csmonitor--2020-08-14--Why some oil companies oppose Trump's methane check rollback

President Donald Trump 's administration is undoing Obama-era rules designed to limit potent greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas fields and pipelines , formalizing the changes Thursday in the heart of the nation 's most prolific natural gas reservoir and in the premier presidential battleground state of Pennsylvania .
Andrew Wheeler , the Environmental Protection Agency administrator , signed the rollback of the 2016 methane emissions rule in Pittsburgh as the agency touted the Trump administration 's efforts to `` strengthen and promote American energy.
” The EPA first proposed the rollback last year , accusing the Obama administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and agency officials said it would save companies tens of millions of dollars a year in compliance requirements without changing the trajectory of methane emissions .
But states , including California , and a coalition of environmental advocacy groups warned that the changes are illegal – not to mention a setback in the fight against climate change – and expect to quickly sue to block it .
“ It ’ s not only negligent , it ’ s unlawful , '' California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EPA allows this super-pollutant to rapidly warm our atmosphere . ''
The White House took the event to Pittsburgh , the headquarters for many companies exploring the Marcellus Shale , the booming reservoir that vaulted Pennsylvania to the nation 's No .
2 natural gas state , behind Texas .
“ EPA has been working hard to fulfill President Trump ’ s promise to cut burdensome and ineffective regulations for our domestic energy industry , ” Mr. Wheeler said in a statement .
Reflecting the pervasive politics of the presidential campaign , Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee , former Vice President Joe Biden , saying “ regulatory burdens put into place by the Obama-Biden Administration fell heavily on small and medium-sized energy businesses . ''
Pennsylvania is of prime importance in November 's presidential election , and the natural gas industry is playing a central role in TV attack ads being aired in the state by Mr. Trump 's allies .
In recent years , preventing methane leaks from well-site equipment and pipelines has become important for regulators because methane is a potent greenhouse gas .
The oil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the nation ’ s methane emissions in 2018 , and methane accounted for 10 % of the nation 's greenhouse gas emissions , according to the EPA .
The Trump administration is eliminating the twice-yearly requirement for companies to inspect for methane leaks on equipment installed after 2015 at well sites and downstream segments , such as pipelines , compressor stations , and storage tanks .
Leaks must then be fixed .
Supporters of the rule maintained that , based on reports the companies file , it seemed to be helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the EPA 's acknowledgment in its technical analysis that its rule changes will increase emissions of methane and smog-forming compounds .
Operators will still have to check equipment for leaks of smog-forming compounds at some higher-producing well sites , but Thursday 's changes relaxed those standards and producers wo n't have to inspect pipelines or downstream equipment anymore .
Any leaks they fix help capture methane , and companies say they have a financial incentive to voluntarily fix leaks to ensure that methane gets to customers , rather than going into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , killing the methane emissions rule also blocks a legal requirement for the EPA to extend the rule to cover many more pieces of equipment installed before 2015 , environmental advocates say .
“ We ’ ll see them in court because this is blatantly illegal , ” said David Doniger , senior strategic director of the climate and clean energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council .
Robert Howarth , an ecology professor at Cornell University , estimated that shale oil and gas production in North America accounted for one-third of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the past year .
Rolling back methane measures now is “ dangerously reckless , ” Mr. Howarth said .
“ Methane emissions are increasing rapidly , and the oil and gas industry is clearly part of the problem . ''
Peter Zalzal , an attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund , said that , without federal leadership , stronger state regulation will be even more important .
Some states – such as California , Colorado , Pennsylvania , and Wyoming – have methane standards that are comparable or stronger than the EPA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil and gas states – such as Texas – do not , Mr. Zalzal said .
Oil and gas industry representatives pushed for the methane rollbacks , fearing more expensive rules covering emissions from older equipment .
Smaller , independent operators hailed the changes as important to their survival .
`` The issue for producers has never been whether regulations were necessary ; it has always been whether the regulations were sound and cost effective , '' the Independent Petroleum Association of America said .
Still , some companies opposed a rollback , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or pointing out that they were already exceeding the rule 's requirements .
Some oil majors including BP , Shell , and ExxonMobil have called on Mr. Trump to strengthen efforts to cap methane emissions .
The Trump administration 's move is “ frustrating and disappointing , ” Shell 's U.S. president , Gretchen Watkins , said in a statement .
In 2016 's election , Mr. Trump eked out a win in Pennsylvania – the first Republican presidential candidate to capture it since 1988 – by piling up support with Pennsylvania ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since then , Mr. Trump has eagerly promoted the state 's gas industry , underscoring his focus on shoring up his base as his appointees have moved to expand extraction on federal lands , boost the export of liquefied natural gas , and restrict the ability of states to block pipelines .
Meanwhile , a pro-Trump super PAC , America First Action , is running TV ads in Pennsylvania accusing Mr. Biden of wanting to ban “ fracking , ” the process that along with horizontal drilling has unlocked a torrent of oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past decade .
Mr. Biden 's campaign counters that that is flatly untrue .
Mr. Biden would only ban new gas-drilling permits on public lands , his campaign said , pointing out that about 90 % of fracking is on private land .
And while Mr. Trump often ridicules the science behind increasingly urgent warnings for immediate action to stave off the worst of climate damage by cutting fossil fuel emissions , Mr. Biden 's campaign said it recognizes that “ climate change is an urgent problem and that all Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean water.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

President Donald Trump's administration is undoing Obama-era rules designed to limit potent greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas fields and pipelines, formalizing the changes Thursday in the heart of the nation's most prolific natural gas reservoir and in the premier presidential battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Andrew Wheeler, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, signed the rollback of the 2016 methane emissions rule in Pittsburgh as the agency touted the Trump administration's efforts to "strengthen and promote American energy.”
The EPA first proposed the rollback last year, accusing the Obama administration of enacting a legally flawed rule, and agency officials said it would save companies tens of millions of dollars a year in compliance requirements without changing the trajectory of methane emissions.
But states, including California, and a coalition of environmental advocacy groups warned that the changes are illegal – not to mention a setback in the fight against climate change – and expect to quickly sue to block it.
“It’s not only negligent, it’s unlawful," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “We won’t sit silently while the EPA allows this super-pollutant to rapidly warm our atmosphere."
The White House took the event to Pittsburgh, the headquarters for many companies exploring the Marcellus Shale, the booming reservoir that vaulted Pennsylvania to the nation's No. 2 natural gas state, behind Texas.
“EPA has been working hard to fulfill President Trump’s promise to cut burdensome and ineffective regulations for our domestic energy industry,” Mr. Wheeler said in a statement.
Reflecting the pervasive politics of the presidential campaign, Mr. Wheeler cast blame onto the presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, saying “regulatory burdens put into place by the Obama-Biden Administration fell heavily on small and medium-sized energy businesses."
Pennsylvania is of prime importance in November's presidential election, and the natural gas industry is playing a central role in TV attack ads being aired in the state by Mr. Trump's allies.
In recent years, preventing methane leaks from well-site equipment and pipelines has become important for regulators because methane is a potent greenhouse gas.
The oil and gas industry was responsible for nearly 30% of the nation’s methane emissions in 2018, and methane accounted for 10% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA.
The Trump administration is eliminating the twice-yearly requirement for companies to inspect for methane leaks on equipment installed after 2015 at well sites and downstream segments, such as pipelines, compressor stations, and storage tanks. Leaks must then be fixed.
Supporters of the rule maintained that, based on reports the companies file, it seemed to be helping reduce methane emissions. They also pointed to the EPA's acknowledgment in its technical analysis that its rule changes will increase emissions of methane and smog-forming compounds.
Operators will still have to check equipment for leaks of smog-forming compounds at some higher-producing well sites, but Thursday's changes relaxed those standards and producers won't have to inspect pipelines or downstream equipment anymore.
Any leaks they fix help capture methane, and companies say they have a financial incentive to voluntarily fix leaks to ensure that methane gets to customers, rather than going into the atmosphere.
But, far more importantly, killing the methane emissions rule also blocks a legal requirement for the EPA to extend the rule to cover many more pieces of equipment installed before 2015, environmental advocates say.
“We’ll see them in court because this is blatantly illegal,” said David Doniger, senior strategic director of the climate and clean energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Robert Howarth, an ecology professor at Cornell University, estimated that shale oil and gas production in North America accounted for one-third of the total global increase in methane emissions over the past year.
Rolling back methane measures now is “dangerously reckless,” Mr. Howarth said. “Methane emissions are increasing rapidly, and the oil and gas industry is clearly part of the problem."
Peter Zalzal, an attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund, said that, without federal leadership, stronger state regulation will be even more important.
Some states – such as California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming – have methane standards that are comparable or stronger than the EPA's 2016 rule. But many big oil and gas states – such as Texas – do not, Mr. Zalzal said.
Oil and gas industry representatives pushed for the methane rollbacks, fearing more expensive rules covering emissions from older equipment. Smaller, independent operators hailed the changes as important to their survival.
"The issue for producers has never been whether regulations were necessary; it has always been whether the regulations were sound and cost effective," the Independent Petroleum Association of America said.
Still, some companies opposed a rollback, noting they had pledged to reduce emissions or pointing out that they were already exceeding the rule's requirements.
Some oil majors including BP, Shell, and ExxonMobil have called on Mr. Trump to strengthen efforts to cap methane emissions. The Trump administration's move is “frustrating and disappointing,” Shell's U.S. president, Gretchen Watkins, said in a statement.
In 2016's election, Mr. Trump eked out a win in Pennsylvania – the first Republican presidential candidate to capture it since 1988 – by piling up support with Pennsylvania’s rural areas and working-class whites.
Since then, Mr. Trump has eagerly promoted the state's gas industry, underscoring his focus on shoring up his base as his appointees have moved to expand extraction on federal lands, boost the export of liquefied natural gas, and restrict the ability of states to block pipelines.
Meanwhile, a pro-Trump super PAC, America First Action, is running TV ads in Pennsylvania accusing Mr. Biden of wanting to ban “fracking,” the process that along with horizontal drilling has unlocked a torrent of oil and natural gas across the United States in the past decade.
Mr. Biden's campaign counters that that is flatly untrue.
Mr. Biden would only ban new gas-drilling permits on public lands, his campaign said, pointing out that about 90% of fracking is on private land.
And while Mr. Trump often ridicules the science behind increasingly urgent warnings for immediate action to stave off the worst of climate damage by cutting fossil fuel emissions, Mr. Biden's campaign said it recognizes that “climate change is an urgent problem and that all Americans have the right to clean air and clean water.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-14--North Korea rejects aid from South as they reopen border city

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lifted a lockdown in a major city near the border with South Korea where thousands had been quarantined for weeks over coronavirus worries , state media said Friday .
But Mr. Kim , during a key ruling party meeting on Thursday , also insisted the North will keep its borders shut and rejected any outside help as the country carries out an aggressive anti-virus campaign and rebuilds thousands of houses , roads , and bridges damaged by heavy rain and floods in recent weeks .
Pyongyang 's official Korean Central News Agency also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premier following an evaluation of the Cabinet 's economic performance and appointed Kim Tok Hun as his successor .
Entering the last year of an ambitious five-year national development plan , Mr. Kim in December declared a `` frontal breakthrough '' against international sanctions while urging his nation to stay resilient in a struggle for economic self-reliance .
But experts say the COVID-19 crisis likely thwarted some of Mr. Kim 's major economic goals by forcing the country into a lockdown that shut the border with China – the North 's major ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his ability to mobilize people for labor .
During Thursday 's meeting , Mr. Kim said it was clear after three weeks of isolation measures and `` scientific verification '' that the virus situation in Kaesong was stable , and he expressed gratitude to residents for cooperating with the lockdown , KCNA reported .
Mr. Kim said his country now faces a dual challenge of fending off COVID-19 amid a worsening global pandemic and repairing damage from torrential rain that lashed the country in past weeks .
KCNA said 97,100 acres of crops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 630 public buildings destroyed or flooded .
It said many roads , bridges , and railway sections were damaged and a dam of an unspecified power station gave way .
There was no mention of any information related to injuries or deaths .
Mr. Kim expressed sympathy with people who were at temporary facilities after losing their houses to floods and called for swift recovery efforts so that no one is `` homeless '' by the time the country celebrates the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers ' Party 's founding on October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the spread of the worldwide malignant virus has become worse , requires us not to allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work , '' KCNA paraphrased Mr. Kim as saying .
Mr. Kim 's public rejection of international aid for flood recovery and his decision to release Kaesong from quarantine are negative indicators for inter-Korean cooperation as South Korea had hoped to restart diplomatic engagement by providing support in these areas , said Leif-Eric Easley , a professor at Ewha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson of Seoul 's Unification Ministry , which handles inter-Korean affairs , said the South remains willing to provide humanitarian assistance to the North .
North Korea in past months has severed virtually all cooperation with the South amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang , which faltered over disagreements in exchanging sanctions relief and disarmament steps .
The North in June blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong , following months of frustration over Seoul 's unwillingness to defy U.S.-led sanctions over its nuclear weapons program and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North 's broken economy .
`` The North Korean economy , while touting self-reliance , is increasingly dependent on China and will struggle to balance sanctions-busting efforts and COVID-19 prevention , '' Mr. Easley said .
`` The job of North Korea 's new premier will be to show the country has recovered from recent flooding and has upgraded public health facilities '' by the October party anniversary , he said .
In late July , Mr. Kim ordered a total lockdown of Kaesong and had the nation shift into a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported it found a person with COVID-19 symptoms .
The North 's state media said the suspected case was a North Korean who had earlier fled to the South before slipping back into Kaesong .
But South Korean health authorities say the person had n't tested positive in South Korea and never had contact with any known virus carrier .
North Korea later said the person 's test results were inconclusive and still maintains it is virus-free , a status widely doubted by outsiders .
Some experts said the North was likely trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the virus to South Korea .
In an email to The Associated Press last week , Dr. Edwin Salvador , the World Health Organization 's representative to North Korea , said the North has told the U.N. agency it quarantined 64 first contacts of the suspected Kaesong case and 3,571 secondary contacts in state-run facilities for 40 days .
Since the end of December , North Korea has quarantined and released 25,905 people , 382 of them foreigners , Mr. Salvador said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lifted a lockdown in a major city near the border with South Korea where thousands had been quarantined for weeks over coronavirus worries, state media said Friday.
But Mr. Kim, during a key ruling party meeting on Thursday, also insisted the North will keep its borders shut and rejected any outside help as the country carries out an aggressive anti-virus campaign and rebuilds thousands of houses, roads, and bridges damaged by heavy rain and floods in recent weeks.
Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency also said Mr. Kim replaced Kim Jae Ryong as premier following an evaluation of the Cabinet's economic performance and appointed Kim Tok Hun as his successor.
Entering the last year of an ambitious five-year national development plan, Mr. Kim in December declared a "frontal breakthrough" against international sanctions while urging his nation to stay resilient in a struggle for economic self-reliance.
But experts say the COVID-19 crisis likely thwarted some of Mr. Kim's major economic goals by forcing the country into a lockdown that shut the border with China – the North's major ally and economic lifeline – and potentially hampered his ability to mobilize people for labor.
During Thursday's meeting, Mr. Kim said it was clear after three weeks of isolation measures and "scientific verification" that the virus situation in Kaesong was stable, and he expressed gratitude to residents for cooperating with the lockdown, KCNA reported.
Mr. Kim said his country now faces a dual challenge of fending off COVID-19 amid a worsening global pandemic and repairing damage from torrential rain that lashed the country in past weeks.
KCNA said 97,100 acres of crops were ruined nationwide and 16,680 homes and 630 public buildings destroyed or flooded. It said many roads, bridges, and railway sections were damaged and a dam of an unspecified power station gave way. There was no mention of any information related to injuries or deaths.
Mr. Kim expressed sympathy with people who were at temporary facilities after losing their houses to floods and called for swift recovery efforts so that no one is "homeless" by the time the country celebrates the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party's founding on October 10.
"The situation, in which the spread of the worldwide malignant virus has become worse, requires us not to allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work," KCNA paraphrased Mr. Kim as saying.
Mr. Kim's public rejection of international aid for flood recovery and his decision to release Kaesong from quarantine are negative indicators for inter-Korean cooperation as South Korea had hoped to restart diplomatic engagement by providing support in these areas, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
Cho Hey-sil, spokesperson of Seoul's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the South remains willing to provide humanitarian assistance to the North.
North Korea in past months has severed virtually all cooperation with the South amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, which faltered over disagreements in exchanging sanctions relief and disarmament steps.
The North in June blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong, following months of frustration over Seoul's unwillingness to defy U.S.-led sanctions over its nuclear weapons program and restart joint economic projects that would help the North's broken economy.
"The North Korean economy, while touting self-reliance, is increasingly dependent on China and will struggle to balance sanctions-busting efforts and COVID-19 prevention," Mr. Easley said. "The job of North Korea's new premier will be to show the country has recovered from recent flooding and has upgraded public health facilities" by the October party anniversary, he said.
In late July, Mr. Kim ordered a total lockdown of Kaesong and had the nation shift into a "maximum emergency system" after the North reported it found a person with COVID-19 symptoms.
The North's state media said the suspected case was a North Korean who had earlier fled to the South before slipping back into Kaesong. But South Korean health authorities say the person hadn't tested positive in South Korea and never had contact with any known virus carrier.
North Korea later said the person's test results were inconclusive and still maintains it is virus-free, a status widely doubted by outsiders. Some experts said the North was likely trying to shift the blame over a possible spread of the virus to South Korea.
In an email to The Associated Press last week, Dr. Edwin Salvador, the World Health Organization's representative to North Korea, said the North has told the U.N. agency it quarantined 64 first contacts of the suspected Kaesong case and 3,571 secondary contacts in state-run facilities for 40 days.
Since the end of December, North Korea has quarantined and released 25,905 people, 382 of them foreigners, Mr. Salvador said.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-14--Waterboys frontman calmly waits for the lyrics to come. They always do.

“ I used to think if I didn ’ t get the song done , I would lose it .
I don ’ t think that anymore , ” says Mr. Scott during a call from his studio in Dublin , Ireland .
“ It ’ s going to come down in its own time .
So there ’ s a calmness to the way I work.
” “ Good Luck , Seeker ” is the fourth Waterboys album in five years and the 14th album in a career that has garnered the admiration of Bob Dylan , U2 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covers by Prince .
Influenced by William Butler Yeats , C.S .
Lewis , and Van Morrison , Mr. Scott has developed a reputation as one of rock ’ s true poets .
His lyrics express open-hearted wonder as he explores existential questions .
When you ask Scottish songwriter Mike Scott about cultivating creativity , he points to a track on the new album he ’ s released with his band The Waterboys .
Titled “ Beauty in Repetition , ” the song details how 19th-century philosopher William James followed an unchanging daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the higher parts of his mind .
Mr. Scott recalls explaining to a former girlfriend that his habitual activities , such as eating the same meals , mean that he ’ s less preoccupied with banal decisions and can focus on creativity .
When songwriter Mike Scott recently rummaged through a box of forgotten compositions , he found a poem he ’ d written three decades ago .
The bandleader of The Waterboys was struck by the first line : “ The storm that has howled for four days has blown itself out.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal Irish cottage , covered in a shag of ivy , where he wrote the 1988 album “ Fisherman ’ s Blues.
” The rediscovered prose developed into “ Postcard From The Celtic Dreamtime , ” a wistful track on the new Waterboys record , “ Good Luck , Seeker.
” “ I used to think if I didn ’ t get the song done , I would lose it .
I don ’ t think that anymore , ” says Mr. Scott during a call from his studio in Dublin , Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come down in its own time .
So there ’ s a calmness to the way I work.
” Calmness is not idleness .
“ Good Luck , Seeker ” is the fourth Waterboys album in five years and the 14th album in a career that has garnered the admiration of Bob Dylan , U2 , The War on Drugs – and covers by Prince .
Mr. Scott is the sole constant member of The Waterboys , which has had more lineup changes than any other band in rock history .
At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the decades .
Its sound is often earthy but its spirit is celestial .
Influenced by William Butler Yeats , C.S .
Lewis , and Van Morrison , Mr. Scott has developed a reputation as one of rock ’ s true poets .
His lyrics express open-hearted wonder as he explores existential questions .
“ As a lyricist he ’ s very heart-on-sleeve about his life , ” says Ian Abrahams , author of the biography “ Strange Boat : Mike Scott and The Waterboys.
” “ He ’ s really at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s writing about himself , or maintaining a sense of anger at the mediocrity of this world , or where he ’ s embracing the work of writers he ’ s loved and building them into his sense of spirituality.
” Mr. Scott is that rare veteran artist whose sound hasn ’ t fossilized into a predictable style .
The Waterboys have continually evolved , from post-punk anthems to rustic Celtic folk to guitar-lick rock ’ n ’ roll .
“ Good Luck , Seeker ” touches on those earlier elements , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound that ’ s as lush as velour .
As for those hip-hop rhythms ?
Credit the influence of rap star Kendrick Lamar .
“ He uses all these found sounds and incidental sounds .
It ’ s like listening to a movie for the ears , ” says Mr. Scott , the sort of rock star who has the panache to wear crushed velvet jackets and cowboy hats .
“ It reminds me of the punk DIY days or , going back further , psychedelia with all the sound effects .
... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the conditions he favors to facilitate creativity , the Scottish songwriter points to a track on the new album titled “ Beauty in Repetition.
” It details how 19th-century philosopher William James , author of “ The Varieties of Religious Experience , ” followed an unchanging daily routine so that he could free up the higher parts of his mind .
Similarly , Mr. Scott recalls explaining to a former girlfriend that his habitual activities , such as eating the same meals day after day , mean that he ’ s less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on creativity .
Now that he ’ s become a father , those patterns require more flexibility .
But the change has its benefits .
“ I ’ m constantly making up stories and songs for and with my kids .
And that means my creative wheels are turning all the time , ” he says .
When the fount of inspiration flows , he needs a pen with a deep ink well .
The recent single “ The Soul Singer , ” propelled by a horn section , features as many verses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t .
The second half of “ Good Luck , Seeker ” – a series of dramatic spoken-word pieces set to instrumental music – liberates Mr. Scott ’ s lyrics from the harnessed reigns of songwriting stricture .
“ It ’ s not that I feel the need to be free .
I like working with verses and choruses and structures , and I like working with rhythm and rhyme .
But the spoken word is a different kind of expression , ” he says .
“ It has been a creative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s enduring interest in poetry has inspired him to set poems by Robert Burns and George MacDonald to music .
All the songs on “ An Appointment with Mr. Yeats ” ( 2011 ) were composed from the words of Yeats .
On the new album , spoken-word compositions such as “ The Land of Sunset ” showcase Mr. Scott ’ s own considerable wordsmithing in evoking a strong sense of place .
Other pieces , “ My Wanderings in the Weary Land ” and “ Everchanging , ” continue the artist ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chronicle a search for meaning and truth .
“ I discovered deeper spiritual literature , esoteric spiritual literature , and I realized that I could find what I sought in many places .
And the grey church Christianity of my own culture was not the whole story , ” he reflects .
“ I ’ m gon na look twice at you ” Mr. Scott avoids the cynical outlook that ’ s often fashionable among his contemporaries .
He expresses his disappointment that one of his original songwriting heroes has embraced the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and depraved .
By contrast , he looks for the good in people .
In the 1995 song “ Wonderful Disguise , ” for instance , he describes seeing past the outward appearance and behavior of various individuals he encounters over the course of a day .
In another song , “ The Christ in You , ” he sings a simple recurring refrain : “ I ’ m gon na look twice at you / Until I see the Christ in you / When I ’ m lookin ’ through the eyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pudding is in the practice of it , ” says Mr. Scott , who admits he finds it challenging when it comes to President Donald Trump .
“ Can I look at him and say ‘ I ’ m going to look twice until I see the Christ in you ?
’ And I must try that and see what happens.
” Not one to stay still , Mr. Scott has already finished the next album .
He reveals that it will be The Waterboys ’ first conceptually themed record .
Once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Hearing Kendrick ’ s records about five years ago , when I got turned on to them , reminded me that you can do anything , ” he says .
“ You can juxtapose anything .
If it works and it feels good , there are no rules .
”

How do people access creativity? Longtime musician Mike Scott, frontman for The Waterboys, does so by maintaining daily habits – and an unwavering understanding that inspiration can take time.
“I used to think if I didn’t get the song done, I would lose it. I don’t think that anymore,” says Mr. Scott during a call from his studio in Dublin, Ireland. “It’s going to come down in its own time. So there’s a calmness to the way I work.”
“Good Luck, Seeker” is the fourth Waterboys album in five years and the 14th album in a career that has garnered the admiration of Bob Dylan, U2, and The War on Drugs – and covers by Prince. Influenced by William Butler Yeats, C.S. Lewis, and Van Morrison, Mr. Scott has developed a reputation as one of rock’s true poets. His lyrics express open-hearted wonder as he explores existential questions.
When you ask Scottish songwriter Mike Scott about cultivating creativity, he points to a track on the new album he’s released with his band The Waterboys. Titled “Beauty in Repetition,” the song details how 19th-century philosopher William James followed an unchanging daily routine so that he could free up the higher parts of his mind. Mr. Scott recalls explaining to a former girlfriend that his habitual activities, such as eating the same meals, mean that he’s less preoccupied with banal decisions and can focus on creativity.
When songwriter Mike Scott recently rummaged through a box of forgotten compositions, he found a poem he’d written three decades ago. The bandleader of The Waterboys was struck by the first line: “The storm that has howled for four days has blown itself out.” It transported his memory to the coastal Irish cottage, covered in a shag of ivy, where he wrote the 1988 album “Fisherman’s Blues.”
The rediscovered prose developed into “Postcard From The Celtic Dreamtime,” a wistful track on the new Waterboys record, “Good Luck, Seeker.”
“I used to think if I didn’t get the song done, I would lose it. I don’t think that anymore,” says Mr. Scott during a call from his studio in Dublin, Ireland. “It’s going to come down in its own time. So there’s a calmness to the way I work.”
Why We Wrote This How do people access creativity? Longtime musician Mike Scott, frontman for The Waterboys, does so by maintaining daily habits – and an unwavering understanding that inspiration can take time.
Calmness is not idleness. “Good Luck, Seeker” is the fourth Waterboys album in five years and the 14th album in a career that has garnered the admiration of Bob Dylan, U2, The War on Drugs – and covers by Prince. Mr. Scott is the sole constant member of The Waterboys, which has had more lineup changes than any other band in rock history. At least 85 musicians have performed with the group over the decades. Its sound is often earthy but its spirit is celestial. Influenced by William Butler Yeats, C.S. Lewis, and Van Morrison, Mr. Scott has developed a reputation as one of rock’s true poets. His lyrics express open-hearted wonder as he explores existential questions.
“As a lyricist he’s very heart-on-sleeve about his life,” says Ian Abrahams, author of the biography “Strange Boat: Mike Scott and The Waterboys.” “He’s really at the top of his game when he’s writing about himself, or maintaining a sense of anger at the mediocrity of this world, or where he’s embracing the work of writers he’s loved and building them into his sense of spirituality.”
Mr. Scott is that rare veteran artist whose sound hasn’t fossilized into a predictable style. The Waterboys have continually evolved, from post-punk anthems to rustic Celtic folk to guitar-lick rock ’n’ roll. “Good Luck, Seeker” touches on those earlier elements, weaving them into an R&B sound that’s as lush as velour. As for those hip-hop rhythms? Credit the influence of rap star Kendrick Lamar.
“He uses all these found sounds and incidental sounds. It’s like listening to a movie for the ears,” says Mr. Scott, the sort of rock star who has the panache to wear crushed velvet jackets and cowboy hats. “It reminds me of the punk DIY days or, going back further, psychedelia with all the sound effects. ... I love creating like that.”
From habits, creativity
Asked about the conditions he favors to facilitate creativity, the Scottish songwriter points to a track on the new album titled “Beauty in Repetition.” It details how 19th-century philosopher William James, author of “The Varieties of Religious Experience,” followed an unchanging daily routine so that he could free up the higher parts of his mind. Similarly, Mr. Scott recalls explaining to a former girlfriend that his habitual activities, such as eating the same meals day after day, mean that he’s less preoccupied with banal decisions and can focus on creativity.
Now that he’s become a father, those patterns require more flexibility. But the change has its benefits. “I’m constantly making up stories and songs for and with my kids. And that means my creative wheels are turning all the time,” he says. When the fount of inspiration flows, he needs a pen with a deep ink well. The recent single “The Soul Singer,” propelled by a horn section, features as many verses that made the final cut as didn’t.
The second half of “Good Luck, Seeker” – a series of dramatic spoken-word pieces set to instrumental music – liberates Mr. Scott’s lyrics from the harnessed reigns of songwriting stricture.
“It’s not that I feel the need to be free. I like working with verses and choruses and structures, and I like working with rhythm and rhyme. But the spoken word is a different kind of expression,” he says. “It has been a creative edge for me.”
Mr. Scott’s enduring interest in poetry has inspired him to set poems by Robert Burns and George MacDonald to music. All the songs on “An Appointment with Mr. Yeats” (2011) were composed from the words of Yeats. On the new album, spoken-word compositions such as “The Land of Sunset” showcase Mr. Scott’s own considerable wordsmithing in evoking a strong sense of place. Other pieces, “My Wanderings in the Weary Land” and “Everchanging,” continue the artist’s abiding tradition of metaphysical travelogues that chronicle a search for meaning and truth.
“I discovered deeper spiritual literature, esoteric spiritual literature, and I realized that I could find what I sought in many places. And the grey church Christianity of my own culture was not the whole story,” he reflects.
“I’m gonna look twice at you”
Mr. Scott avoids the cynical outlook that’s often fashionable among his contemporaries. He expresses his disappointment that one of his original songwriting heroes has embraced the idea that man’s conscience is vile and depraved. By contrast, he looks for the good in people. In the 1995 song “Wonderful Disguise,” for instance, he describes seeing past the outward appearance and behavior of various individuals he encounters over the course of a day. In another song, “The Christ in You,” he sings a simple recurring refrain: “I’m gonna look twice at you / Until I see the Christ in you / When I’m lookin’ through the eyes of love.”
“The proof in the pudding is in the practice of it,” says Mr. Scott, who admits he finds it challenging when it comes to President Donald Trump. “Can I look at him and say ‘I’m going to look twice until I see the Christ in you?’ And I must try that and see what happens.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Not one to stay still, Mr. Scott has already finished the next album. He reveals that it will be The Waterboys’ first conceptually themed record. Once again, the sound will be different.
“Hearing Kendrick’s records about five years ago, when I got turned on to them, reminded me that you can do anything,” he says. “You can juxtapose anything. If it works and it feels good, there are no rules.”


‘Who gets redemption?’

Society had essentially given up on Louie Hammonds Sr .
The phrase “ lock the door and throw away the key ” was , in his case , almost literally true .
He was a “ lifer ” in Pelican Bay State Prison , the supermax prison that houses California ’ s most violent inmates .
He had been a gang leader , imprisoned for shooting a man at a bar seven times , and faced the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison .
That could have been the end of his story .
“ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan told Politico Magazine , “ ninety-nine percent [ of incarcerated people ] have the fight knocked out of them because of the shock factor of this environment.
” It is easy – perhaps even expected – to simply languish , “ watching each year roll by like heavy fog , ” the man told Politico .
Prison rehabilitation programs that teach skills and kindle hope are geared toward those nearing release .
But what if you are never nearing your release ?
What life do you even have left ?
This week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have begun to find an answer to that question in unexpected ways .
For Mr. Hammonds , it began with a bunny knot in his shoelace .
The hardened criminal who had so wanted to be like the Scarface of the silver screen was undone when a corrections officer made the small gesture of bending over to tie Mr. Hammonds ’ loose shoelace when the prisoner ’ s hands were shackled .
“ He humbled me , ” Mr. Hammonds told correspondent Patricia Leigh Brown .
“ He didn ’ t break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way , but he cracked it .
He had humanity in him , and when he touched my spirit , he gave me some of that humanity.
” That crack of humanity expanded when California began to reconsider its approach to lifers , particularly those sentenced as juveniles .
In some cases , like that of Mr. Hammonds , the state found the key and started opening doors , paroling those who were no longer seen as a threat .
As the cover story tells , an act of grace met a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a life renewed .
Mr. Hammonds now works to help others who have been released .
For lifers still in prison , the Politico story tells of new movements across the country to restore some measure of humanity and purpose even to those not nearing a release date .
Groups of lifers are starting organizations like the National Lifers of America in Michigan to help teach leadership skills , law , economic literacy , or how to connect with family .
As the pandemic shines a spotlight on conditions in prison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we think about those in prison , reform advocate Shawanna Vaughn told Politico .
“ Who gets redemption ?
Who gets forgiveness ?
Because it ’ s not afforded or given to everyone.
” This week ’ s cover story is about the lifers to whom it has been given – and what they are trying to do with it .
Says another former lifer who now works with those like himself : “ Helping is my medicine .
It keeps me humble .
”

Society had essentially given up on Louie Hammonds Sr. The phrase “lock the door and throw away the key” was, in his case, almost literally true. He was a “lifer” in Pelican Bay State Prison, the supermax prison that houses California’s most violent inmates. He had been a gang leader, imprisoned for shooting a man at a bar seven times, and faced the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison.
That could have been the end of his story. “In my opinion,” one lifer in Michigan told Politico Magazine, “ninety-nine percent [of incarcerated people] have the fight knocked out of them because of the shock factor of this environment.” It is easy – perhaps even expected – to simply languish, “watching each year roll by like heavy fog,” the man told Politico.
Prison rehabilitation programs that teach skills and kindle hope are geared toward those nearing release. But what if you are never nearing your release? What life do you even have left?
This week’s cover story tells of lifers who have begun to find an answer to that question in unexpected ways.
For Mr. Hammonds, it began with a bunny knot in his shoelace. The hardened criminal who had so wanted to be like the Scarface of the silver screen was undone when a corrections officer made the small gesture of bending over to tie Mr. Hammonds’ loose shoelace when the prisoner’s hands were shackled. “He humbled me,” Mr. Hammonds told correspondent Patricia Leigh Brown. “He didn’t break the glass ceiling of my insanity all the way, but he cracked it. He had humanity in him, and when he touched my spirit, he gave me some of that humanity.”
That crack of humanity expanded when California began to reconsider its approach to lifers, particularly those sentenced as juveniles. In some cases, like that of Mr. Hammonds, the state found the key and started opening doors, paroling those who were no longer seen as a threat. As the cover story tells, an act of grace met a moment of opportunity and the result has been a life renewed. Mr. Hammonds now works to help others who have been released.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
For lifers still in prison, the Politico story tells of new movements across the country to restore some measure of humanity and purpose even to those not nearing a release date. Groups of lifers are starting organizations like the National Lifers of America in Michigan to help teach leadership skills, law, economic literacy, or how to connect with family. As the pandemic shines a spotlight on conditions in prison, it is a time to reconsider how we think about those in prison, reform advocate Shawanna Vaughn told Politico. “Who gets redemption? Who gets forgiveness? Because it’s not afforded or given to everyone.”
This week’s cover story is about the lifers to whom it has been given – and what they are trying to do with it. Says another former lifer who now works with those like himself: “Helping is my medicine. It keeps me humble.”


csmonitor--2020-08-15--Readers write: Kneeling protests, relief from the news, and more

I have always supported Colin Kaepernick ’ s kneeling protest during the national anthem before NFL games .
But it was not until I read Harry Bruinius ’ excellent article “ The promise – and limits – of police taking a knee ” in the June 22 Monitor Weekly that I remembered Mr. Kaepernick began his protests by sitting down during the anthem .
Nor was I previously aware that Mr. Kaepernick began taking a knee after being told by a military veteran that it would be a more respectful form of protest .
After reading Mr. Bruinius ’ article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonder where the United States – and our world – might be today had the message of Mr. Kaepernick ’ s protest been understood more generally and deeply , before recent events brought it so powerfully into the national consciousness .
I have heard and read too much about COVID-19 lately , so I ’ m a little behind in reading my subscription of the Monitor .
But when I picked up the June 1 issue , I was happy to find that many stories held my interest .
The article “ ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Irish outpouring of relief for Navajo ” by Harry Bruinius was so inspiring and heartwarming , as was the element of forgiveness in the cover story , “ How a crisis spurs reconciliation , ” by Stephen Humphries .
And I enjoyed reading “ Creativity : Abundance and scarcity in a crisis , ” by G. Jeffrey MacDonald , which explored how people are coping with isolation in a productive way .
I published a novel when I was 80 years old , and now at 85 I find myself writing again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward to reading your movie and book reviews .
Keep up the good work .
I was surprised that Muriel Horacek ’ s letter , titled “ Views of Trump ” in the July 6 & 13 Monitor Weekly , failed to mention how President Donald Trump ’ s behavior has contributed to prolonging the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States .
From early on he did not wear a face mask , he minimized the potency of the virus , and he encouraged large gatherings of people in close proximity without requiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most pandemic experts .
I believe that if he had behaved in a different way , there is a good chance that we would be well on our way to normalcy by now .
I too am a grandmother , and I share Ms. Horacek ’ s concern about folks being out of work .
However , Mr. Trump ’ s behavior and handling of the crisis have not worked to relieve that issue in any practical , cohesive way .
Thank you for the excellent editorial “ China drops a key material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weekly , which discussed China ’ s move away from using its gross domestic product to measure economic power , and why it means the country may be rethinking its practice of gauging success by material standards .
This is something we all have to learn – too often the hard way .
In “ Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures , ” the founder of the Monitor , Mary Baker Eddy , wrote , “ Materialistic hypotheses challenge metaphysics to meet in final combat.
” A war of ideas sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eddy , the metaphysical foundation of all reality and success was a no-brainer .

Kneeling to protest
I have always supported Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protest during the national anthem before NFL games. But it was not until I read Harry Bruinius’ excellent article “The promise – and limits – of police taking a knee” in the June 22 Monitor Weekly that I remembered Mr. Kaepernick began his protests by sitting down during the anthem.
Nor was I previously aware that Mr. Kaepernick began taking a knee after being told by a military veteran that it would be a more respectful form of protest. After reading Mr. Bruinius’ article, I can’t help but wonder where the United States – and our world – might be today had the message of Mr. Kaepernick’s protest been understood more generally and deeply, before recent events brought it so powerfully into the national consciousness.
Alan Willis
Portland, Oregon
Relief from the news
I have heard and read too much about COVID-19 lately, so I’m a little behind in reading my subscription of the Monitor. But when I picked up the June 1 issue, I was happy to find that many stories held my interest. The article “‘In each other’s shadows’: Irish outpouring of relief for Navajo” by Harry Bruinius was so inspiring and heartwarming, as was the element of forgiveness in the cover story, “How a crisis spurs reconciliation,” by Stephen Humphries.
And I enjoyed reading “Creativity: Abundance and scarcity in a crisis,” by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, which explored how people are coping with isolation in a productive way. I published a novel when I was 80 years old, and now at 85 I find myself writing again in my time alone. I look forward to reading your movie and book reviews. Keep up the good work.
Ann D. Stearns
Rochester, New Hampshire
Trump and the virus
I was surprised that Muriel Horacek’s letter, titled “Views of Trump” in the July 6 & 13 Monitor Weekly, failed to mention how President Donald Trump’s behavior has contributed to prolonging the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
From early on he did not wear a face mask, he minimized the potency of the virus, and he encouraged large gatherings of people in close proximity without requiring masks – against the strong advice of most pandemic experts. I believe that if he had behaved in a different way, there is a good chance that we would be well on our way to normalcy by now.
I too am a grandmother, and I share Ms. Horacek’s concern about folks being out of work. However, Mr. Trump’s behavior and handling of the crisis have not worked to relieve that issue in any practical, cohesive way.
Camille A. Dull
Lakewood, California
Rejecting materiality
Thank you for the excellent editorial “China drops a key material standard” in the June 15 Monitor Weekly, which discussed China’s move away from using its gross domestic product to measure economic power, and why it means the country may be rethinking its practice of gauging success by material standards.
This is something we all have to learn – too often the hard way. In “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” the founder of the Monitor, Mary Baker Eddy, wrote, “Materialistic hypotheses challenge metaphysics to meet in final combat.” A war of ideas sure beats a cold war. To Mrs. Eddy, the metaphysical foundation of all reality and success was a no-brainer.
Kelly Brother
Memphis, Tennessee


csmonitor--2020-08-16--Pelosi calls House lawmakers back in political tussle over USPS

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday she is calling the U.S. House of Representatives back into session this week to vote on a bill prohibiting the U.S .
Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service .
The action comes amid growing concerns that the Trump White House is trying to undermine the agency during the coronavirus pandemic while states expand mail-in voting options .
In a letter to Democratic lawmakers Sunday evening , Pelosi also called on her colleagues to appear at a post office in their district on Tuesday for a coordinated news event .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Postal Service is Election Central .
Americans should not have to choose between their health and their vote , ” she wrote .
Pelosi said House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer would soon announce the legislative schedule for the coming week .
House Democrats were likely to discuss the schedule on a conference call on Monday and were expected to be in session next Saturday , a senior Democratic aide said on condition of anonymity because the plans were private .
Earlier Sunday , Democratic lawmakers demanded that leaders of the Postal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 24 on mail delays .
The House Oversight and Reform Committee said it wants to hear from new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and from the chair of the Postal Service board of governors , Robert “ Mike ” Duncan .
With heightened scrutiny of its operations , the agency is now requesting a temporary preelection rate increase , from mid-October through Christmas , although not for first-class letters .
The agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment about whether the two men would appear before the House committee .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its distinctive blue mailboxes through mid-November following complaints from customers and members of Congress that the collection boxes were being taken away .
`` Given the recent customer concerns the Postal Service will postpone removing boxes for a period of 90 days while we evaluate our customers ’ concerns , '' said Postal Service spokeswoman Kimberly Frum .
DeJoy , a major Republican donor and ally of the president who took control of the agency in June , has pledged to modernize the money-losing agency to make it more efficient , and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed restrictions on transportation and reduced of the quantity and use of mail-processing equipment .
“ The postmaster general and top Postal Service leadership must answer to the Congress and the American people as to why they are pushing these dangerous new policies that threaten to silence the voices of millions , just months before the election , ” congressional Democrats said in a statement announcing the hearing .
The lawmakers included Pelosi of California and New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney , the committee chair , along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peters , the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , which oversees the Postal Service .
Trump said last week that he was blocking a $ 25 billion emergency injection sought by the Postal Service , as well as a Democratic proposal to provide $ 3.6 billion in additional election money to the states .
The Republican president worries that mail-in voting could cost him reelection .
The money for the post office is intended to help with processing an expected surge of mail-in ballots .
Both funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations over a new coronavirus relief package .
On Saturday , Trump tried to massage his message , saying he supports increasing money for the Postal Service .
He said he was refusing to capitulate to Democrats on other parts of the relief package , including funding for states weighed down by debt accumulated before the pandemic .
But the president ’ s critics were not appeased , contending that Trump has made the calculation that a lower voter turnout would improve his chances of winning a second term .
“ What you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States who is doing everything he can to suppress the vote , make it harder for people to engage in mail-in balloting at a time when people will be putting their lives on the line by having to go out to a polling station and vote , ” said Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt .
Earlier this month , Maloney 's committee had invited DeJoy to appear Sept. 17 at a hearing focusing on operational changes to the Postal Service that are causing delays in mail deliveries .
But after Trump acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ’ s starving the agency of money to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots , the committee decided to move up their call for the appearance of DeJoy ’ well as the governing board chair .
Funding a cash-strapped Postal Service has quickly turned into a top campaign issue as Trump presses his unsupported claim that increased mail-in voting will undermine the credibility of the election and Democrats push back .
Trump , who spent the weekend at his New Jersey golf club , derided universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and defended DeJoy as the right person to “ streamline the post office and make it great again.
” “ Louis he is working very hard , ” Trump said at a news conference Saturday .
“ But as you know , the Democrats aren ’ t approving proper funding for postal , and they ’ re not approving the proper funding for this ridiculous thing they want to do which is all mail-in voting.
” His chief of staff tried on Sunday to counter criticism that Trump was trying to stifle turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him facing a difficult path to reelection against Democrat Joe Biden .
“ I ’ ll give you that guarantee right now : The president of the United States is not going to interfere with anybody casting their vote in a legitimate way , whether it ’ s the post office or anything else , ” Mark Meadows said .
But Democrats said changes made by DeJoy constitute “ a grave threat to the integrity of the election and to our very democracy . ''
They asserted that DeJoy “ has acted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign to cheat in the election , as he launches sweeping new operational changes that degrade delivery standards and delay the mail . ''
The agency in the meantime is now seeking a short-term end-of-the-year rate increase , according to a notice filed Friday with the Postal Regulatory Commission .
The reasons : increased expenses , heightened demand for online packages due to the coronavirus pandemic and an expected increase in holiday mail volume .
The plan would raise prices on commercial domestic competitive parcels , including Priority Mail Express , Priority Mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Parcel Return Service .
No change is expected for first-class letters .
Most of the proposed increases would be less than 10 % .
They range from 24 cents for Parcel Select Service , which starts at $ 3.05 , to a $ 1.50 increase for Priority Mail Express Commercial , which starts at $ 22.75 .
The regulatory commission is expected to decide on the proposals next month .
The Postal Service is the country ’ s most popular government agency with 91 % of Americans having a favorable opinion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research Center Survey published in April .
“ What concerns me is an all-out attack -- they ’ re not even hiding it -- by the president of the United States to undermine the United States Postal Service , to underfund it , to allow a mega-donor leading it to overtly do things to slow down the mail , '' said Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J. Sanders was on NBC 's “ Meet the Press , '' while Meadows and Booker appeared on CNN 's ” State of the Union . ''
Madhani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report .

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday she is calling the United States House of Representatives back into session this week to vote on a bill prohibiting the U.S. Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service. The action comes amid growing concerns that the Trump White House is trying to undermine the agency during the coronavirus pandemic while states expand mail-in voting options.
In a letter to Democratic lawmakers Sunday evening, Ms. Pelosi also called on her colleagues to appear at a post office in their district on Tuesday for a coordinated news event. “In a time of a pandemic, the Postal Service is Election Central. Americans should not have to choose between their health and their vote,” she wrote.
Ms. Pelosi said House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer would soon announce the legislative schedule for the coming week. House Democrats were likely to discuss the schedule on a conference call on Monday and were expected to be in session next Saturday, a senior Democratic aide said on condition of anonymity because the plans were private.
The decision to recall the House, made after a weekend of high-level leadership discussions, carries a political punch. Voting in the House will highlight the issue after the weeklong convention nominating Joe Biden as the party's presidential pick and pressure the Republican-held Senate to respond. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sent senators home for a summer recess.
Earlier Sunday, Democratic lawmakers demanded that leaders of the Postal Service testify at an emergency oversight hearing Aug. 24 on mail delays.
The House Oversight and Reform Committee said it wants to hear from new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and from the chair of the Postal Service board of governors, Robert “Mike” Duncan. With heightened scrutiny of its operations, the agency is now requesting a temporary preelection rate increase, from mid-October through Christmas, although not for first-class letters.
The agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment about whether the two men would appear before the House committee. But it said Sunday it would stop removing its distinctive blue mailboxes through mid-November following complaints from customers and members of Congress that the collection boxes were being taken away.
"Given the recent customer concerns the Postal Service will postpone removing boxes for a period of 90 days while we evaluate our customers’ concerns,'' said Postal Service spokeswoman Kimberly Frum.
Mr. DeJoy, a major Republican donor and ally of the president who took control of the agency in June, has pledged to modernize the money-losing agency to make it more efficient, and has eliminated most overtime for postal workers, imposed restrictions on transportation, and reduced of the quantity and use of mail-processing equipment.
“The postmaster general and top Postal Service leadership must answer to the Congress and the American people as to why they are pushing these dangerous new policies that threaten to silence the voices of millions, just months before the election,” congressional Democrats said in a statement announcing the hearing.
The lawmakers included Ms. Pelosi of California and New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the committee chair, along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees the Postal Service.
Mr. Trump said last week that he was blocking a $25 billion emergency injection sought by the Postal Service, as well as a Democratic proposal to provide $3.6 billion in additional election money to the states. The Republican president worries that mail-in voting could cost him reelection. The money for the post office is intended to help with processing an expected surge of mail-in ballots. Both funding requests have been tied up in congressional negotiations over a new coronavirus relief package.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump tried to massage his message, saying he supports increasing money for the Postal Service. He said he was refusing to capitulate to Democrats on other parts of the relief package, including funding for states weighed down by debt accumulated before the pandemic.
But the president’s critics were not appeased, contending that Mr. Trump has made the calculation that a lower voter turnout would improve his chances of winning a second term.
“What you are witnessing is a president of the United States who is doing everything he can to suppress the vote, make it harder for people to engage in mail-in balloting at a time when people will be putting their lives on the line by having to go out to a polling station and vote,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Earlier this month, Ms. Maloney's committee had invited Mr. DeJoy to appear Sept. 17 at a hearing focusing on operational changes to the Postal Service that are causing delays in mail deliveries.
But after Mr. Trump acknowledged in a Fox Business interview on Thursday that he’s starving the agency of money to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots, the committee decided to move up their call for the appearance of Mr. DeJoy well as the governing board chair.
Funding a cash-strapped Postal Service has quickly turned into a top campaign issue as Mr. Trump presses his unsupported claim that increased mail-in voting will undermine the credibility of the election and Democrats push back.
Mr. Trump, who spent the weekend at his New Jersey golf club, derided universal mail-in voting as a “scam” and defended Mr. DeJoy as the right person to “streamline the post office and make it great again.”
“Louis he is working very hard,” Mr. Trump said at a news conference Saturday. “But as you know, the Democrats aren’t approving proper funding for postal, and they’re not approving the proper funding for this ridiculous thing they want to do which is all mail-in voting.”
His chief of staff tried on Sunday to counter criticism that Mr. Trump was trying to stifle turnout with national and battleground state polls showing him facing a difficult path to reelection against Democrat Joe Biden.
“I’ll give you that guarantee right now: The president of the United States is not going to interfere with anybody casting their vote in a legitimate way, whether it’s the post office or anything else,” Mark Meadows said.
But Democrats said changes made by Mr. DeJoy constitute “a grave threat to the integrity of the election and to our very democracy." They asserted that Mr. DeJoy “has acted as an accomplice in the president’s campaign to cheat in the election, as he launches sweeping new operational changes that degrade delivery standards and delay the mail."
The agency in the meantime is now seeking a short-term end-of-the-year rate increase, according to a notice filed Friday with the Postal Regulatory Commission. The reasons: increased expenses, heightened demand for online packages due to the coronavirus pandemic, and an expected increase in holiday mail volume.
The plan would raise prices on commercial domestic competitive parcels, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, first-class package Service, Parcel Select, and Parcel Return Service. No change is expected for first-class letters.
Most of the proposed increases would be less than 10%. They range from 24 cents for Parcel Select Service, which starts at $3.05, to a $1.50 increase for Priority Mail Express Commercial, which starts at $22.75. The regulatory commission is expected to decide on the proposals next month.
The Postal Service is the country’s most popular government agency with 91% of Americans having a favorable opinion of the service, according to a Pew Research Center Survey published in April.
“What concerns me is an all-out attack – they’re not even hiding it – by the president of the United States to undermine the United States Postal Service, to underfund it, to allow a mega-donor leading it to overtly do things to slow down the mail," said Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.
Mr. Sanders was on NBC's “Meet the Press,'' while Mr. Meadows and Mr. Booker appeared on CNN's ”State of the Union."
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-16--Lukashenko 'show of strength' pales next to Belarus protesters

The embattled president of Belarus tried to put on a show of strength Sunday , holding a rally with tens of thousands of supporters and rejecting any possibility of repeating the vote that gave him a sixth term .
But opponents countered with a far larger demonstration that attracted as many as 200,000 people .
Alexander Lukashenko , who has ruled the former Soviet republic of 9.5 million since 1994 , lashed out at the West and declared to his crowd that the country would “ perish as a state ” if the election were rerun .
About 50,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main government building in the capital of Minsk .
But as he spoke , throngs of supporters streamed to their own rally about 2.5 kilometers ( 1.5 miles ) away .
It was the eighth straight day of anti-government demonstrations .
During 26 years in office , Lukashenko has repressed opposition figures and independent news media .
But this year , protesters fed up with the country ’ s declining living standards and Lukashenko ’ s dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic have posed the biggest challenge to his rule .
The 65-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering military units in countries along Belarus ’ western borders and denounced suggestions by some Western nations that Belarus should repeat the Aug. 9 presidential vote , which opposition supporters say gave Lukashenko a victory only through massive fraud .
Official results say he received 80 % of the vote .
“ If we follow their lead ( and rerun the election ) , we will perish as a state , ” Lukashenko declared , a day after saying he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed that Russia would send unspecified security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenko asked for it .
NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu dismissed the president 's claim about troops gathering , tweeting that there is no NATO buildup in the region .
“ NATO ’ s multinational presence in the eastern part of the Alliance is not a threat to any country , ” Lungescu said .
`` It ’ s strictly defensive , proportionate & designed to prevent conflict & preserve peace.
” The Collective Treaty Security Organization , a military alliance of six former Soviet states including Belarus , said Sunday it would make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requested it .
Thousands have been arrested at the post-election protests , which police tried to put down with clubs , rubber bullets and flash grenades .
When many detainees were later released , they showed extensive bruises they said were due to police beatings .
Some protesters carried pictures of loved ones they said had been beaten so badly that they could not attend .
As Lukashenko ’ s supporters waited for his appearance Sunday , many chanted his nickname of “ Batka , ” or “ father.
” They also chanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” referring to the months of protests in Ukraine in 2013 and 2014 that drove then-President Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country .
Shortly after Yanukovych ’ s departure , Putin then moved to annex the entire Crimea Peninsula from Ukraine , claiming a huge swath of its Black Sea coast for Russia .
“ Now everybody is against Lukashenko , and the president needs our support .
Everybody suddenly has forgotten the good things he has done — there ’ s order in the country , we don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tamara Yurshevich , a 35-year-old lawyer .
As Lukashenko spoke , throngs of opponents converged on a park about 2.5 kilometers ( 1.5 miles away ) .
In the late afternoon , they streamed into the square vacated by Lukashenko supporters .
In contrast to the first days of protest when large contingents of police and special forces were deployed against protesters , police appeared to be all but absent when the opposition supporters entered the square .
The gathering ended peacefully about three hours later .
There were no official figures on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it at about 200,000 .
Protesters were thrilled by the turnout Sunday , and many felt they had momentum .
“ The result of the election is on the streets and squares of Belarus today — it 's a sea of people who will never agree to live as before with Lukashenko , ” said Feliks Zharikov , an engineer who came with his wife and son .
“ Suddenly , the mood in society changed and everyone suddenly understood that Lukashenko lost , ” said Anna Trushevich , a university biology instructor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election results and on Friday began drawing up a list of officials in Belarus who could face sanctions .
If Lukashenko were to resume a harsh crackdown , the response from the West could be even stronger .
But calling on Russia for military help is also perilous .
Although Russia and Belarus agreed in 1997 to a close union , Lukashenko frequently claims that his giant neighbor aims to absorb Belarus entirely .
In the run-up to the election , Belarus arrested 33 Russian private military contractors whom it claimed had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Sunday , a video circulated on YouTube that purported to show Belarus ' ambassador to Slovakia , Igor Leshchenya , expressing “ solidarity with those who came out on the streets of Belarusian cities with peaceful marches so that their voice could be heard.
” The embassy could not be reached for comment , but Slovakia Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok indicated the video was legitimate .
It would be the first indication of dissent at a high level of government .
“ We have noted the strong statement of the # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our assessment of current situation in # Belarus .
This is a clear signal from a senior Belarusian diplomat who courageously supports his fellow citizens , ” he said on Twitter .
Associated Press Writer Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this story .

The embattled president of Belarus tried to put on a show of strength Sunday, holding a rally with tens of thousands of supporters and rejecting any possibility of repeating the vote that gave him a sixth term. But opponents countered with a far larger demonstration that attracted as many as 200,000 people.
Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the former Soviet republic of 9.5 million since 1994, lashed out at the West and declared to his crowd that the country would “perish as a state” if the election were rerun.
About 50,000 people listened to Mr. Lukashenko in a square near the main government building in the capital of Minsk. But as he spoke, throngs of supporters streamed to their own rally about 1.5 miles away. It was the eighth straight day of anti-government demonstrations.
During 26 years in office, Mr. Lukashenko has repressed opposition figures and independent news media. But this year, protesters fed up with the country’s declining living standards and Mr. Lukashenko’s dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic have posed the biggest challenge to his rule.
The president claimed Sunday that Western powers were gathering military units in countries along Belarus’ western borders and denounced suggestions by some Western nations that Belarus should repeat the Aug. 9 presidential vote, which opposition supporters say gave Mr. Lukashenko a victory only through massive fraud. Official results say he received 80% of the vote.
“If we follow their lead [and rerun the election], we will perish as a state,” Mr. Lukashenko declared, a day after saying he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed that Russia would send unspecified security assistance to the former Soviet republic if Mr. Lukashenko asked for it.
NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu dismissed the president's claim about troops gathering, tweeting that there is no NATO buildup in the region.
“NATO’s multinational presence in the eastern part of the Alliance is not a threat to any country,” Ms. Lungescu said. "It’s strictly defensive, proportionate & designed to prevent conflict & preserve peace.”
The Collective Treaty Security Organization, a military alliance of six former Soviet states including Belarus, said Sunday it would make a decision about providing assistance if Belarus requested it.
Thousands have been arrested at the post-election protests, which police tried to put down with clubs, rubber bullets, and flash grenades. When many detainees were later released, they showed extensive bruises they said were due to police beatings. Some protesters carried pictures of loved ones they said had been beaten so badly that they could not attend.
As Mr. Lukashenko’s supporters waited for his appearance Sunday, many chanted his nickname of “Batka,” or “father.”
They also chanted “Maidan won’t take place,” referring to the months of protests in Ukraine in 2013 and 2014 that drove then-President Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country. Shortly after Mr. Yanukovych’s departure, Mr. Putin then moved to annex the entire Crimea Peninsula from Ukraine, claiming a huge swath of its Black Sea coast for Russia.
“Now everybody is against Lukashenko, and the president needs our support. Everybody suddenly has forgotten the good things he has done – there’s order in the country, we don’t have war or hunger,” said supporter Tamara Yurshevich, a lawyer.
As Mr. Lukashenko spoke, throngs of opponents converged on a park about 1.5 miles away. In the late afternoon, they streamed into the square vacated by Lukashenko supporters.
In contrast to the first days of protest when large contingents of police and special forces were deployed against protesters, police appeared to be all but absent when the opposition supporters entered the square. The gathering ended peacefully about three hours later. There were no official figures on crowd size, but some reports estimated it at about 200,000.
Protesters were thrilled by the turnout Sunday, and many felt they had momentum.
“The result of the election is on the streets and squares of Belarus today – it's a sea of people who will never agree to live as before with Lukashenko,” said Feliks Zharikov, an engineer who came with his wife and son.
“Suddenly, the mood in society changed and everyone suddenly understood that Lukashenko lost,” said Anna Trushevich, a university biology instructor.
European Union foreign ministers have rejected the election results and on Friday began drawing up a list of officials in Belarus who could face sanctions. If Mr. Lukashenko were to resume a harsh crackdown, the response from the West could be even stronger.
But calling on Russia for military help is also perilous. Although Russia and Belarus agreed in 1997 to a close union, Mr. Lukashenko frequently claims that his giant neighbor aims to absorb Belarus entirely. In the run-up to the election, Belarus arrested 33 Russian private military contractors whom it claimed had been sent in to destabilize the country.
On Sunday, a video circulated on YouTube that purported to show Belarus' ambassador to Slovakia, Igor Leshchenya, expressing “solidarity with those who came out on the streets of Belarusian cities with peaceful marches so that their voice could be heard.”
The embassy could not be reached for comment, but Slovakia Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok indicated the video was legitimate. It would be the first indication of dissent at a high level of government.
“We have noted the strong statement of the #Belarusian Ambassador to Slovakia. It confirms our assessment of current situation in #Belarus. This is a clear signal from a senior Belarusian diplomat who courageously supports his fellow citizens,” he said on Twitter.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-16--Why Thai pro-democracy protests are spreading beyond the campus

Anti-government protesters gathered in large numbers in Thailand 's capital on Sunday for a rally that suggested their movement 's strength may extend beyond the college campuses where it had blossomed .
Thousands of people assembled at Bangkok 's Democracy Monument , a traditional venue for political activities , where they heard speeches , watched skits , and listened to music .
Hundreds of police were also present , as well as a small contingent of royalists opposed to the protesters .
There was no reliable estimate of the crowd size , though it appeared to be one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally ended after almost eight hours with about two dozen students who are facing arrest joining together on stage to repeat their demands and renew their commitment to the cause of democracy .
They issued a call for the government to take action by next month or face another major protest rally .
The student-led movement had already declared three core demands : holding new elections , amending the constitution and ending the intimidation of critics of the government .
At the finale of Sunday 's rally , they spelled out three more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banners behind them : no coup d'etat , no national unity government and upholding Thailand as a democracy with the king as head of state under the constitution .
The reference to a national unity government was apparently a warning to all political parties against making a backroom deal instead of holding elections , and the reference to the king seemed to be meant as reassurance that they did not want to abolish the monarchy .
“ It is clear that students from several generations are the driving force of change in Thai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 20-year-old student at Thammasat University .
“ We have done this in the past , but Thailand still has no full democracy , ” he said .
`` Dictatorship keeps coming back .
And I think it is our duty to end this vicious cycle . ''
As the army chief in 2014 , current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha led a coup ousting an elected government .
He then served as prime minister in the military regime that succeeded it , and returned as premier after a general election last year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as so heavily rigged in Prayuth 's favor that victory was all but guaranteed .
Protest leaders triggered controversy last week when they expanded their original agenda , publicly criticizing Thailand ’ s constitutional monarchy and issuing a 10-point manifesto calling for its reform .
Their action was virtually unprecedented , as the monarchy is considered sacrosanct in Thailand , and any criticism is normally kept private .
A lese majeste law calls for a prison sentence of three to 15 years for anyone found guilty of defaming the royal institution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the failure of most mainstream Thai media to report in any detail on the students ’ manifesto about the monarchy .
The issue was barely and only obliquely touched upon at Sunday 's rally .
Police have arrested several protest leaders and charged them with sedition for statements made at a small rally in July .
They were released on bail and vowed to attend Sunday ’ s rally , in what appeared to be defiance of the terms of their release .
The activists who took the stage at the rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police station in what was believed to have been a bid to turn themselves in , but then quickly left unhindered , saying they had only sought to see copies of their arrest warrants .
They were still waiting nearby after midnight as their lawyers discussed their legal standing with police .
Many young people at Sunday 's protest were undeterred .
A 10th grade student from Satriwithaya School , an elite secondary school for girls , said it was not the first protest she had attended .
The 14-year-old , who gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with friends at a table selling books and other items to raise funds for the protest movement .
“ I came to this protest today because I want to express my standpoint in opposing the dictatorship , asking for equal rights and having a better future , '' she said .
It has been unclear how the escalation of the activists ' demands to include the monarchy has affected the popularity of the movement , since it could alienate some followers or make them fearful that the authorities will crack down heavily on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced with a dilemma , since it is committed to defending the royal institution but likely wary of acting with too heavy a hand that might tilt public support to the protesters .
Prime Minister Prayuth ’ s government has done well in coping with the health aspects of the coronavirus , but its management of the economy had been lackluster even before COVID-19 battered it .
Royalists have responded to the student movement by defending the monarchy in online statements and petitions , and in person with a small presence adjacent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier that they were there to observe and bear witness to any insults to the monarchy .
Associated Press writers Busaba Sivasomboon contributed to this report .

Anti-government protesters gathered in large numbers in Thailand's capital on Sunday for a rally that suggested their movement's strength may extend beyond the college campuses where it had blossomed.
Thousands of people assembled at Bangkok's Democracy Monument, a traditional venue for political activities, where they heard speeches, watched skits, and listened to music. Hundreds of police were also present, as well as a small contingent of royalists opposed to the protesters. There was no reliable estimate of the crowd size, though it appeared to be one of the biggest demonstrations in several years.
The rally ended after almost eight hours with about two dozen students who are facing arrest joining together on stage to repeat their demands and renew their commitment to the cause of democracy. They issued a call for the government to take action by next month or face another major protest rally.
The student-led movement had already declared three core demands: holding new elections, amending the constitution, and ending the intimidation of critics of the government.
At the finale of Sunday's rally, they spelled out three more points, which were also written on banners behind them: no coup d'etat, no national unity government, and upholding Thailand as a democracy with the king as head of state under the constitution.
The reference to a national unity government was apparently a warning to all political parties against making a backroom deal instead of holding elections, and the reference to the king seemed to be meant as reassurance that they did not want to abolish the monarchy.
“It is clear that students from several generations are the driving force of change in Thai society,” said Narin Isariyasith, a 20-year-old student at Thammasat University.
“We have done this in the past, but Thailand still has no full democracy,” he said. "Dictatorship keeps coming back. And I think it is our duty to end this vicious cycle."
As the army chief in 2014, current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha led a coup ousting an elected government. He then served as prime minister in the military regime that succeeded it, and returned as premier after a general election last year. Laws guiding the 2019 election were widely seen as so heavily rigged in Mr. Prayuth's favor that victory was all but guaranteed.
Protest leaders triggered controversy last week when they expanded their original agenda, publicly criticizing Thailand’s constitutional monarchy and issuing a 10-point manifesto calling for its reform.
Their action was virtually unprecedented, as the monarchy is considered sacrosanct in Thailand, and any criticism is normally kept private. A lese majeste law calls for a prison sentence of three to 15 years for anyone found guilty of defaming the royal institution.
The sensitivity of the issue was illustrated by the failure of most mainstream Thai media to report in any detail on the students’ manifesto about the monarchy. The issue was barely and only obliquely touched upon at Sunday's rally.
Police have arrested several protest leaders and charged them with sedition for statements made at a small rally in July. They were released on bail and vowed to attend Sunday’s rally, in what appeared to be defiance of the terms of their release.
The activists who took the stage at the rally's finale afterward walked to a nearby police station in what was believed to have been a bid to turn themselves in, but then quickly left unhindered, saying they had only sought to see copies of their arrest warrants. They were still waiting nearby after midnight as their lawyers discussed their legal standing with police.
Many young people at Sunday's protest were undeterred.
A 10th grade student from Satriwithaya School, an elite secondary school for girls, said it was not the first protest she had attended. The 14-year-old, who gave her name only as Pang, was with friends at a table selling books and other items to raise funds for the protest movement.
“I came to this protest today because I want to express my standpoint in opposing the dictatorship, asking for equal rights and having a better future," she said.
It has been unclear how the escalation of the activists' demands to include the monarchy has affected the popularity of the movement, since it could alienate some followers or make them fearful that the authorities will crack down heavily on them.
The government may also be faced with a dilemma, since it is committed to defending the royal institution but likely wary of acting with too heavy a hand that might tilt public support to the protesters.
Mr. Prayuth’s government has done well in coping with the health aspects of the coronavirus, but its management of the economy had been lackluster even before COVID-19 battered it.
Royalists have responded to the student movement by defending the monarchy in online statements and petitions, and in person with a small presence adjacent to Sunday’s rally. They declared earlier that they were there to observe and bear witness to any insults to the monarchy.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Busaba Sivasomboon contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.