negative COVID-19 test or to self-quarantine – along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Silesia region .
Austria is opening up Tuesday to European neighbors except Spain , Portugal , Sweden , and Britain – and keeping a travel warning for Italy 's worst-hit region of Lombardy .
France is asking people from Britain to self-quarantine for two weeks .
Britain recently introduced a 14-day quarantine requirement for most arrivals , to the horror of its tourism and aviation industries , which say the move will hit visits to Britain hard this summer .
Denmark is opening up only for tourists from Germany , Norway , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can prove that they 're staying for at least six nights .
Norway also is keeping shut its long border with Sweden .
“ I realize this is a big disappointment .
But the restrictions are based on objective criteria that are the same for everyone , ” Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said .
“ If we open too quickly , the infection can get out of control.
” With flights only gradually picking up , nervousness about new outbreaks abroad , uncertainty about social distancing at tourist venues and many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be a good summer for domestic tourism .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz are both planning to vacation in their homelands this year .
“ The recommendation is still , if you want to be really safe , a vacation in Austria , ” Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told ORF television , recalling the scramble in March to bring home thousands of tourists as borders slammed shut .
“ In Austria , you know that you do n't have to cross a border if you want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure and the health system well.
” The German government , which helped fly 240,000 people home as the pandemic grew exponentially , also has no desire to repeat that experience .
“ My appeal to all those who travel : Enjoy your summer vacation – but enjoy it with caution and responsibility , ” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said .
“ In the summer holidays , we want to make it as difficult as possible for the virus to spread again in Europe .
”

Europe is taking a big step toward a new normality as many countries open borders to fellow Europeans after three months of coronavirus lockdowns – but even though Europeans love their summer vacations, it's not clear how many are ready to travel again.
Tourists from the United States, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East will just have to wait for now. Europe is expected to start opening up to some visitors from elsewhere next month, but details remain unclear.
The European Union home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, told member nations last week that they “should open up as soon as possible" and suggested Monday was a good date.
Many countries are doing just that, allowing travel from the EU, Britain, and the rest of Europe’s usually passport-free Schengen travel area, which includes non-EU countries like Switzerland.
Europe’s reopening won’t be a repeat of the chaotic free-for-all in March when panicked, uncoordinated border closures caused traffic jams that stretched for miles. Still, it’s a complicated, shifting patchwork of different rules. And although tourist regions are desperately counting on them, a lot of Europeans may decide to stay close to home this summer.
That's something tourism-dependent Mediterranean countries such as Greece are keen to avoid. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged Saturday that “a lot will depend on whether people feel comfortable to travel and whether we can project Greece as a safe destination.”
Greece has emphasized its handling of its outbreak, which saw only 183 deaths. Overall, Europe has seen more than 182,000 virus-linked deaths this year, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that also shows Europe has had 2.04 million of the world's 7.8 million infections.
Hard-hit Spain, which on Sunday moved forward its opening to European travelers by 10 days to June 21, is allowing thousands of Germans to fly to its Balearic Islands for a trial run starting Monday – waiving its 14-day quarantine for the group.
“This pilot program will help us learn a lot for what lies ahead in the coming months," Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said. “We want our country, which is already known as a world-class tourist destination, to be recognized as also a secure destination.”
Border checks in some places have already wound down. Italy opened its borders on June 3 and towns on the German-Polish border celebrated early Saturday as Poland opened the gates. At midnight, the mayors of Goerlitz, Germany and Zgorzelec, Poland cut through chains on a makeshift fence that had divided the towns.
Germany, like France and others, is lifting remaining border checks on Monday and scrapping a requirement that arrivals must prove they have a good reason to enter. It also is easing a worldwide warning against nonessential travel to exempt European countries – except, probably, Finland, Norway, and Spain, where travel restrictions remain, and Sweden, where the level of new coronavirus infections is deemed too high.
Many German regions have reimposed a quarantine requirement for arrivals from Sweden, whose virus strategy avoided a lockdown but produced a relatively high death rate.
Czech authorities will require arrivals from Sweden to show a negative COVID-19 test or to self-quarantine – along with travelers from Portugal and Poland’s Silesia region.
Austria is opening up Tuesday to European neighbors except Spain, Portugal, Sweden, and Britain – and keeping a travel warning for Italy's worst-hit region of Lombardy. France is asking people from Britain to self-quarantine for two weeks.
Britain recently introduced a 14-day quarantine requirement for most arrivals, to the horror of its tourism and aviation industries, which say the move will hit visits to Britain hard this summer.
Denmark is opening up only for tourists from Germany, Norway, and Iceland – and only if they can prove that they're staying for at least six nights. Norway also is keeping shut its long border with Sweden.
“I realize this is a big disappointment. But the restrictions are based on objective criteria that are the same for everyone,” Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said. “If we open too quickly, the infection can get out of control.”
With flights only gradually picking up, nervousness about new outbreaks abroad, uncertainty about social distancing at tourist venues and many people facing unemployment or pay cuts, this may be a good summer for domestic tourism.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz are both planning to vacation in their homelands this year.
“The recommendation is still, if you want to be really safe, a vacation in Austria,” Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told ORF television, recalling the scramble in March to bring home thousands of tourists as borders slammed shut. “In Austria, you know that you don't have to cross a border if you want to get home, and you know the infrastructure and the health system well.”
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The German government, which helped fly 240,000 people home as the pandemic grew exponentially, also has no desire to repeat that experience.
“My appeal to all those who travel: Enjoy your summer vacation – but enjoy it with caution and responsibility,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said. “In the summer holidays, we want to make it as difficult as possible for the virus to spread again in Europe.”


csmonitor--2020-06-16--Resetting the Russia relationship: A China play, too?

Fifty years ago , Richard Nixon made a surprise visit to Beijing and restored diplomatic relations with China as a means to circumscribe the Soviet Union .
Could President Trump be attempting a reverse Nixon gambit , using Russia as a counterweight to China ?
They may come to nothing ; members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are warier of President Putin than the U.S. president is .
But as China spreads its influence and ambitions , growing numbers of lawmakers are coming to share President Trump ’ s hostility toward Beijing .
Recent signs of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week between U.S. and Russian officials , and President Trump ’ s suggestion that he would invite President Putin to a summit of the Group of Seven , even though Russia has been suspended from the group of economically advanced democracies .
U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be making overtures to Moscow in a new bid to improve ties that he has long wanted to strengthen .
But this time , the international context is different , and President Trump has a new motivation for wanting to make nice with Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the U.S. and Russia , which have been in a deep freeze since the Kremlin ’ s intervention in Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea six years ago , may be showing the first small signs of a thaw .
And that ’ s in part because of the Trump administration ’ s hardening stance toward its main superpower rival , China .
The most significant indication of a possible reset came last week , with the announcement the United States had agreed to meet Russian negotiators in Vienna later this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New START agreement on nuclear arms control .
That ’ s important in itself .
New START , which limits the number of nuclear warheads Washington and Moscow can have , was negotiated by the Obama administration and is due to expire early next year .
President Donald Trump has already pulled Washington out of a number of other arms treaties .
If New START were allowed to lapse , the world would be without any formal arms control arrangements for the first time in almost half a century .
The mere fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not guarantee a deal will be struck .
First , there are the complex technical issues involved in any arms control deal .
President Trump ’ s White House has devoted far less attention or preparatory work to structured diplomatic encounters than have past administrations .
Political and strategic considerations on both sides could also slow progress .
Russia may not think it ’ s worth seeking an early deal as November ’ s U.S. presidential election approaches .
The Trump administration , for its part , has been arguing that New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth little unless they include China , too .
Not so bad , after all ?
But in the wake of mixed signals , the decision to enter negotiations on New START does suggest reluctance in Washington to see these last arms control limits simply expire .
That ’ s not the only sign President Trump is interested in some form of reengagement with Russia at a time when he is adopting an increasingly hostile tone toward China over the COVID-19 pandemic .
Last month , the White House arranged the dispatch of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with COVID-19 .
Interestingly , that came a month after Russia flew a planeload of medical supplies to New York – pointedly organized by two Russian companies subject to the U.S. economic sanctions imposed after Russia ’ s 2014 annexation of Crimea .
President Trump also said this month that he plans to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the next meeting of the Group of Seven economically advanced democracies , due to take place in the U.S. – despite Russia ’ s suspension from the G-7 since Moscow ’ s intervention in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks , an invitation in itself would not necessarily mean any early move toward a thaw in relations .
Again , there are likely to be obstacles , both practical and political : European G-7 members are less keen on a rapprochement with Russia , especially if it is aimed against China , and many members of the U.S. Congress on both sides of the aisle are skeptical as well .
They have not forgotten Russia ’ s interference in the 2016 presidential election – something that President Trump has downplayed or dismissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. intelligence agencies but by a bipartisan majority on the Senate intelligence committee .
That ’ s one reason the president has been frustrated in his long and openly stated desire to engage with the Russian leader and get a “ fresh start ” on ties with Moscow .
But again as with New START , the underlying message of the president ’ s statement on the G-7 is important .
It highlights the relevance of the administration ’ s growing tensions with China .
President Trump didn ’ t just mention adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He criticized the existing G-7 structure – grouping the U.S. , Britain , Canada , France , Germany , Italy , and Japan – as outdated .
And he proposed inviting the leaders of a trio of democracies in China ’ s own neighborhood : India , Australia , and South Korea .
We ’ ve been here before , in reverse Whatever pushback he might get from the current G-7 to a formal expansion of the group , the broader strategic and geopolitical aim – paying much warier attention to China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ momentum .
It could also outlast the Trump administration .
It was President Trump ’ s predecessor , President Barack Obama , who launched a diplomatic and military “ pivot to Asia ” to take account of Beijing ’ s growing international influence and ambitions .
And since the outbreak of COVID-19 , which Chinese officials initially kept under political wraps , attitudes toward Beijing have been hardening among both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress .
While there ’ s far less bipartisan appetite for easing sanctions or warming ties with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over time , change that calculation .
In superpower diplomatic history , there is what might be called a mirror-image precedent for just such a diplomatic recalibration : President Richard Nixon ’ s surprise 1972 visit to China .
That move , establishing diplomatic ties after decades of shunning Beijing ’ s Communist regime , was in part designed to strengthen America ’ s diplomatic hand against its main rival , the Soviet Union .
On the chess board of international strategy , could President Trump now be attempting a reverse Nixon gambit @

Fifty years ago, Richard Nixon made a surprise visit to Beijing and restored diplomatic relations with China as a means to circumscribe the Soviet Union. Could President Trump be attempting a reverse Nixon gambit, using Russia as a counterweight to China?
They may come to nothing; members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are warier of President Putin than the U.S. president is. But as China spreads its influence and ambitions, growing numbers of lawmakers are coming to share President Trump’s hostility toward Beijing.
President Trump has long wanted closer relations with Moscow. Now he has a new motivation that has bipartisan support: a desire to constrain China.
Recent signs of a possibly warmer relationship include arms control talks next week between U.S. and Russian officials, and President Trump’s suggestion that he would invite President Putin to a summit of the Group of Seven, even though Russia has been suspended from the group of economically advanced democracies.
U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be making overtures to Moscow in a new bid to improve ties that he has long wanted to strengthen. But this time, the international context is different, and President Trump has a new motivation for wanting to make nice with Russian President Vladimir Putin: China.
Relations between the U.S. and Russia, which have been in a deep freeze since the Kremlin’s intervention in Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea six years ago, may be showing the first small signs of a thaw. And that’s in part because of the Trump administration’s hardening stance toward its main superpower rival, China.
The most significant indication of a possible reset came last week, with the announcement the United States had agreed to meet Russian negotiators in Vienna later this month to discuss the future of the decade-old New START agreement on nuclear arms control.
That’s important in itself. New START, which limits the number of nuclear warheads Washington and Moscow can have, was negotiated by the Obama administration and is due to expire early next year. President Donald Trump has already pulled Washington out of a number of other arms treaties. If New START were allowed to lapse, the world would be without any formal arms control arrangements for the first time in almost half a century.
Why We Wrote This President Trump has long wanted closer relations with Moscow. Now he has a new motivation that has bipartisan support: a desire to constrain China.
The mere fact that the Vienna meeting is taking place does not guarantee a deal will be struck. First, there are the complex technical issues involved in any arms control deal. President Trump’s White House has devoted far less attention or preparatory work to structured diplomatic encounters than have past administrations.
Political and strategic considerations on both sides could also slow progress. Russia may not think it’s worth seeking an early deal as November’s U.S. presidential election approaches. The Trump administration, for its part, has been arguing that New START and other arms control accords are worth little unless they include China, too.
Not so bad, after all?
But in the wake of mixed signals, the decision to enter negotiations on New START does suggest reluctance in Washington to see these last arms control limits simply expire.
That’s not the only sign President Trump is interested in some form of reengagement with Russia at a time when he is adopting an increasingly hostile tone toward China over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, the White House arranged the dispatch of dozens of ventilators to help Russia deal with COVID-19. Interestingly, that came a month after Russia flew a planeload of medical supplies to New York – pointedly organized by two Russian companies subject to the U.S. economic sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
President Trump also said this month that he plans to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the next meeting of the Group of Seven economically advanced democracies, due to take place in the U.S. – despite Russia’s suspension from the G-7 since Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine.
As with the New START talks, an invitation in itself would not necessarily mean any early move toward a thaw in relations. Again, there are likely to be obstacles, both practical and political: European G-7 members are less keen on a rapprochement with Russia, especially if it is aimed against China, and many members of the U.S. Congress on both sides of the aisle are skeptical as well.
They have not forgotten Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election – something that President Trump has downplayed or dismissed but which was confirmed not only by U.S. intelligence agencies but by a bipartisan majority on the Senate intelligence committee. That’s one reason the president has been frustrated in his long and openly stated desire to engage with the Russian leader and get a “fresh start” on ties with Moscow.
But again as with New START, the underlying message of the president’s statement on the G-7 is important. It highlights the relevance of the administration’s growing tensions with China.
President Trump didn’t just mention adding President Putin to the guest list. He criticized the existing G-7 structure – grouping the U.S., Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan – as outdated. And he proposed inviting the leaders of a trio of democracies in China’s own neighborhood: India, Australia, and South Korea.
We’ve been here before, in reverse
Whatever pushback he might get from the current G-7 to a formal expansion of the group, the broader strategic and geopolitical aim – paying much warier attention to China’s growing power – could well gather momentum. It could also outlast the Trump administration.
It was President Trump’s predecessor, President Barack Obama, who launched a diplomatic and military “pivot to Asia” to take account of Beijing’s growing international influence and ambitions. And since the outbreak of COVID-19, which Chinese officials initially kept under political wraps, attitudes toward Beijing have been hardening among both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress.
While there’s far less bipartisan appetite for easing sanctions or warming ties with Russia, the China factor could, over time, change that calculation.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
In superpower diplomatic history, there is what might be called a mirror-image precedent for just such a diplomatic recalibration: President Richard Nixon’s surprise 1972 visit to China. That move, establishing diplomatic ties after decades of shunning Beijing’s Communist regime, was in part designed to strengthen America’s diplomatic hand against its main rival, the Soviet Union.
On the chess board of international strategy, could President Trump now be attempting a reverse Nixon gambit?