csmonitor--2020-12-03--Hong Kong tycoon charged with fraud as Beijing tightens control

Outspoken Hong Kong pro-democracy advocate and media tycoon Jimmy Lai was refused bail on Thursday on a fraud charge amid a growing crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous city .
Mr. Lai , of Next Digital , which publishes the Apple Daily newspaper , was previously among 10 people arrested Aug. 10 on what police said was suspicion of violating a national security law and collusion with a foreign country .
Mr. Lai had been released on bail in that case , but two months later police raided his company ’ s offices and took away documents .
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executives were charged with fraud over accusations that they violated lease terms for Next Digital office space .
Mr. Lai appeared in court Thursday and was denied bail .
His case has been adjourned until April 16 .
Mr. Lai ’ s arrest comes a day after the jailing of three prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activists – Joshua Wong , Agnes Chow , and Ivan Lam – who were sentenced to prison on Wednesday for a protest outside police headquarters as authorities stepped up a crackdown on opposition to tighten control by Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Chow , and Mr. Lam are among more than 10,000 people who have been arrested since June 2019 on charges related to protests against a proposed extradition law , which expanded to include demands for greater democracy .
Beijing responded to the protests by imposing a sweeping national security law to crack down on dissent , prompting more public opposition .
The British government had slammed Mr. Lai ’ s August arrest and said the security law was being used to crush dissent .
The law is “ being implemented in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the British government said in a report this month on the status of the 1984 agreement for Hong Kong ’ s return to China .
“ It is imperative that this freedom is fully respected , ” the report said .
Mr. Lai was also arrested in February and April this year on charges of taking part in unauthorized protests .
He also faces charges of joining an unauthorized vigil marking the anniversary of the June 4 , 1989 , crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing ’ s Tiananmen Square .
Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a student leader of the 2014 “ Umbrella Revolution ” protests in Hong Kong .
He was sentenced to 13 1/2 months in prison after pleading guilty to organizing and taking part in the June 21 , 2019 , demonstration outside Hong Kong ’ s police headquarters over the extradition bill and police use of force against protesters .
Ms. Chow was sentenced to 10 months by the West Kowloon Magistrates ’ Courts after pleading guilty to participating and inciting other protesters .
Mr. Lam pleaded guilty to incitement and was sentenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompted accusations Beijing is violating the autonomy it promised when the former British colony was returned to China in 1997 .
It also has triggered warnings the ruling Communist Party is damaging Hong Kong ’ s appeal as a global business center and one of Asia ’ s most dynamic cities .
Hong Kong ’ s last British governor , Chris Patten , criticized the sentencing of the three activists , saying in a statement that it “ is another grim example of China ’ s determination to put Hong Kong in handcuffs.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany ’ s foreign ministry , told reporters in Berlin that the sentences are “ another building block in a series of worrisome developments that we have seen in connection with human and civil rights in Hong Kong during the last year . ''
Amnesty International said the three “ must be released immediately and unconditionally.
” '' Once again , the government has used the politically motivated charge of ‘ inciting others to protest ’ to prosecute people who have merely spoken out and protested peacefully , ” said the group 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ By targeting well-known activists from Hong Kong ’ s largely leaderless protest movement , authorities are sending a warning to anyone who dares openly criticize the government that they could be next.
” In Denmark , a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker , Ted Hui , urged European nations on Wednesday to allow protesters in Hong Kong “ a safe haven from the terror ” of China ’ s Communist Party .
“ The situation in Hong Kong is getting worse by the day and it is important that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer a free city , ” Mr. Hui said in an email to The Associated Press .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

Outspoken Hong Kong pro-democracy advocate and media tycoon Jimmy Lai was refused bail on Thursday on a fraud charge amid a growing crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous city.
Mr. Lai, of Next Digital, which publishes the Apple Daily newspaper, was previously among 10 people arrested Aug. 10 on what police said was suspicion of violating a national security law and collusion with a foreign country. Mr. Lai had been released on bail in that case, but two months later police raided his company’s offices and took away documents.
On Wednesday, Mr. Lai and two Next Digital executives were charged with fraud over accusations that they violated lease terms for Next Digital office space. Mr. Lai appeared in court Thursday and was denied bail. His case has been adjourned until April 16.
Mr. Lai’s arrest comes a day after the jailing of three prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activists – Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam – who were sentenced to prison on Wednesday for a protest outside police headquarters as authorities stepped up a crackdown on opposition to tighten control by Beijing over the territory.
Mr. Wong, Ms. Chow, and Mr. Lam are among more than 10,000 people who have been arrested since June 2019 on charges related to protests against a proposed extradition law, which expanded to include demands for greater democracy.
Beijing responded to the protests by imposing a sweeping national security law to crack down on dissent, prompting more public opposition.
The British government had slammed Mr. Lai’s August arrest and said the security law was being used to crush dissent.
The law is “being implemented in a way that undermines freedom of speech,” the British government said in a report this month on the status of the 1984 agreement for Hong Kong’s return to China.
“It is imperative that this freedom is fully respected,” the report said.
Mr. Lai was also arrested in February and April this year on charges of taking part in unauthorized protests. He also faces charges of joining an unauthorized vigil marking the anniversary of the June 4, 1989, crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
Mr. Wong is known abroad for his role as a student leader of the 2014 “Umbrella Revolution” protests in Hong Kong. He was sentenced to 13 1/2 months in prison after pleading guilty to organizing and taking part in the June 21, 2019, demonstration outside Hong Kong’s police headquarters over the extradition bill and police use of force against protesters.
Ms. Chow was sentenced to 10 months by the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts after pleading guilty to participating and inciting other protesters. Mr. Lam pleaded guilty to incitement and was sentenced to 7 months.
The crackdown has prompted accusations Beijing is violating the autonomy it promised when the former British colony was returned to China in 1997. It also has triggered warnings the ruling Communist Party is damaging Hong Kong’s appeal as a global business center and one of Asia’s most dynamic cities.
Hong Kong’s last British governor, Chris Patten, criticized the sentencing of the three activists, saying in a statement that it “is another grim example of China’s determination to put Hong Kong in handcuffs.”
Maria Adebahr, a spokeswoman for Germany’s foreign ministry, told reporters in Berlin that the sentences are “another building block in a series of worrisome developments that we have seen in connection with human and civil rights in Hong Kong during the last year."
Amnesty International said the three “must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
"Once again, the government has used the politically motivated charge of ‘inciting others to protest’ to prosecute people who have merely spoken out and protested peacefully,” said the group's Asia-Pacific regional director, Yamini Mishra.
“By targeting well-known activists from Hong Kong’s largely leaderless protest movement, authorities are sending a warning to anyone who dares openly criticize the government that they could be next.”
In Denmark, a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker, Ted Hui, urged European nations on Wednesday to allow protesters in Hong Kong “a safe haven from the terror” of China’s Communist Party.
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“The situation in Hong Kong is getting worse by the day and it is important that the world knows that Hong Kong is no longer a free city,” Mr. Hui said in an email to The Associated Press.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-12-03--Biden bids for activist world role. Will Americans back him?

Mr. Biden will have to make the case that American leadership abroad is valuable not just for the world , but for Americans as well .
Only then will he have democratic support for an active foreign policy .
But that will mean healing a growing rift at home , the one between U.S. administrations which make foreign policy – both Republican and Democrat – and the huge numbers of American voters who see such policy as a waste of money , often a waste of lives , and a distraction from dealing with domestic priorities .
Its response will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration ’ s broader aim : to reclaim the broad and multifaceted leadership role that the U.S. built in the decades following World War II .
One early challenge will serve as a signal .
What will Washington do to distribute promising U.S. and European vaccines in developing countries , amid concerted drives by two strategic rivals , China and Russia , to promote vaccines of their own ?
“ America is back.
” President-elect Joe Biden ’ s message to the world has been clear , but making it happen could prove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is back.
” President-elect Joe Biden ’ s message to the world has been clear , to friend and foe alike .
That could prove easier said than done , though , and one early challenge awaiting the next U.S. administration will serve as a signal .
Unsurprisingly , it is pandemic-related : What will Washington do to distribute promising U.S. and European vaccines in developing countries , amid concerted drives by two strategic rivals , China and Russia , to promote vaccines of their own as part of a broader effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Biden has already announced that he will reverse the Trump administration ’ s withdrawal from the World Health Organization .
But that is just a first step toward the incoming administration ’ s broader aim : not just to rejoin international institutions , but to reclaim the broad and multifaceted leadership role that the U.S. built in the decades following World War II .
And that , in turn , will mean healing a serious rift at home , one that ’ s been widening since the end of the Cold War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cleavage between U.S. administrations which make foreign policy – both Republican and Democrat – and the huge numbers of American voters who have come to see such concerns as a waste of money , often a waste of lives , and a distraction from dealing with domestic priorities .
In other words , Mr. Biden will have to make the case that American leadership abroad is valuable not just for the world , but for Americans as well .
The vaccine question will put that proposition front and center from the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a borderless threat , Mr. Biden ’ s team will argue , and one from which Americans can not ultimately be safe without coordinated success in turning it back in other countries .
Inevitably , the incoming president ’ s first task will be to deal with the effects of the pandemic at home .
His team has already been devoting its transition work to ensuring the earliest and widest possible distribution of vaccines to Americans .
Yet he does seem alert to the need to “ bring America back ” with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that protect everyday Americans and their jobs .
Introducing his foreign policy team , he said of Jake Sullivan , his national security adviser , “ Jake understands my vision , that economic security is national security , and it helps steer what I call a foreign policy for the middle class.
” Still , the administration will also be aware that the U.S. can assert its renewed leadership on pandemic issues only through the very international institutions , investments , and involvement that President Donald Trump ’ s “ America First ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaken .
The clearest example is the World Health Organization , the U.N. body Mr. Trump has accused of mishandling the world ’ s pandemic response .
But effective U.S. leadership implies a broader approach , the kind former President Barack Obama took in 2014 to deal with another pandemic threat – from the Ebola virus in Africa .
As his then-U.N. ambassador , Samantha Power , pointed out in a Foreign Affairs article last month , the Obama administration took the lead in mobilizing more than 60 countries behind that effort .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do more than rejoin the WHO , and end the Trump administration ’ s boycott of COVAX , the 184-nation alliance pledged to make some 2 billion vaccine doses available to people in developing countries .
It should draw on the long experience of bodies like the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal government ’ s foreign aid arm , the U.S. Agency for International Development , in working on other immunization programs with less-developed countries .
Within America ’ s so-called foreign policy establishment , the case for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wider reassertion of U.S. leadership – ultimately benefits Americans themselves is clear .
It begins with principle , though the current domestic political climate of division and anger has undermined this argument : the historic importance of America ’ s international voice in favor of democratic governance , freedom of assembly , expression , travel , and other human rights .
But beyond that , say the establishment traditionalists to whom Mr. Biden is entrusting U.S. foreign policy , Americans ’ own interests – their national security , and their economic health – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by undemocratic states to expand their international influence .
Increasingly , this balance-of-power case centers on Russia and , especially , China .
There ’ s an important additional dimension to that argument : that the effectiveness of American leadership , especially on security , has been hugely bolstered by the strength of alliances with like-minded democracies , above all in Western Europe and in Asia , which Mr. Trump has generally disdained .
Still , making the case is one thing .
Getting it heard , and accepted , could yet prove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a keynote speaker – via Zoom – at the annual conference of the School of Public Policy at the Central European University , the post-Cold War institution established by philanthropist George Soros in Budapest .
In the discussion afterward , the CEU ’ s Canadian-born president , Michael Ignatieff , raised the issue of the policy rift that Mr. Biden now faces .
“ There ’ s been an uncoupling of American foreign policy from its domestic base of political support , and unless that ’ s renewed , you can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign policy , ” he argued .
Repairing the link would be “ a huge job , ” he said , and he did not sound particularly hopeful .
But then he paused , and added “ America ’ s an amazing place .
So why not ?
”

Mr. Biden will have to make the case that American leadership abroad is valuable not just for the world, but for Americans as well. Only then will he have democratic support for an active foreign policy.
But that will mean healing a growing rift at home, the one between U.S. administrations which make foreign policy – both Republican and Democrat – and the huge numbers of American voters who see such policy as a waste of money, often a waste of lives, and a distraction from dealing with domestic priorities.
Its response will be a first step towards the incoming administration’s broader aim: to reclaim the broad and multifaceted leadership role that the U.S. built in the decades following World War II.
President-elect Joe Biden is promising the world renewed American leadership. But first he has to convince citizens at home that an active U.S. foreign policy is in their interests.
One early challenge will serve as a signal. What will Washington do to distribute promising U.S. and European vaccines in developing countries, amid concerted drives by two strategic rivals, China and Russia, to promote vaccines of their own?
“America is back.” President-elect Joe Biden’s message to the world has been clear, but making it happen could prove easier said than done.
“America is back.” President-elect Joe Biden’s message to the world has been clear, to friend and foe alike. That could prove easier said than done, though, and one early challenge awaiting the next U.S. administration will serve as a signal.
Unsurprisingly, it is pandemic-related: What will Washington do to distribute promising U.S. and European vaccines in developing countries, amid concerted drives by two strategic rivals, China and Russia, to promote vaccines of their own as part of a broader effort to extend their political and economic influence?
Mr. Biden has already announced that he will reverse the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization.
Why We Wrote This President-elect Joe Biden is promising the world renewed American leadership. But first he has to convince citizens at home that an active U.S. foreign policy is in their interests.
But that is just a first step toward the incoming administration’s broader aim: not just to rejoin international institutions, but to reclaim the broad and multifaceted leadership role that the U.S. built in the decades following World War II.
And that, in turn, will mean healing a serious rift at home, one that’s been widening since the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s. It is the cleavage between U.S. administrations which make foreign policy – both Republican and Democrat – and the huge numbers of American voters who have come to see such concerns as a waste of money, often a waste of lives, and a distraction from dealing with domestic priorities.
In other words, Mr. Biden will have to make the case that American leadership abroad is valuable not just for the world, but for Americans as well.
The vaccine question will put that proposition front and center from the day he takes office. The pandemic is a borderless threat, Mr. Biden’s team will argue, and one from which Americans cannot ultimately be safe without coordinated success in turning it back in other countries.
Inevitably, the incoming president’s first task will be to deal with the effects of the pandemic at home. His team has already been devoting its transition work to ensuring the earliest and widest possible distribution of vaccines to Americans.
Yet he does seem alert to the need to “bring America back” with a post-pandemic economic recovery plan and trade policies that protect everyday Americans and their jobs. Introducing his foreign policy team, he said of Jake Sullivan, his national security adviser, “Jake understands my vision, that economic security is national security, and it helps steer what I call a foreign policy for the middle class.”
Still, the administration will also be aware that the U.S. can assert its renewed leadership on pandemic issues only through the very international institutions, investments, and involvement that President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach has worked actively to oppose or weaken.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters View caption Hide caption U.S. President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of World Health Organization (WHO), after speaking at the United Nations meeting on the Ebola outbreak, in New York September 25, 2014. At center, is Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The clearest example is the World Health Organization, the U.N. body Mr. Trump has accused of mishandling the world’s pandemic response. But effective U.S. leadership implies a broader approach, the kind former President Barack Obama took in 2014 to deal with another pandemic threat – from the Ebola virus in Africa.
As his then-U.N. ambassador, Samantha Power, pointed out in a Foreign Affairs article last month, the Obama administration took the lead in mobilizing more than 60 countries behind that effort.
She argues that the U.S. should now do more than rejoin the WHO, and end the Trump administration’s boycott of COVAX, the 184-nation alliance pledged to make some 2 billion vaccine doses available to people in developing countries. It should draw on the long experience of bodies like the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal government’s foreign aid arm, the U.S. Agency for International Development, in working on other immunization programs with less-developed countries.
Within America’s so-called foreign policy establishment, the case for why such an initiative – and a wider reassertion of U.S. leadership – ultimately benefits Americans themselves is clear.
It begins with principle, though the current domestic political climate of division and anger has undermined this argument: the historic importance of America’s international voice in favor of democratic governance, freedom of assembly, expression, travel, and other human rights.
But beyond that, say the establishment traditionalists to whom Mr. Biden is entrusting U.S. foreign policy, Americans’ own interests – their national security, and their economic health – lie in being able to counter moves by undemocratic states to expand their international influence.
Increasingly, this balance-of-power case centers on Russia and, especially, China.
There’s an important additional dimension to that argument: that the effectiveness of American leadership, especially on security, has been hugely bolstered by the strength of alliances with like-minded democracies, above all in Western Europe and in Asia, which Mr. Trump has generally disdained.
Still, making the case is one thing. Getting it heard, and accepted, could yet prove difficult.
Last summer, I was a keynote speaker – via Zoom – at the annual conference of the School of Public Policy at the Central European University, the post-Cold War institution established by philanthropist George Soros in Budapest. In the discussion afterward, the CEU’s Canadian-born president, Michael Ignatieff, raised the issue of the policy rift that Mr. Biden now faces.
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“There’s been an uncoupling of American foreign policy from its domestic base of political support, and unless that’s renewed, you can’t get the democratic support for an outward-faced foreign policy,” he argued. Repairing the link would be “a huge job,” he said, and he did not sound particularly hopeful.
But then he paused, and added “America’s an amazing place. So why not?”


csmonitor--2020-12-03--The pandemic’s crisis of doubt about progress

The COVID-19 pandemic is the first global crisis since World War II .
Since March , it has pushed each nation to largely struggle alone .
Like that horrific conflict eight decades ago , it has left humanity to question whether progress itself is still possible .
Wars , plagues , natural disasters – they often numb the capacity to perceive the good at hand and bring it into reality .
They deflate an appreciation for the centuries of progress .
After World War II , that destructive negativity did not prevail , a point to recall as the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new vaccines .
The war ’ s victors made a strategic decision to prevent future wars by lifting up the most vulnerable people , starting with vanquished former enemies .
Those leaders created global institutions built on universal values .
They directed massive resources toward those most at risk of poverty and despotism .
Because of their wide and caring embrace of the least well-off , progress did return .
Since 1945 , “ humans have become ( on average ) longer-lived , healthier , safer , richer , freer , fairer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the west but worldwide , ” wrote Harvard scholar Steven Pinker last year in the Financial Times .
The world is now at a similar inflection point with serious doubts about progress .
Yet once again , leaders are countering those doubts with a concern for the well-being of all .
Nations are deciding how to allocate the coronavirus vaccines based on who is most at risk , such as health workers , and who is most vulnerable , such as those who are older , homeless , and incarcerated .
Nations are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of aid for pandemic-hit businesses and individuals , with an eye first on those most in need .
In the United States , lawmakers are nearing a consensus on a second economic stimulus , this time more precisely aimed at the weakest in society .
Progress , after all , must be universally shared to really be progress .
The most widely felt damage from the pandemic has been economic .
Borders have been closed and businesses shuttered .
Crops have withered in the fields and investments in new ventures have shrunk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deepest recession since the 1930s .
“ The year 2020 has shown that the forward march of human progress is not an unstoppable force that can be taken for granted , ” states the United Nations humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock in a new report .
“ In the space of a few months , decades of development have been knocked off course by a virus.
” Already this year , 1 in 45 people worldwide needed assistance for basic needs like food and water – the highest level since records have been kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will require help next year .
Extreme poverty has risen for the first time in more than 20 years .
Yet wealthier countries has also given a record $ 17 billion in humanitarian response to COVID-19 .
“ As we approach the end of this difficult year , we face a choice , ” says Mr. Lowcock .
“ We can let 2021 be the year of the grand reversal – the unravelling of 40 years of progress – or we can work together to make sure we all find a way out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crises the world has faced , the drivers of progress – moral ideals , reason , and empathy – are not going away , states Mr. Pinker .
“ The progress we have enjoyed has come from empowering the better angels of our nature.
” Those angels are the thoughts and actions that uplift people who are poor or sick , and even those skeptical of progress .
This is not wishful thinking or naive hope .
That which led to past progress will sustain it .

The COVID-19 pandemic is the first global crisis since World War II. Since March, it has pushed each nation to largely struggle alone. Like that horrific conflict eight decades ago, it has left humanity to question whether progress itself is still possible. Wars, plagues, natural disasters – they often numb the capacity to perceive the good at hand and bring it into reality. They deflate an appreciation for the centuries of progress.
After World War II, that destructive negativity did not prevail, a point to recall as the end of the pandemic appears in sight with new vaccines. The war’s victors made a strategic decision to prevent future wars by lifting up the most vulnerable people, starting with vanquished former enemies. Those leaders created global institutions built on universal values. They directed massive resources toward those most at risk of poverty and despotism.
Because of their wide and caring embrace of the least well-off, progress did return. Since 1945, “humans have become (on average) longer-lived, healthier, safer, richer, freer, fairer, happier and smarter, not just in the west but worldwide,” wrote Harvard scholar Steven Pinker last year in the Financial Times.
The world is now at a similar inflection point with serious doubts about progress. Yet once again, leaders are countering those doubts with a concern for the well-being of all. Nations are deciding how to allocate the coronavirus vaccines based on who is most at risk, such as health workers, and who is most vulnerable, such as those who are older, homeless, and incarcerated. Nations are also in a second or third round of aid for pandemic-hit businesses and individuals, with an eye first on those most in need. In the United States, lawmakers are nearing a consensus on a second economic stimulus, this time more precisely aimed at the weakest in society.
Progress, after all, must be universally shared to really be progress.
The most widely felt damage from the pandemic has been economic. Borders have been closed and businesses shuttered. Crops have withered in the fields and investments in new ventures have shrunk. Much of the world is in the deepest recession since the 1930s. “The year 2020 has shown that the forward march of human progress is not an unstoppable force that can be taken for granted,” states the United Nations humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock in a new report. “In the space of a few months, decades of development have been knocked off course by a virus.”
Already this year, 1 in 45 people worldwide needed assistance for basic needs like food and water – the highest level since records have been kept. The U.N. estimates 1 in 33 will require help next year. Extreme poverty has risen for the first time in more than 20 years. Yet wealthier countries has also given a record $17 billion in humanitarian response to COVID-19.
“As we approach the end of this difficult year, we face a choice,” says Mr. Lowcock. “We can let 2021 be the year of the grand reversal – the unravelling of 40 years of progress – or we can work together to make sure we all find a way out of this pandemic.”
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Despite the many crises the world has faced, the drivers of progress – moral ideals, reason, and empathy – are not going away, states Mr. Pinker. “The progress we have enjoyed has come from empowering the better angels of our nature.”
Those angels are the thoughts and actions that uplift people who are poor or sick, and even those skeptical of progress. This is not wishful thinking or naive hope. That which led to past progress will sustain it.


csmonitor--2020-12-03--The Georgia conundrum and what it says about Trump

Dear reader : President Donald Trump is heading to Georgia on Saturday to campaign alongside the two Republican senators who face runoff elections on Jan. 5 – crucial races that will determine control of the Senate .
But some Republicans are unhappy with President Trump .
He still hasn ’ t publicly conceded the Nov. 3 presidential race , and is still tweeting unsubstantiated claims of “ massive voter fraud ” – or `` FRAUD !
, '' as he put it today .
These claims risk discouraging Republican turnout in Georgia , GOP strategists say .
After all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bother to vote ?
Last Saturday Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel , seeing a potential trainwreck , urged Georgia voters to turn out .
In Georgia , leaders are also angry that Mr. Trump has not disavowed the threats of violence – including death threats – against election officials in the state .
`` Someone 's going to get hurt , someone 's going to get shot , someone 's going to get killed , '' Gabriel Sterling , a voting system official in Georgia , said in an emotional news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Mr. Trump , in fact , has exasperated many top ( pro-Trump ) Republicans in Georgia – including Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger .
The latter is adamant that he ran a clean election and that the president lost the state , the first time Georgia voted for a Democrat since 1992 .
In addition , U.S. Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he saw no widespread fraud in the election .
And therein lies the conundrum Mr. Trump may face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t acknowledged by then that he lost the election , he can ’ t argue that sending both senators back to Washington is essential to keeping GOP control of that chamber .
As things stand now , the next Senate has 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats .
The Republicans need to win just one of the seats , and they ’ ll keep the majority .
If the Democrats win both , that creates a 50-50 Senate – setting up Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the tiebreaker .
Both seats are up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an appointee filling the seat of GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson , who retired early for health reasons ; Sen. David Perdue ’ s seat is on its regular cycle .
Neither incumbent won a majority on Nov. 3 , sending each race into a runoff between the top two finishers .
Making things worse for the Republicans , some activists on social media - including Parler , the new conservative , “ freer speech ” alternative to Twitter – are urging Georgia Republicans to boycott the election .
Just as disastrously , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s no option for write-ins in a runoff , and writing “ Trump ” in the margins risks spoiling a ballot .
Observers will also be watching Mr. Trump on Saturday for clues that he might run again in 2024 – as he has reportedly hinted privately .
But that ’ s a topic for another day .
Let us know what you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
President Donald Trump is heading to Georgia on Saturday to campaign alongside the two Republican senators who face runoff elections on Jan. 5 – crucial races that will determine control of the Senate.
But some Republicans are unhappy with President Trump. He still hasn’t publicly conceded the Nov. 3 presidential race, and is still tweeting unsubstantiated claims of “massive voter fraud” – or "FRAUD!," as he put it today. These claims risk discouraging Republican turnout in Georgia, GOP strategists say. After all, if the system is rigged, why bother to vote?
Last Saturday Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, seeing a potential trainwreck, urged Georgia voters to turn out.
In Georgia, leaders are also angry that Mr. Trump has not disavowed the threats of violence – including death threats – against election officials in the state.
"Someone's going to get hurt, someone's going to get shot, someone's going to get killed," Gabriel Sterling, a voting system official in Georgia, said in an emotional news conference Tuesday. "It's not right."
Mr. Trump, in fact, has exasperated many top (pro-Trump) Republicans in Georgia – including Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The latter is adamant that he ran a clean election and that the president lost the state, the first time Georgia voted for a Democrat since 1992.
In addition, U.S. Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he saw no widespread fraud in the election.
And therein lies the conundrum Mr. Trump may face on Saturday. If he still hasn’t acknowledged by then that he lost the election, he can’t argue that sending both senators back to Washington is essential to keeping GOP control of that chamber.
As things stand now, the next Senate has 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats. The Republicans need to win just one of the seats, and they’ll keep the majority. If the Democrats win both, that creates a 50-50 Senate – setting up Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the tiebreaker.
Both seats are up this cycle, because Sen. Kelly Loeffler is an appointee filling the seat of GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson, who retired early for health reasons; Sen. David Perdue’s seat is on its regular cycle. Neither incumbent won a majority on Nov. 3, sending each race into a runoff between the top two finishers.
Making things worse for the Republicans, some activists on social media - including Parler, the new conservative, “freer speech” alternative to Twitter – are urging Georgia Republicans to boycott the election. Just as disastrously, some suggest writing in Mr. Trump. There’s no option for write-ins in a runoff, and writing “Trump” in the margins risks spoiling a ballot.
Observers will also be watching Mr. Trump on Saturday for clues that he might run again in 2024 – as he has reportedly hinted privately. But that’s a topic for another day.
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.
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csmonitor--2020-12-04--Trump in 2024? For now, president’s hints are freezing GOP field.

“ Right now , no Republican will stand up to challenge him , ” says Steven Schier , professor emeritus of political science at Carleton College in Minnesota .
“ But will he look as formidable in a few years ?
” Especially as he teases another run at the presidency , that has the effect of freezing the 2024 presidential field .
Still a force in Republican politics , Mr. Trump can influence races up and down the ballot – including the two crucial Senate runoffs in Georgia next month – as well as legislation in Congress and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soul of the Republican Party .
“ It ’ s been an amazing four years , ” the president told his guests , according to a livestream viewed by reporters .
“ We are trying to do another four years .
Otherwise , I ’ ll see you in four years.
” Not since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 has a former president actively run for another term after leaving the White House .
But President Donald Trump , never a slave to convention , may well run again .
Without conceding this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he suggested as much Tuesday at a White House Christmas party .
President Donald Trump has yet to concede the 2020 election , but a long list of potential Republican hopefuls for 2024 is already forming – including President Trump himself .
Not since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 has a former president actively run for another term after leaving the White House .
But Mr. Trump , never a slave to convention , may well run again .
He suggested as much Tuesday at a White House Christmas party .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the president told his guests , according to a livestream viewed by reporters .
“ We are trying to do another four years .
Otherwise , I ’ ll see you in four years.
” Mr. Trump ’ s legal effort to overturn Joe Biden ’ s Nov. 3 election continues , despite winning only one victory so far among dozens of lawsuits .
But after the court cases run their course , and assuming Mr. Biden wins in the Electoral College on Dec. 14 , Trump allies predict he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he does not win this election , he ’ ll run again , ” says Republican strategist Ford O ’ Connell .
In fact , the massive fundraising haul the Trump campaign announced Thursday – $ 207.5 million since Election Day , to be shared with the Republican National Committee – could be a harbinger of things to come .
“ It helps to set the groundwork for 2024 if he so chooses , ” Mr. O ’ Connell says .
Either way , comeback bid or not , Mr. Trump is likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foreseeable future .
Still popular within the GOP , he can influence races up and down the ballot – including the two crucial Senate runoffs in Georgia next month – as well as legislation in Congress and , longer term , the battle for the soul of the Republican Party .
On Saturday evening , the president will appear in Valdosta , Georgia , alongside the state ’ s Republican senators , Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , both of whom face runoff elections on Jan. 5 .
Both races are ranked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unexpectedly lost Georgia to Mr. Biden last month , and will determine control of the Senate .
The president ’ s remarks will be watched closely for any clues to his future plans .
But for now , Mr. Trump remains a force in Republican politics , especially as he teases another run at the presidency .
And that has the effect of freezing the 2024 field .
This is intentional , say people who know the president .
Even just suggesting he ’ ll run again keeps the media spotlight on him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention he craves .
Reports indicate Mr. Trump might hold his own event on Inauguration Day , Jan. 20 , and potentially even announce a 2024 campaign then .
“ Right now , no Republican will stand up to challenge him , ” says Steven Schier , professor emeritus of political science at Carleton College in Minnesota .
“ But will he look as formidable in a few years ?
” More clues could emerge next month at the winter meeting of the Republican National Committee , to be held in Amelia Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has invited more than a dozen likely 2020 aspirants to speak , effectively the “ first cattle call ” of the 2024 cycle .
Mr. Trump is invited , but hasn ’ t said if he ’ s going .
Vice President Mike Pence , who has long eyed the top job , is reportedly planning to attend .
Last year , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas , the runner-up to Mr. Trump in 2016 , told the Monitor , “ I hope to run again.
” He ’ s among those invited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott , Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton , Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis , Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey , Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst , former U.N .
Ambassador Nikki Haley , South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem , Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley , and Florida Sens .
Marco Rubio and Rick Scott .
Already , several of those listed – including Vice President Pence – have traveled to Georgia to campaign for the two GOP Senate candidates and build capital within the party .
In Washington – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hometown base of operations , for now – the post-Trump era is already taking shape .
As the president-elect announces his cabinet and other top aides , the challenge of effecting a presidential transition during a pandemic and economic crisis moves closer to reality .
Soon the political world won ’ t hang on Mr. Trump ’ s every utterance and tweet .
That suggests , some analysts say , a world that in fact moves on from the former reality TV actor and real estate developer , who improbably won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who sought to shake up Washington .
“ He ’ s very good at controlling the news cycle , ” says Julia Azari , a political scientist at Marquette University in Wisconsin .
“ But come January , there will be other stories , and it may be a point at which the news media largely move on.
” The spectacle of an ex-president “ may not have the novelty of a Trump in 2015 or the news justification of a Trump as president , ” she adds .
The new Congress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic president , could also make Mr. Trump less relevant .
But for now , the president still commands center stage in the Republican Party – especially given the possibility he may run again , and the fundraising clout that brings .
Of the $ 207.5 million the Republican National Committee has raised since the election , some will go toward the president ’ s legal efforts but most won ’ t .
Initially , half of the postelection fundraising went to retire Mr. Trump ’ s campaign debt , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , CRP reports , the fundraising shifted gears , and 60 % of donations to Trump ’ s “ Official Election Defense Fund ” now go to his new “ leadership political action committee.
” The leadership PAC , known as Save America , is not an official campaign committee “ but could begin to lay the groundwork for a potential 2024 bid.
” Leadership PAC funds may also be used to pay personal expenses , which the president has done , according to CRP .

“Right now, no Republican will stand up to challenge him,” says Steven Schier, professor emeritus of political science at Carleton College in Minnesota. “But will he look as formidable in a few years?”
Especially as he teases another run at the presidency, that has the effect of freezing the 2024 presidential field.
Still a force in Republican politics, Mr. Trump can influence races up and down the ballot – including the two crucial Senate runoffs in Georgia next month – as well as legislation in Congress and, longer term, the battle for the soul of the Republican Party.
When is it time to walk away? For Donald Trump in this election cycle, not yet. Still pressing legal challenges, he has yet to concede, even as he hints at running again in four years. Is that good for the GOP?
“It’s been an amazing four years,” the president told his guests , according to a livestream viewed by reporters. “We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years.”
Not since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 has a former president actively run for another term after leaving the White House. But President Donald Trump, never a slave to convention, may well run again. Without conceding this year’s contest to President-elect Joe Biden, he suggested as much Tuesday at a White House Christmas party.
President Donald Trump has yet to concede the 2020 election, but a long list of potential Republican hopefuls for 2024 is already forming – including President Trump himself.
Not since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 has a former president actively run for another term after leaving the White House. But Mr. Trump, never a slave to convention, may well run again. He suggested as much Tuesday at a White House Christmas party.
“It’s been an amazing four years,” the president told his guests, according to a livestream viewed by reporters. “We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years.”
Why We Wrote This When is it time to walk away? For Donald Trump in this election cycle, not yet. Still pressing legal challenges, he has yet to concede, even as he hints at running again in four years. Is that good for the GOP?
Mr. Trump’s legal effort to overturn Joe Biden’s Nov. 3 election continues, despite winning only one victory so far among dozens of lawsuits. But after the court cases run their course, and assuming Mr. Biden wins in the Electoral College on Dec. 14, Trump allies predict he’ll announce for 2024.
“If he does not win this election, he’ll run again,” says Republican strategist Ford O’Connell.
In fact, the massive fundraising haul the Trump campaign announced Thursday – $207.5 million since Election Day, to be shared with the Republican National Committee – could be a harbinger of things to come.
“It helps to set the groundwork for 2024 if he so chooses,” Mr. O’Connell says.
Either way, comeback bid or not, Mr. Trump is likely to loom large over U.S. politics for the foreseeable future.
Still popular within the GOP, he can influence races up and down the ballot – including the two crucial Senate runoffs in Georgia next month – as well as legislation in Congress and, longer term, the battle for the soul of the Republican Party.
On Saturday evening, the president will appear in Valdosta, Georgia, alongside the state’s Republican senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, both of whom face runoff elections on Jan. 5. Both races are ranked as toss-ups, especially after Mr. Trump unexpectedly lost Georgia to Mr. Biden last month, and will determine control of the Senate.
The president’s remarks will be watched closely for any clues to his future plans.
Keeping the media spotlight
But for now, Mr. Trump remains a force in Republican politics, especially as he teases another run at the presidency. And that has the effect of freezing the 2024 field. This is intentional, say people who know the president. Even just suggesting he’ll run again keeps the media spotlight on him, starving other potential candidates of the attention he craves. Reports indicate Mr. Trump might hold his own event on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, and potentially even announce a 2024 campaign then.
“Right now, no Republican will stand up to challenge him,” says Steven Schier, professor emeritus of political science at Carleton College in Minnesota. “But will he look as formidable in a few years?”
More clues could emerge next month at the winter meeting of the Republican National Committee, to be held in Amelia Island, Florida. Party chair Ronna McDaniel has invited more than a dozen likely 2020 aspirants to speak, effectively the “first cattle call” of the 2024 cycle.
Mr. Trump is invited, but hasn’t said if he’s going. Vice President Mike Pence, who has long eyed the top job, is reportedly planning to attend.
Last year, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, the runner-up to Mr. Trump in 2016, told the Monitor, “I hope to run again.” He’s among those invited to Amelia Island.
Other invitees reportedly include Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, and Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.
Already, several of those listed – including Vice President Pence – have traveled to Georgia to campaign for the two GOP Senate candidates and build capital within the party.
Post-Trump era starting
In Washington – and Wilmington, Delaware, Mr. Biden’s hometown base of operations, for now – the post-Trump era is already taking shape. As the president-elect announces his cabinet and other top aides, the challenge of effecting a presidential transition during a pandemic and economic crisis moves closer to reality.
Soon the political world won’t hang on Mr. Trump’s every utterance and tweet. That suggests, some analysts say, a world that in fact moves on from the former reality TV actor and real estate developer, who improbably won the presidency four years ago as an outsider who sought to shake up Washington.
“He’s very good at controlling the news cycle,” says Julia Azari, a political scientist at Marquette University in Wisconsin. “But come January, there will be other stories, and it may be a point at which the news media largely move on.”
The spectacle of an ex-president “may not have the novelty of a Trump in 2015 or the news justification of a Trump as president,” she adds.
The new Congress, addressing the agenda of a new, Democratic president, could also make Mr. Trump less relevant.
But for now, the president still commands center stage in the Republican Party – especially given the possibility he may run again, and the fundraising clout that brings.
Of the $207.5 million the Republican National Committee has raised since the election, some will go toward the president’s legal efforts but most won’t. Initially, half of the postelection fundraising went to retire Mr. Trump’s campaign debt, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
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Then, CRP reports, the fundraising shifted gears, and 60% of donations to Trump’s “Official Election Defense Fund” now go to his new “leadership political action committee.” The leadership PAC, known as Save America, is not an official campaign committee “but could begin to lay the groundwork for a potential 2024 bid.”
Leadership PAC funds may also be used to pay personal expenses, which the president has done, according to CRP.


csmonitor--2020-12-04--Holiday TV shows bring the comfy and cozy – and better reflect society

This season people are seeking out the predictable , sappy shows that have become as much a part of the holidays as eggnog and twinkly lights .
These programs always end on the same happy note – which is exactly the point , because sometimes you need a brief escape that feels like a warm hug ( especially in 2020 ) .
The feel-good messages beamed into our living rooms look a little different this year , as diversity and acceptance have become part of the message .
One of the best new offerings is Lifetime ’ s “ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rated but suitable for all audiences ; airing Dec. 13 ) , which is its first featuring an Asian American family .
In it , a workaholic Chinese American architect returns home for the holidays , is reunited with her high school crush , and teams up with him to win the local holiday baking contest .
Though formulaic , it delivers humor , and the two leads , Jacky Lai and Tony Giroux , sparkle when together .
Deep-rooted traditions and a reverence for family past and present give this film added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with “ The Christmas Setup ” ( TV-PG ; airing Dec. 12 ) .
Fran Drescher all but winks at the audience as she merrily tries to match up her visiting gay son ( Ben Lewis ) with a recently returned local ( Lewis ’ actual husband , Blake Lee ) .
Featuring decent production values and a solid script , this film stands out from the pack because of strong performances and romantic leads that are adorable without being saccharine .
Over on Netflix , an entire series has been devoted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ( TV-14 ) , based on the young adult series by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan that starts with “ Dash & Lily ’ s Book of Dares.
” Dash ( Austin Abrams ) and Lily ( Midori Francis ) are two teenage misfits who have never met , but leave clues in a notebook around New York City , testing their knowledge as they dare each other to break out of comfort zones while leaving hints as to their identities .
All eight episodes fly by with a killer score , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from all involved , especially the scene-stealing Jodi Long as an eccentric and wise great-aunt .
“ Jingle Jangle : A Christmas Journey ” ( rated PG ) , also on Netflix , has been grabbing attention as the year ’ s splashy animated title , but it is an overly produced mishmash of live action and animation that has vibes reminiscent of “ The Greatest Showman , ” “ Peter Pan , ” and a robot that looks like “ Wall-E. ” The cast features such veterans as Forest Whitaker , Phylicia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bonneville .
Kids will enjoy the music and magic but it may prove too frenetic for adult viewers .
A much better animated Netflix choice can be found in last year ’ s “ Klaus ” ( rated PG ) .
Highly original in both looks and plot , this is a stylized tale of Santa ’ s beginnings .
A postman is banished to the far north for being a slacker , only to find that his actions change the lives of everyone in the miserable town he now calls home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just intriguing enough to add to your yearly watch list .
Netflix will also try to woo you with the second installment of “ The Christmas Chronicles.
” Don ’ t let it .
Just rewatch the warm and energetic original ( both rated PG ) starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn , as this year ’ s sequel is more than a little dark and mean-spirited , failing to retain a believable plot even in a make-believe world .
Consider who ’ s watching with you if you click on another buzzy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV-MA ) .
It ’ s funny and clever , but too risqué for most family audiences .
Hallmark breaks out of its usual mold by offering a holiday flick starring a same-sex couple in a subplot .
“ The Christmas House ” ( TV-G ) features that common trope about a couple that knew each other back in the day and are now flirting their way through the holiday season .
The supporting cast includes a married gay couple ( Jonathan Bennett , Brad Harder ) that have both more chemistry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show ’ s lead pairing .
An added bonus is Treat Williams , as charismatic as ever , playing the dad .
Elsewhere , Hallmark is featuring films with interracial couples this year , and it revisits Hanukkah with “ Love , Lights , Hanukkah !
” ( though it and Lifetime have been faulted previously for missing the mark with non-Christmas shows ) .
Hulu is dishing up diversity with “ Happiest Season ” ( rated PG-13 ) , one of the more realistic offerings during a month filled with fantasy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lesbian couple heading to Davis ’ family home for the holidays , with Victor Garber and Mary Steenburgen as her rigid and demanding parents .
The couple pretend to be roommates because Davis ’ character never came out to them .
The story follows the usual trouble-in-paradise arc we see in so many romances , but truth prevails and romance is sweetly restored .
The writing is overly broad , but kudos to Hulu for injecting a few hard truths into the story , giving the movie some much-needed substance .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to catch the third season of “ The Great British Baking Show : Holidays ” ( TV-14 for language ) on Netflix .
Of the two episodes , the first features past contestants making typical holiday treats , while the second veers from the normal routine and showcases the cast of the series “ Derry Girls , ” set in Northern Ireland .
The actors are funny and a bit ribald and can ’ t really bake , which is part of the reason it is funny and rather charming .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gift : A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood , ” also featuring John Legend and streaming on HBO Max .
Apple TV+ is offering “ Mariah Carey ’ s Magical Christmas Special , ” an annual affair this year featuring Ariana Grande , Jennifer Hudson , and rappers Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri .
Dolly Parton has been everywhere in 2020 , and now you can catch “ A Holly Dolly Christmas ” streaming on CBS All Access starting Dec. 6 .
It showcases the singing star as she performs songs from her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And a holiday classic is getting the live musical treatment in “ Dr .
Seuss ’ the Grinch Musical.
” Airing on NBC on Dec. 9 , it was filmed at the Troubadour Theatre in London and features “ Glee ” star Matthew Morrison in the title role .
The cast also includes Denis O ’ Hare and Booboo Stewart .
( All the musical programs are unrated , but are considered family fare . )
When all is said and done , there is always “ It ’ s a Wonderful Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annually that solid writing and true sentiment always win the day – and sometimes help an angel get his wings .

This season people are seeking out the predictable, sappy shows that have become as much a part of the holidays as eggnog and twinkly lights. These programs always end on the same happy note – which is exactly the point, because sometimes you need a brief escape that feels like a warm hug (especially in 2020). The feel-good messages beamed into our living rooms look a little different this year, as diversity and acceptance have become part of the message.
One of the best new offerings is Lifetime’s “A Sugar & Spice Holiday” (not rated but suitable for all audiences; airing Dec. 13), which is its first featuring an Asian American family. In it, a workaholic Chinese American architect returns home for the holidays, is reunited with her high school crush, and teams up with him to win the local holiday baking contest. Though formulaic, it delivers humor, and the two leads, Jacky Lai and Tony Giroux, sparkle when together. Deep-rooted traditions and a reverence for family past and present give this film added depth.
Lifetime also breaks new ground with “The Christmas Setup” (TV-PG; airing Dec. 12). Fran Drescher all but winks at the audience as she merrily tries to match up her visiting gay son (Ben Lewis) with a recently returned local (Lewis’ actual husband, Blake Lee). Featuring decent production values and a solid script, this film stands out from the pack because of strong performances and romantic leads that are adorable without being saccharine.
Why We Wrote This Seasonal fare is the escapism many viewers are longing for this year. But besides cheerful decor and happy endings, diversity and acceptance have also become part of the message.
Over on Netflix, an entire series has been devoted to the holidays with “Dash & Lily” (TV-14), based on the young adult series by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan that starts with “Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares.” Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis) are two teenage misfits who have never met, but leave clues in a notebook around New York City, testing their knowledge as they dare each other to break out of comfort zones while leaving hints as to their identities. All eight episodes fly by with a killer score, top-notch production values, and spot-on performances from all involved, especially the scene-stealing Jodi Long as an eccentric and wise great-aunt.
Alison Cohen Rosa/Netflix View caption Hide caption Midori Francis stars as Lily in an episode of "Dash & Lily" on Netflix. The eight-episode series is based on the young adult novels by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan that begin with “Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares.”
“Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” (rated PG), also on Netflix, has been grabbing attention as the year’s splashy animated title, but it is an overly produced mishmash of live action and animation that has vibes reminiscent of “The Greatest Showman,” “Peter Pan,” and a robot that looks like “Wall-E.” The cast features such veterans as Forest Whitaker, Phylicia Rashad, Ricky Martin, and Hugh Bonneville. Kids will enjoy the music and magic but it may prove too frenetic for adult viewers. A much better animated Netflix choice can be found in last year’s “Klaus” (rated PG). Highly original in both looks and plot, this is a stylized tale of Santa’s beginnings. A postman is banished to the far north for being a slacker, only to find that his actions change the lives of everyone in the miserable town he now calls home. Both weird and wonderful, this is just intriguing enough to add to your yearly watch list.
Netflix will also try to woo you with the second installment of “The Christmas Chronicles.” Don’t let it. Just rewatch the warm and energetic original (both rated PG) starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, as this year’s sequel is more than a little dark and mean-spirited, failing to retain a believable plot even in a make-believe world. Consider who’s watching with you if you click on another buzzy Netflix movie: “Holidate” (TV-MA). It’s funny and clever, but too risqué for most family audiences.
Hallmark breaks out of its usual mold by offering a holiday flick starring a same-sex couple in a subplot. “The Christmas House” (TV-G) features that common trope about a couple that knew each other back in the day and are now flirting their way through the holiday season. The supporting cast includes a married gay couple (Jonathan Bennett, Brad Harder) that have both more chemistry and a more complex and interesting storyline than the show’s lead pairing. An added bonus is Treat Williams, as charismatic as ever, playing the dad. Elsewhere, Hallmark is featuring films with interracial couples this year, and it revisits Hanukkah with “Love, Lights, Hanukkah!” (though it and Lifetime have been faulted previously for missing the mark with non-Christmas shows).
Hulu is dishing up diversity with “Happiest Season” (rated PG-13), one of the more realistic offerings during a month filled with fantasy. Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis play a lesbian couple heading to Davis’ family home for the holidays, with Victor Garber and Mary Steenburgen as her rigid and demanding parents. The couple pretend to be roommates because Davis’ character never came out to them. The story follows the usual trouble-in-paradise arc we see in so many romances, but truth prevails and romance is sweetly restored. The writing is overly broad, but kudos to Hulu for injecting a few hard truths into the story, giving the movie some much-needed substance.
If baking is your jam, make sure to catch the third season of “The Great British Baking Show: Holidays” (TV-14 for language) on Netflix. Of the two episodes, the first features past contestants making typical holiday treats, while the second veers from the normal routine and showcases the cast of the series “Derry Girls,” set in Northern Ireland. The actors are funny and a bit ribald and can’t really bake, which is part of the reason it is funny and rather charming.
If you prefer musical celebrations, consider “My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood,” also featuring John Legend and streaming on HBO Max. Apple TV+ is offering “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special,” an annual affair this year featuring Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, and rappers Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Dolly Parton has been everywhere in 2020, and now you can catch “A Holly Dolly Christmas” streaming on CBS All Access starting Dec. 6. It showcases the singing star as she performs songs from her new album on a candlelit set. And a holiday classic is getting the live musical treatment in “Dr. Seuss’ the Grinch Musical.” Airing on NBC on Dec. 9, it was filmed at the Troubadour Theatre in London and features “Glee” star Matthew Morrison in the title role. The cast also includes Denis O’Hare and Booboo Stewart. (All the musical programs are unrated, but are considered family fare.)
When all is said and done, there is always “It’s a Wonderful Life,” found streaming everywhere and proving annually that solid writing and true sentiment always win the day – and sometimes help an angel get his wings.


csmonitor--2020-12-04--Points of Progress: Solar power use boosts teacher pay, and more

In the spring , Midshipman Sydney Barber will become the first Black woman to serve as brigade commander – the highest post for a midshipman – at the U.S .
Naval Academy in Maryland .
In the nearly five decades that women have been allowed to attend the academy , only 15 others have achieved this rank .
One colleague calls the mechanical engineering major and track team member a “ catalyst for action , a visionary , a listener , a doer , and a person driven by compassion.
” Midshipman Barber says she looks forward to continuing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proud .
When talking to NPR about her great-grandparents , who were sharecroppers on a Mississippi plantation , Ms. Barber said , “ They would never even picture this moment .
This America looks nothing like the America that they experienced .
...
I always take that to heart.
” ( NPR , Yahoo News ) A school district in Arkansas has joined the thousands of educational institutions across the country embracing solar energy – and it ’ s using savings to boost teachers ’ pay .
The Batesville School District used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and struggled to retain teachers .
During a 2017 audit , school leaders discovered the annual utility bill was more than $ 600,000 .
By installing solar panels and updating the facilities to be more energy efficient , the schools cut their yearly energy consumption by 1.6 million kilowatts and are on track to save $ 2.4 million over 20 years .
That ’ s translated into raises averaging $ 2,000- $ 3,000 per educator .
Batesville was able to secure a $ 5.4 million bond to make the updates , but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support other districts making a similar switch .
( Energy News ) Costa Rica affirmed its commitment to combating modern slavery by signing a 2014 United Nations treaty , which requires states to identify , rescue , and compensate victims of forced labor and punish human traffickers .
In 2017 the U.N. estimated 40 million people are in forced labor and forced marriages , including 6,000 people in Costa Rica .
Traffickers often target women , children , and migrants , who can be sold for sex or trapped in agricultural or domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Costa Rica is the fifth country in Latin America and the Caribbean to sign the treaty , and it brings the U.N. closer to its goal of ending modern slavery in the next decade .
( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) A new project in Karachi is creating a cleaner and more inclusive city by establishing the nation ’ s first privately managed public restrooms .
The social welfare group behind the initiative , the Salman Sufi Foundation , says its focus is on the safety of women , people with disabilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of Pakistan ’ s population lack access to decent toilets , according to the charity WaterAid , and previous efforts by the government to maintain functional restrooms have been stymied by restrictive city budgets .
Under the new approach , the Salman Sufi Foundation has been able to build each wheelchair-accessible bathroom out of old shipping containers for $ 12,700 .
The facilities are well lit and ventilated , and also include baby-changing stations .
Mohammad Hanif works in a cargo office near the group ’ s inaugural toilet , and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I had little choice but to use the stinky and perpetually wet public toilet a little further away from here .
This one is like using a five-star facility.
” ( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) New Zealand Police has added the hijab to its official uniform options – a move the police force hopes will help officers better reflect the country ’ s diversity and encourage more Muslim women to join the force .
Police officials say they began developing a uniform hijab in 2018 , and new recruit Constable Zeena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the garment .
She also had a hand in designing the hijab .
Constable Ali says she decided to join the force after the Christchurch shooting in 2019 that killed 51 people and injured 40 who were worshipping in two mosques .
“ I realized more Muslim women were needed in the police , to go and support people , ” she told the New Zealand Herald .
“ It feels great to be able to go out and show the New Zealand Police hijab as part of my uniform.
” ( BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time , NASA has used supercomputers and AI technology to map nonforest trees from outer space .
The international team of scientists surveyed 500,000 square miles in dryland regions , including the Sahara ’ s arid south , discovering billions of trees in just a few weeks .
Traditional methods of mapping trees growing outside forest boundaries could have taken years to produce the kind of data NASA ’ s team was looking for .
Their findings mark the first in a series of studies to determine how much carbon nonforest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ecological processes , not only inside , but outside forests , too , ” said Jesse Meyer , a programmer at NASA ’ s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt , Maryland .
“ For preservation , restoration , climate change , and other purposes , data like these are very important to establish a baseline.
” ( SciTechNews )

1. United States
In the spring, Midshipman Sydney Barber will become the first Black woman to serve as brigade commander – the highest post for a midshipman – at the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland. In the nearly five decades that women have been allowed to attend the academy, only 15 others have achieved this rank. One colleague calls the mechanical engineering major and track team member a “catalyst for action, a visionary, a listener, a doer, and a person driven by compassion.”
Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Burke/U.S. Navy/AP View caption Hide caption Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber, from Lake Forest, Illinois, will break new ground as brigade commander.
Midshipman Barber says she looks forward to continuing to break glass ceilings and making her family proud. When talking to NPR about her great-grandparents, who were sharecroppers on a Mississippi plantation, Ms. Barber said, “They would never even picture this moment. This America looks nothing like the America that they experienced. ... I always take that to heart.” (NPR, Yahoo News)
Why We Wrote This This is more than feel-good news – it's where the world is making concrete progress. A roundup of positive stories to inspire you.
2. United States
A school district in Arkansas has joined the thousands of educational institutions across the country embracing solar energy – and it’s using savings to boost teachers’ pay. The Batesville School District used to operate on a $250,000 budget deficit and struggled to retain teachers. During a 2017 audit, school leaders discovered the annual utility bill was more than $600,000. By installing solar panels and updating the facilities to be more energy efficient, the schools cut their yearly energy consumption by 1.6 million kilowatts and are on track to save $2.4 million over 20 years. That’s translated into raises averaging $2,000-$3,000 per educator. Batesville was able to secure a $5.4 million bond to make the updates, but in 2019, Arkansas passed legislation designed to support other districts making a similar switch. (Energy News)
3. Costa Rica
Costa Rica affirmed its commitment to combating modern slavery by signing a 2014 United Nations treaty, which requires states to identify, rescue, and compensate victims of forced labor and punish human traffickers. In 2017 the U.N. estimated 40 million people are in forced labor and forced marriages, including 6,000 people in Costa Rica. Traffickers often target women, children, and migrants, who can be sold for sex or trapped in agricultural or domestic servitude. The U.N. International Labor Organization says Costa Rica is the fifth country in Latin America and the Caribbean to sign the treaty, and it brings the U.N. closer to its goal of ending modern slavery in the next decade. (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
4. Pakistan
A new project in Karachi is creating a cleaner and more inclusive city by establishing the nation’s first privately managed public restrooms. The social welfare group behind the initiative, the Salman Sufi Foundation, says its focus is on the safety of women, people with disabilities, and the transgender community. About 40% of Pakistan’s population lack access to decent toilets, according to the charity WaterAid, and previous efforts by the government to maintain functional restrooms have been stymied by restrictive city budgets. Under the new approach, the Salman Sufi Foundation has been able to build each wheelchair-accessible bathroom out of old shipping containers for $12,700. The facilities are well lit and ventilated, and also include baby-changing stations. Mohammad Hanif works in a cargo office near the group’s inaugural toilet, and said that it’s a huge improvement: “I had little choice but to use the stinky and perpetually wet public toilet a little further away from here. This one is like using a five-star facility.” (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
5. New Zealand
New Zealand Police has added the hijab to its official uniform options – a move the police force hopes will help officers better reflect the country’s diversity and encourage more Muslim women to join the force. Police officials say they began developing a uniform hijab in 2018, and new recruit Constable Zeena Ali will be the first to don the garment. She also had a hand in designing the hijab. Constable Ali says she decided to join the force after the Christchurch shooting in 2019 that killed 51 people and injured 40 who were worshipping in two mosques. “I realized more Muslim women were needed in the police, to go and support people,” she told the New Zealand Herald. “It feels great to be able to go out and show the New Zealand Police hijab as part of my uniform.” (BBC, The New Zealand Herald)
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Outer space
For the first time, NASA has used supercomputers and AI technology to map nonforest trees from outer space. The international team of scientists surveyed 500,000 square miles in dryland regions, including the Sahara’s arid south, discovering billions of trees in just a few weeks. Traditional methods of mapping trees growing outside forest boundaries could have taken years to produce the kind of data NASA’s team was looking for.
NASA View caption Hide caption The study relied on high-resolution photos taken from outer space, like this image of the Rio Geba in Guinea-Bissau.
Their findings mark the first in a series of studies to determine how much carbon nonforest trees store. “There are important ecological processes, not only inside, but outside forests, too,” said Jesse Meyer, a programmer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “For preservation, restoration, climate change, and other purposes, data like these are very important to establish a baseline.” (SciTechNews)


csmonitor--2020-12-04--Why Congress may yet pass pandemic help for Americans

Therefore , a deal now is better than a deal later – even if it is limited in size and duration , says G. William Hoagland , senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington .
“ Anything is better at this stage , to the extent that it is money that can be gotten out quickly , particularly if the money is for vaccine distribution , ” says Mr. Hoagland .
Democrats are likely to be disappointed , but they can take “ another bite at the apple ” next year , he says .
Just do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , according to polls .
That something may be a $ 908 billion deal proposed by a bipartisan group of senators , including Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia .
Congress is coming late to a compromise , as it often does until faced with a deadline .
At the end of the year , pandemic-related federal unemployment insurance for nearly 12 million Americans and protection from eviction and from student loan payments will expire .
The Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Washington about a pandemic relief deal before Christmas – which means that political reality is sinking in .
Amid a nationwide surge – with a record 4 million new cases in November alone – important measures to help Americans cope have already expired or will be expiring at the end of the year .
The economic recovery has stalled , with November reporting the lowest number of new jobs since the spring and the country still 9 million jobs short since March .
Meanwhile , states are readying for vaccine distribution , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , say the overwhelming majority of Americans , according to polls .
Therefore , a deal now is better than a deal later – even if it is limited in size and duration , says G. William Hoagland , senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington .
“ Anything is better at this stage , to the extent that it is money that can be gotten out quickly , particularly if the money is for vaccine distribution , ” says Mr. Hoagland .
Democrats are likely to be disappointed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the apple ” next year , he says .
Congress is coming late to a compromise , as it often does until faced with a deadline .
At the end of the year , pandemic-related federal unemployment insurance for nearly 12 million Americans and protection from eviction and from student loan payments will expire .
The Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses has already lapsed , as has the extra weekly $ 600 benefit for some 30 million jobless Americans .
“ Both from an economic and a health perspective , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the stimulus is really creating hardship , ” says Jennifer Kates , a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation .
At a minimum , she says , Congress needs to extend unemployment insurance , support paid family leave , and provide funding for schools to cope with the pandemic .
Vaccine distribution is also high on her “ must do ” list .
States have only gotten $ 200 million for that so far , she says , but she ’ s pleased that both parties agree that billions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both sides appear to be moving .
Like the cubist painting “ Nude Descending a Staircase , No .
2 , ” Democrats keep stepping downward in their dollar demands .
In May , House Democrats passed the $ 3 trillion Heroes Act , which went nowhere .
In October , they passed a second version , at $ 2.2 trillion .
Now Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are below $ 1 trillion , embracing a $ 908 billion deal put forward by a bipartisan , bicameral group of senators and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats think that bigger and later is better .
I think it ’ s a false choice .
I think we should take whatever we can get and come back the very next day , reintroduce what we want , and say we ’ re going to get anything to people that will help them , ” says Celinda Lake , a Democratic pollster .
“ To pass nothing hurts Democrats and Republicans .
It hurts everyone in Congress .
Eighty percent of voters want this.
” Indeed , Democratic House Speaker Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s now willing to go for a narrower package because Joe Biden will be taking office , allowing Democrats another chance at relief , and because a vaccine is on the way .
For Republicans , the main sticking point is aid to state and local governments , which they see as a “ bailout ” to poorly managed states , says David Winston , a Republican pollster and strategist .
“ Their attitude is ‘ keep it to COVID , ’ ” he says .
“ It ’ s not an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has backed a GOP package of about $ 500 billion , with his stipulation that employers get liability protection from pandemic-related lawsuits .
On Thursday , Speaker Pelosi , of California , and Majority Leader McConnell spoke by phone about funding , with Senator McConnell telling reporters that it would likely be added to a must-pass $ 1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government when it runs out of money on Dec. 11 .
He was noncommittal about this week ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Susan Collins , Republican of Maine , and Joe Manchin , Democrat of West Virginia .
That plan includes additional unemployment insurance , new funding for the Paycheck Protection Program for small-business loans , direct aid for schools , and $ 16 billion for vaccine development , distribution , and virus testing and tracing .
It also provides $ 35 billion for health care providers , such as hospitals , and assists with student loan forgiveness , rental housing , and child care .
The provisions would run through March , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments – a significant retreat from the $ 1 trillion Democrats wanted last spring .
Senator McConnell would get the liability protection he seeks , but only for the short term .
Where all this will end up is not clear , but the sides are talking and President Donald Trump says he ’ ll sign an agreement if Congress can put one together .
“ We ’ re seeing this kind of gathering of momentum , ” Sen. Bill Cassidy , Republican of Louisiana , said .
Republicans “ realize that things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy goes into a recession , it really gets worse , ” said Senator Cassidy , who backs the bipartisan proposal .
“ And for the individuals and their families , I mean , they can ’ t borrow their way out of this .
And they ’ re really going to get stuck .
”

With the pandemic surging and the economy stalling, an overwhelming majority of Americans want Washington to do something. Why both Democrats and Republicans now see the possibility of making a deal.
Therefore, a deal now is better than a deal later – even if it is limited in size and duration, says G. William Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington. “Anything is better at this stage, to the extent that it is money that can be gotten out quickly, particularly if the money is for vaccine distribution,” says Mr. Hoagland. Democrats are likely to be disappointed, but they can take “another bite at the apple” next year, he says.
Just do something, say the overwhelming majority of Americans, according to polls . That something may be a $908 billion deal proposed by a bipartisan group of senators, including Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Congress is coming late to a compromise, as it often does until faced with a deadline. At the end of the year, pandemic-related federal unemployment insurance for nearly 12 million Americans and protection from eviction and from student loan payments will expire. The Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses has already lapsed.
Encouraging noises are coming from Washington about a pandemic relief deal before Christmas – which means that political reality is sinking in.
Amid a nationwide surge – with a record 4 million new cases in November alone – important measures to help Americans cope have already expired or will be expiring at the end of the year. The economic recovery has stalled, with November reporting the lowest number of new jobs since the spring and the country still 9 million jobs short since March. Meanwhile, states are readying for vaccine distribution, which is underfunded.
Just do something, say the overwhelming majority of Americans, according to polls.
Why We Wrote This With the pandemic surging and the economy stalling, an overwhelming majority of Americans want Washington to do something. Why both Democrats and Republicans now see the possibility of making a deal.
Therefore, a deal now is better than a deal later – even if it is limited in size and duration, says G. William Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington. “Anything is better at this stage, to the extent that it is money that can be gotten out quickly, particularly if the money is for vaccine distribution,” says Mr. Hoagland. Democrats are likely to be disappointed, but they can take “another bite at the apple” next year, he says.
Congress is coming late to a compromise, as it often does until faced with a deadline. At the end of the year, pandemic-related federal unemployment insurance for nearly 12 million Americans and protection from eviction and from student loan payments will expire. The Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses has already lapsed, as has the extra weekly $600 benefit for some 30 million jobless Americans.
“Both from an economic and a health perspective, and those two are intertwined, the stalling with the stimulus is really creating hardship,” says Jennifer Kates, a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
At a minimum, she says, Congress needs to extend unemployment insurance, support paid family leave, and provide funding for schools to cope with the pandemic. Vaccine distribution is also high on her “must do” list. States have only gotten $200 million for that so far, she says, but she’s pleased that both parties agree that billions of dollars more are needed.
Politically, both sides appear to be moving. Like the cubist painting “Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2,” Democrats keep stepping downward in their dollar demands. In May, House Democrats passed the $3 trillion Heroes Act, which went nowhere. In October, they passed a second version, at $2.2 trillion. Now Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are below $1 trillion, embracing a $908 billion deal put forward by a bipartisan, bicameral group of senators and House members this week.
“Most Democrats think that bigger and later is better. I think it’s a false choice. I think we should take whatever we can get and come back the very next day, reintroduce what we want, and say we’re going to get anything to people that will help them,” says Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster. “To pass nothing hurts Democrats and Republicans. It hurts everyone in Congress. Eighty percent of voters want this.”
Indeed, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Friday that she’s now willing to go for a narrower package because Joe Biden will be taking office, allowing Democrats another chance at relief, and because a vaccine is on the way.
For Republicans, the main sticking point is aid to state and local governments, which they see as a “bailout” to poorly managed states, says David Winston, a Republican pollster and strategist.
“Their attitude is ‘keep it to COVID,’” he says. “It’s not an argument over money,” he adds, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has backed a GOP package of about $500 billion, with his stipulation that employers get liability protection from pandemic-related lawsuits.
On Thursday, Speaker Pelosi, of California, and Majority Leader McConnell spoke by phone about funding, with Senator McConnell telling reporters that it would likely be added to a must-pass $1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government when it runs out of money on Dec. 11. He was noncommittal about this week’s proposed bipartisan plan, spearheaded by Sens. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, and Joe Manchin, Democrat of West Virginia.
That plan includes additional unemployment insurance, new funding for the Paycheck Protection Program for small-business loans, direct aid for schools, and $16 billion for vaccine development, distribution, and virus testing and tracing. It also provides $35 billion for health care providers, such as hospitals, and assists with student loan forgiveness, rental housing, and child care. The provisions would run through March, including $160 billion for state and local governments – a significant retreat from the $1 trillion Democrats wanted last spring. Senator McConnell would get the liability protection he seeks, but only for the short term.
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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.
Where all this will end up is not clear, but the sides are talking and President Donald Trump says he’ll sign an agreement if Congress can put one together. “We’re seeing this kind of gathering of momentum,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, said.
Republicans “realize that things are getting worse. And that if the economy goes into a recession, it really gets worse,” said Senator Cassidy, who backs the bipartisan proposal. “And for the individuals and their families, I mean, they can’t borrow their way out of this. And they’re really going to get stuck.”