Voice of America - One-Minute Features

Ginsburg Leaves Capitol for Final Journey to Arlington National Cemetery

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:56:38 GMT

Legislators said their final farewells to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Friday, September 25, as her coffin was taken from the Capitol to Arlington National Cemetery where she will be buried.

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READ MORE: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, paid their respects to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she became the first woman and first Jewish person to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol.

Biden and his wife were among the last of the attendees to approach Ginsburg’s casket to bid her farewell at a relatively brief and solemn ceremony in the Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.

After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the gathering she had the “high honor to welcome Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to lie in state in the Capitol of the United States,” Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt delivered the eulogy.

“All of the days of her life she pursued justice. Even in illness, she changed the course of American law,” Holtzblatt said. “And even when her views did not prevail, she still fought.”

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LINK: https://www.voanews.com/usa/ginsburg-first-woman-jewish-person-lie-state-us-capitol

The Outdoors and Covid

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:26:47 GMT

VOA Connect Episode 141 - We look at the role of nature, especially during Covid, and how it can play a positive role for your mental health. (some of the pieces in this program have previously aired)

A Community Forest

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:23:15 GMT

Meet a community that came together to create a woodland retreat.

Reporter: Martin Secrest, Camera: Philip Alexiou, Martin Secrest, Editors: Philip Alexiou, Martin Secrest

Green Wood, Green Energy

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:21:03 GMT

We speak to a landscape architect who is building a solar kiln with his wife to dry wood. Find out the process of making a kiln and what the future plans are for the solar heater.

Reporter: Martin Secrest, Camera: Philip Alexiou, Martin Secrest

VOA Connect Episode 141, The Outdoors and Covid

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:19:12 GMT

We look at the role of nature, especially during Covid, and how it can play a positive role for your mental health. (some of the pieces in this program have previously aired)

Goodbye to one of our own

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:16:52 GMT

A tribute to Martin Secrest, a dear member of the VOA Connect team who passed away unexpectedly on August 15, 2020. He was an accomplished broadcaster, journalist and musician full of wit and humor. He will be deeply missed.

Producer/Editor: Lisa Vohra

Attorney, Family Say US Justice System Failed Breonna Taylor

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 18:46:38 GMT

The attorney for Breonna Taylor, a Black emergency medical worker who was killed by white police officers last March in Kentucky as they carried out a botched drug raid, said Friday that a grand jury’s decision not to bring homicide charges against the officers was an example of systemic racism that persists in America.

“There seems to be two justice systems in America, one for Black America and one for white America,” said Benjamin Crump at a news conference in Louisville. “It underscores what we’ve been saying all along.”

Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, also denounced the grand jury’s decision, saying in a statement the decision underscored "why I have no faith in the legal system. The police and law were not made to protect us Black and brown women.”

Palmer said she “knew” Kentucky Attorney General David Cameron “would never do his job” and added, “The system as a whole has failed Breonna.”

Taylor’s family and Crump repeated a call for Cameron to release a transcript of the grand jury proceedings.

A billboard sponsored by O, The Oprah Magazine, is on display with a photo of Breonna Taylor, in Louisville, Kentucky, Aug. 7, 2020.

McConnell defends probe

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky defended the investigation in a speech Thursday on the Senate floor, saying Cameron “conducted exactly the kind of thorough, impartial investigation that justice demands.” He called protests in Louisville in which two police officers were shot “more evidence of the lawlessness, riots and violence that has plagued American cities too often this year.”

Crump tweeted earlier Friday that he was hopeful a federal investigation into Taylor’s killing would produce charges against the officers. “We hope the FBI investigation finally gets justice for Bre and her family," he said in reference to Breonna.

The news conference was held hours after protests erupted for a second night Thursday in Louisville in response to the grand jury’s decision. Some protesters smashed windows, and police said at least 24 people were arrested.

More than a hundred protesters took refuge in the First Unitarian Church after the start of a nighttime curfew.

Earlier Thursday, there were some tense moments when a group of armed white people confronted the protesters, but no shots were fired.

Breonna Taylor family attorney Ben Crump speaks during a news conference, Sept. 25, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky.

'No easy answer'

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said at a news conference Thursday, “What do we do with this pain?” The mayor added that there is “no easy answer to that question.”

Taylor was killed when police entered her apartment on a “no-knock” drug raid, authorized to allow police to burst into a dwelling without warning to keep evidence from being destroyed. No drugs were found in Taylor’s apartment.

However, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Wednesday that a neighbor of Taylor’s heard police announce their presence before entering Taylor’s apartment and that their entry was not deemed a “no-knock” raid.

Cameron said the officers “were justified in their use of force” after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who said he heard no announcement by the police, opened fire at them first when they entered the apartment, thinking they were intruders.

Attention is being focused on Taylor’s shooting and other cases following the death earlier this year of George Floyd, a Black man, after a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck. Floyd’s death sparked protests around the world about social injustice.

NASA Says It Added $64 Billion to US Economy in 2019

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 18:37:49 GMT

The U.S. space agency NASA released the results of its first-ever agency-wide economic impact study Friday, indicating its work generated more than $64 billion for the U.S. economy last year.

In a release on its official website, NASA said through all its activities during fiscal year 2019, the agency supported more than 312,000 jobs nationwide, and generated an estimated $7 billion in federal, state and local taxes throughout the country.

NASA said it commissioned the study to better understand how the U.S. economy benefited from its work and paid back the investment by the federal government.

FILE - NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine speaks at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., May 23, 2020.

In the release, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the study provides numbers and data to illustrate how taxpayer investment of one-half of one percent of the total federal budget in America's space program pays off, in both a stronger economy and through advances in science and technology.

The study showed that every state in the country saw some benefit from NASA activities, with 43 states seeing an economic impact of $10 million or more, and eight showing an impact of $1 billion or more.

The analysis also showed that NASA's "Moon to Mars" program alone generated $14 billion in economic output, brought in $1.5 billion in tax revenue and supported more than 69,000 jobs. The study said the program is expected to double those figures next year.

The program aims to return people to the moon by 2024, and use it as a base for operations to Mars and elsewhere.

The economic impact study also showed NASA has generated more than 2,000 technologies since 1976.

The study was conducted by the Nathalie P. Voorhees Center for Neighborhood and Community Improvement at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Indian Air Force Performs Drills Near Pakistan-China Border

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 18:36:56 GMT

The Indian Air Force conducted drills at an air base near India’s border with China and Pakistan, Friday, Sept. 25. (REUTERS)

Thousands March in Berlin Climate Rally

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 18:19:14 GMT

Thousands of mostly young people gathered Friday in Berlin to demand more action on climate change, part of a global day of action for the environment.

Defying gray skies, the participants, many on bicycles, brought placards and banners to a rally near the iconic Brandenburg Gate. Most wore face masks as a COVID-19 precaution. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Germany is a focal point for the demonstrations in Europe because it holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union, which together with Britain accounts for 22 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans.

The climate has made headlines around the world recently, from melting Arctic ice to record Siberian heat to wildfires in California and elsewhere.

German climate activist Luisa Neubauer told the crowd, “We're here because we know that climate justice is possible as long as we keep fighting for it. That's why we're here today.”

Fridays for Future activists protest calling for a "Global Day of Climate Action" in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 25, 2020.

The demonstration was one of 3,000 scheduled to be held around the world Friday, as part of the youth activist movement “Fridays for Future.” COVID-19 restrictions forced many of the activities online.

In Stockholm, the person considered to be the founder of the movement, teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, was in her usual location, in front of the Swedish parliament. She told a reporter the main goal of the protests was to raise awareness and sway public opinion on the urgency of climate issues.

She said, "We need to treat the climate crisis as a crisis. It's just as simple as that. The climate crisis has never once been treated as a crisis, and unless we treat it as a crisis, we won't be able to so-called 'solve' it.’ ”

In 2018, at age 15, Thunberg began skipping school on Fridays and going to the parliament to hold demonstrations for legislation on climate change. Soon, she was joined by others, and the protests eventually went viral through social media.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Trainer Does Push-Ups in Tribute

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 17:56:11 GMT

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s personal trainer Bryant Johnson paid tribute to the Supreme Court Judge by doing push-ups in front of her casket, Friday, September 25. (REUTERS)

Proposed US Visa Changes Explained

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 16:49:30 GMT

The Trump administration has proposed to eliminate "duration of status" on visas for international students, exchange visitors, and those working in international media. Officials are hoping to impose fixed end dates rather than allowing visas to be valid for as long as it takes them to get their degree or finish a research project.

Currently, a holder of an F-1 visa can stay in the country until the student finishes a studies program or if the student keeps on meeting program requirements.

The 256-page proposed rule released on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would mandate 4-year expiration dates and afford two years to those taking language training, with limited ability to apply for an extension.

How is “duration of status” currently defined?

“Duration of status” means that instead of a fixed time limit, an international student is allowed to remain in the United States for as long as it takes to get their degree, as long as they take a full course load and do not violate immigration law, for example by working illegally.

Who is affected by the proposed guideline?

The rule would impact visa holders in the F, J, and I categories who are permitted to temporarily live in the U.S. to seek a higher education degree, individuals with unique skills, who are approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs, and foreign journalists.

According to DHS, nationals from countries linked to high rates of visa overstays - greater than 10% - are expected to have a limited two-year fixed stay period.

Natives or citizens of countries on the State Department Sponsor of Terrorism List would also be limited to 2 years stay in the U.S.

What is DHS saying?

DHS said the current duration of status policy, and the “significant increase” in the number of F-visa academic students, J exchange visitors, and I foreign media representatives, pose “a challenge to the Department’s ability to effectively monitor and oversee these categories of non-immigrants.”

DHS adds, “The Department accordingly is concerned about the integrity of the programs and a potential for increased risk to national security.”

Online publication Inside Higher Ed reports an estimated 15 percent drop in overall student enrollment in the 2020-2021 academic year, including a 25% decline in international student enrollment. The findings could mean a loss of $23 billion in revenue for the U.S. economy.

Foreign Students Anxious About New US Immigration Order

Expert tells VOA executive order restricting non-immigrant visas could have a devastating impact on higher education in the United States

Foreign Students Anxious About New US Immigration Order

Sarah Spreitzer, director of government relations for the American Council on Education, said there is a “downward trend” in international student enrollment over the past five years coming from a decade's-long increase in the country's international student enrollment.

“A lot of the things that DHS talks about as concerns with student visas, [such as] students, changing educational level, their time to degree - a lot of the information is already being tracked through the SEVIS system,” Spreitzer said.

SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.

“Our institutions are recording all that information to DHS already through that system, which was set up after September 11 (2001). And so it's unclear how this is going to give DHS even more information than they already have,” she said.

What happens to those already in the country?

Stephen Yale-Loehr, a professor of immigration practice at Cornell University, said the proposed rule states that international students currently in the United States would be able to remain under the pre-existing rules, not to exceed 4 years from the effective date of the final rule.

Yale-Loehr also said the rule could bar extensions for international students if the immigration agency decides that a visa holder is not making progress toward their degree.

“The proposed rule would require most international students to finish their studies in four years, rather than however long it normally takes. For example, many PhD students normally take more than four years to get their degree,” Yale-Loehr said.

What are the grounds for an extension?

The new rule said applications for visa extensions could be approved “if the additional time needed is due to a compelling academic reason, documented medical illness or medical condition, or circumstance that was beyond the student’s control.”

When is the rule taking effect?

The rule is at the proposal stage and it will not take effect immediately. The public will have 30 days to comment.

After that, the immigration agency will have to review all the comments, draft a final rule, and send that to the Office of Management and Budget for review before a final rule can take effect.

Given all those steps, education experts said they do not expect a final rule taking effect before the November presidential election and possibly not before a president is inaugurated in January.

Even so, experts see it as a deterrent for international students and others.

“This is going to have a continuing overall chilling impact for new students who are considering coming to the U.S. to study, who may have the choice to study in one of our competitor countries like Canada, or the UK, or Australia or New Zealand,” Spreitzer added.

Russia's Putin Proposes Election Non-Interference Pact With US

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 16:34:45 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a pact with the United States to avoid interfering in each other’s elections and other domestic affairs.

Putin cited what he called the “risk of large-scale confrontation in the digital sphere,” according to a Kremlin statement Friday.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence briefed members of Congress about what it said were active attempts by Russia, China, Iran and other nations to undermine the 2020 U.S. election set to take place in November.

U.S. intelligence agencies earlier concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Other Western governments have also accused Russia of utilizing both hackers and social media disinformation campaigns to undermine their elections. Russia has denied the accusations.

Putin's statement, which was read aloud by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a video released by the ministry, comes amid Kremlin accusations that Western countries are mounting a "disinformation" campaign against Russia over last month’s poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Siberia.

Africa 54

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 16:30:00 GMT

On this edition of Africa 54, speaking virtually at the United Nations General Assembly, the presidents of Kenya and South Africa urge the international community to unite in the face of the coronavirus pandemic; The 15-nation bloc, ECOWAS, may announce if it will lift sanctions on Mali, as a new interim president is to be sworn in for an 18-month term.

A54 Entertainment: Music Time in Africa host, Heather Maxwell, presents a new, collage style video by legendary guitarist, singer songwriter, Afel Bocoum, from northern Mali. Afel is one of the last living musicians who was a founding member of Ali Farka Touré’s band. The video “Penda Djiga” comes off of Bocoum's new, highly acclaimed album, Lindé.

WHO Recommends Flu Shots to Prevent Surge of Influenza During Pandemic

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:21:03 GMT

As the flu season is set to start in the northern hemisphere, the World Health Organization recommends people at highest risk be vaccinated to protect themselves and to prevent national health systems from getting overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO is updating its guidance to help nations navigate the complex challenges posed by the simultaneous circulation of influenza and the coronavirus.

The seasonal influenza results in up to a billion cases globally each year, causing an average of 290,000 to 650,000 deaths, according to the WHO. Influenza and COVID-19 are both respiratory diseases with some similar symptoms.

FILE - An ad offering free flu shots is seen in Brooklyn, New York, Aug. 21, 2020.

Ann Moen, chief of the WHO's Influenza Preparedness and Response program, says the vaccines, antivirals and non-pharmaceutical interventions that can protect people against influenza are not available for COVID-19.

"So, all of the protective measures that we have been messaging about COVID and about flu in the past, such as people taking physical distancing measures, hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes, wearing masks when appropriate and staying home when sick, seeking care when needed, are all very important for both flu and COVID," she said.

The WHO advises health care workers and the elderly, who are at highest risk for the flu, to be vaccinated first. Other at-risk people include pregnant women, individuals with underlying health conditions, and children.

Moen says people who are at high risk from the flu are also at high risk from COVID-19, and the upcoming season will be especially challenging if there is co-circulation between the two illnesses.

"It could cause confusion in health care settings or additional challenges," she said. "And so, the more flu that we can prevent with the tools and the vaccines and the antivirals that we have and the ongoing health measures, I think that we can help alleviate some of those challenges in the health system setting and we can also protect people that are at risk from flu from actually getting sick."

Moen says health officials think the sharp drop in influenza cases in the southern hemisphere earlier this year was due to the social distancing and travel restrictions put in place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That same drop in influenza cases could be seen in parts of the northern hemisphere, where similar measures have been taken. However, Moen predicts cases of influenza are likely to rise as society opens up and COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

Virginia Governor Northam, Wife Test Positive for COVID-19

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:52:40 GMT

The governor of the eastern U.S. state of Virginia announced Friday that he and his wife have tested positive for COVID-19.

Governor Ralph Northam said they were notified Wednesday that a staff member who works in the living quarters of their official residence developed symptoms and subsequently tested positive, after which the couple had their own tests done.

He said his wife, Pamela, is experiencing mild symptoms, while he remains asymptomatic.

The couple is isolating for 10 days, during which the governor is continuing his work.

Crews are also cleaning the governor’s mansion, and the Northams are working with state health officials on contact-tracing efforts to make sure anyone they may have been in contact with is aware of their positive tests.

Northam said the best thing people can do is “take this seriously.”

Ginsburg is First Woman, Jewish Person to Lie in State at US Capitol

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:44:38 GMT

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol when her body was moved there Friday morning.

After her casket arrived on the plaza outside the Capitol’s National Statuary Hall, a private ceremony for her family and invited guests began at the hall, where her casket will rest on the same wooden platform built for the casket of President Abraham Lincoln after his assassination in 1865.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, his wife, Jill, and Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, are attending the tribute.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, center, and his wife Jill Biden stand as the flag-draped casket of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in state in Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol, Sept. 25, 2020.

The coronavirus outbreak restricted the number of people who were invited to the ceremony.

Lawmakers who were not invited to the private ceremony are able to pay their respects before her body is removed later Friday.

A statement by the U.S. Supreme Court said Ginsburg, who is also the first Jewish person to lie in state at the Capitol, will be buried next week in a private ceremony at Arlington National Ceremony.

Ginsburg has lain in repose for two days at the Supreme Court.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pay respects as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at the Supreme Court building, Sept. 24, 2020, in Washington.

U.S. President Donald Trump was met with boos and chants of “vote him out” as he and his wife, Melania, appeared Thursday at the Supreme Court to pay their respects to Ginsburg.

The president, wearing a face mask, made no remarks as he stood briefly a short distance from Ginsburg’s casket at the top of the court building’s steps.

Vice President Mike Pence paid his respects to Ginsburg as she lay in state at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Ginsburg was honored Wednesday with a private ceremony in the Supreme Court’s Great Hall attended by her family and fellow justices. Her casket was then moved to the front steps for the public to file past and pay their respects until Thursday night.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights icon Rosa Parks lay in honor in the Capitol’s historic Rotunda after her death in 2005, a distinction given to eminent private citizens.

Ginsburg died last Friday at age 87 of metastatic pancreatic cancer, ending a 27-year tenure on the nation’s highest court. Her status as leader of the court’s liberal minority, along with her pre-jurist work seeking legal equality for women and girls in all spheres of American life, made her a cultural icon, earning her the nickname “The Notorious R.B.G.”

Her death has sparked a political battle over her replacement. Trump and Senate Republicans vowed to name and confirm a new justice before the November 3 presidential election, which would give the court a solid 6-3 conservative majority. Trump announced Tuesday that he will name his nominee for the lifetime appointment on Saturday.

Red Carpet - Season 1, Episode 72

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 13:41:36 GMT

On Red Carpet this week, we hear from Nigerian painter Clement Colors on what inspires his artwork. We also have a recap of the virtual Emmy Awards and how the Coronavirus pandemic has affected the music industry. These stories and more on the show this week.

Eight in 10 Britons Ignore COVID-19 Self-Isolation Rules, Survey Finds

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 13:39:50 GMT

A new survey indicates more than 80% of people living in Britain with COVID-19 symptoms or who have had contact with someone who has tested positive are ignoring self-isolation guidelines.

The survey, released Friday and conducted by Kings College London and the National Health Service (NHS), found that only 18.2% of people who reported having symptoms of COVID-19 in the previous seven days have stayed isolated since their symptoms developed, and only 11.9% requested a COVID-19 test.

The research also shows fewer than half those surveyed were able to identify the symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The research also found that only 10.9% of people told to self-isolate after close contact with a COVID-19 case had done so for 14 days as required.

In a statement, the survey’s senior author, Kings College researcher Dr. James Rubin, said the research indicated that while the public seems to have good intentions to adhere to the test, trace and isolate guidelines, financial constraints are the most common reason given for non-compliance, among other factors.

Britain this week introduced fines of up to $12,780 for breaking self-isolation rules, and it is offering nearly $640 in support payments to low-paid workers who lose income from quarantining.

The study shows other reasons for non-compliance ranged from not knowing government guidance to being unable to identify the symptoms.

Kings College says the data was collected through surveys conducted among 30,000 people living in Britain between March and August of this year.

HOLD for NOON - Cambodian Garment Workers Struggle After EU Withdraws Trade Perks

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 12:35:07 GMT

The Cambodian government is shoring up its finances as the withdrawal of some European Union trade preferences leaves its mark on an economy already struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic and an exodus of Western businesses.

Hardest hit is the $7 billion garment, textiles and footwear industry, where about 700,000 workers earn a basic $190 a month, including $7 for transportation and rent, producing for big name brands such as Levis Strauss, H&M, and Adidas, six days a week.

The government has allocated a $1.2 billion spending package to help offset losses from the partial withdrawal of trade preferences under the ‘Everything But Arms’ program -- which provides duty- and quota-free access to the EU market for all products other than arms -- that went into effect last month ((https://www.voacambodia.com/a/eu-trade-sanction-against-cambodia-s-crackdown-enters-into-force-/5541730.html)) and the impact of the pandemic which has taken a heavy toll on a once-thriving industry.

Phen Kosal, who has worked at Hung Wah Cambodia garment factory producing clothing for export for the last six years, says the EBA partial withdrawal was having a dreadful impact on her work prospects amid layoffs, loss of overtime and reduced hours.

“Now, I am begging for the government’s help because of this issue. I’m also in debt with the banks and finance institutions, which is why I’m desperately seeking help.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Sao Chen, who works at the Meng Da Footwear factory. He estimated that overall earnings - including his own - were down 20%, while many workers had been laid off for four to six months.

“The main problem we are facing today is some workers are the only breadwinners feeding an entire family at home. Sometimes their monthly income is only $100 to $200 and they spend everything on rent, food, kids’ school – and there are many more costs.”

EBA trade preferences go to least developed countries that meet international standards of democracy and human rights.

FILE - Prime Minister Hun Sen, center, leans over a garment worker during a visit to a factory outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 30, 2017.

However, a ban preventing the main opposition party from contesting elections in 2018 amid a crackdown on dissent and the independent press resulted in a victory for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s long-ruling Cambodian People’s Party in every contested seat.

That upset the EU – Cambodia's largest trading partner, accounting for 45% of 2018 exports – prompting the withdrawal of the preferences. The partial withdrawal has hit about 20% of Cambodia's exports to the EU, and early estimates say this will cost business about $130 million.

Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia data show that 450 garment and footwear factories in Cambodia had suspended work, while 83 factories closed in the first half of this year, affecting about 150,000 workers.

GMAC Secretary General Ken Loo said the EU had erred by withdrawing those preferences on August 12, amid the COVID -19 pandemic, which has had a much greater impact on the Cambodian economy.

“Numerous brands and retailers in Europe and North America have canceled or delayed orders due to the drop in retail sales in Europe from the pandemic,” he said.

“Consequently, millions of Cambodian citizens could fall back into poverty due to this crisis.”

There are other issues affecting the economy. The ports are crammed with goods once destined for the EU. High debt levels among small borrowers in the microfinance industry and a sharp drop in remittances from workers abroad amid the pandemic have also taken a toll.

Meas Sok Sensan, spokesperson of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, put a brave face on the withdrawal telling the government-friendly news portal Fresh News this did not mean Cambodia would lose export markets in Europe.

“Europe is still Cambodia's exporting destination. The EBA partial withdrawal means some Cambodian goods are no longer on the tax exemption list anymore,” he said.

While brands, however, can move to another country, as many Western expat businessmen and NGOs did after the elections, their workers cannot.

“I think this issue is going to make for some job losses for the worker if we don’t have the orders or if the brand does not stay in the country,” said Athit Kong, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union.

“I think the parties need to work together to maintain and to keep this benefit for the country, and especially for the workers,” he said.