csmonitor--2020-11-12--Why Peruvians are protesting against their new government

When Peru ’ s legislature voted President Martín Vizcarra from office this week , they may have done more than just oust a popular leader – they likely put the country ’ s best chance at making a dent on endemic corruption on hold .
The chief of state had emerged as the country ’ s most vocal proponent in pushing through measures to end decades of dirty politics .
Mr. Vizcarra dissolved Congress last year after lawmakers repeatedly stonewalled efforts to curb graft and reform the judiciary .
More recently , he tried to get rid of their right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have succeeded in pushing through major change – and is now under scrutiny for his own possible misconduct – but many Peruvians saw Mr. Vizcarra as the leader of a still nascent drive to hold the powerful accountable .
Furious at his removal Monday , thousands have taken to the streets daily in protest , refusing to recognize the new government .
“ From the political point of view , he was the face of the resistance , ” said Alonso Gurmendi Dunkelberg , an analyst and assistant professor at Peru ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will not see much anti-corruption efforts in this Congress.
” In a region where graft is common , Peru has gone further than most Latin American countries in recent years in investigating high-ranking leaders .
Every former living president is being probed or has been charged on corruption charges .
All but one has been tied to the massive Odebrecht scandal , in which the Brazilian construction giant has admitted to doling out millions in bribes in exchange for public works contracts .
The other , strongman Alberto Fujimori , is serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , corruption , and sanctioning death squads during his 1990-2000 administration .
And those are the just the cases involving heads of state .
As Mr. Vizcarra took the stand in his defense Monday , he pointed out that 68 lawmakers are currently facing their own investigations on accusations ranging from money laundering to homicide .
The country ’ s newly appointed president , Manuel Merino , has himself been questioned for possible nepotism in the awarding of $ 55,000 in state contracts given to his mother and two siblings while he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Will they also have to leave their jobs because of that ?
” Mr. Vizcarra asked .
The hypocrisy wasn ’ t lost on scores of Peruvians who have demonstrated in the days since to protest Mr. Vizcarra ’ s removal under a vague measure dating back to the 19th century that allows the powerful Congress to remove a president for “ permanent moral incapacity.
” Lawmakers accused him of taking over $ 630,000 in bribes in exchange for two construction contracts while serving as governor of a small province in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations and he has not been charged , though he agreed to step down , saying he didn ’ t want to further aggravate the country ’ s already precarious stability .
Peru has experienced one of the world ’ s worst virus outbreaks and has the highest per capita COVID-19 mortality rate of any country in the globe .
Some blame a weak system of political parties in which Peruvians elect lawmakers from a confusing list of little-known candidates , many of whom have no experience .
Analysts also believe Peru ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run .
A survey by Proetica , the Peruvian chapter of Transparency International , found that of 40 cases brought by the Supreme Court from 2006 to 2019 calling for lawmakers ’ immunity to be lifted to pursue possible charges , only six were granted – indicating that those suspected of wrongdoing can often ward off prosecution .
“ Many lawmakers enter office already with investigations , ” said Samuel Rotta , the group ’ s director .
“ Many enter politics to access immunity.
” Though lawmakers accused Mr. Vizcarra of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political analysts say the move was little more than a parliamentary coup by a group of legislators who feared the president ’ s acts would put their own careers in jeopardy .
Mr. Vizcarra had just eight months left in office and has said he wouldn ’ t run again .
Some have questioned whether Mr. Vizcarra should have stood up to Congress instead of easily stepping down after they secured an overwhelming vote to remove him .
“ The odds that corruption reforms are going to go forward is very remote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science professor at George Washington University .
Others worry about what sort of government the new president will be able to put together .
One of his first appointments , for prime minister , is a politician who resigned in 2009 after 34 people were killed in a lengthy Indigenous protest .
It ’ s still unknown how Mr. Merino will handle gargantuan issues like the pandemic and many expect him to try to pass potentially destructive populist measures .
Very few countries in the region have signaled they will recognize Mr. Merino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements urging Peru to uphold plans for an April presidential election .
The Organization of American States said Wednesday it is “ deeply worried ” about the upheaval in Peru .
“ The entire new government is so evidently crippled by what he did that he is not going to be able to gather support , ” Mr. Gurmendi Dunkelberg said , referring to Mr. Merino .
Carlos Fernández , a political science professor at Antonio Ruiz de Montoya University in Lima , has analyzed decades of public opinion polls and found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1980s that Peruvians began widely distrusting their politicians .
The scourge started during the 1985-1990 administration of Alan García , who in 2019 killed himself as police arrived at his home to detain him in connection with the Odebrecht probe .
During Mr. Fujimori ’ s turbulent 10-year rule , rife with rights abuses and a notorious scandal involving a spy chief caught bribing congressmen , confidence further declined .
In the decades since , Peruvians have watched as one politician after another was accused of taking bribes , obstructing justice , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35 years we ’ ve had corrupt governments , ” Mr. Fernández said .
“ That has created a political culture of corruption that now people are rejecting.
” University student Violeta Mejia said many are simply fed up .
“ Why am I protesting ?
” she said among a crowd of demonstrators Tuesday .
“ Because we are tired.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Christine Armario reported from Bogota , Colombia .

When Peru’s legislature voted President Martín Vizcarra from office this week, they may have done more than just oust a popular leader – they likely put the country’s best chance at making a dent on endemic corruption on hold.
The chief of state had emerged as the country’s most vocal proponent in pushing through measures to end decades of dirty politics. Mr. Vizcarra dissolved Congress last year after lawmakers repeatedly stonewalled efforts to curb graft and reform the judiciary. More recently, he tried to get rid of their right to parliamentary immunity.
He may not have succeeded in pushing through major change – and is now under scrutiny for his own possible misconduct – but many Peruvians saw Mr. Vizcarra as the leader of a still nascent drive to hold the powerful accountable. Furious at his removal Monday, thousands have taken to the streets daily in protest, refusing to recognize the new government.
“From the political point of view, he was the face of the resistance,” said Alonso Gurmendi Dunkelberg, an analyst and assistant professor at Peru’s Universidad del Pacifico. “I think we will not see much anti-corruption efforts in this Congress.”
In a region where graft is common, Peru has gone further than most Latin American countries in recent years in investigating high-ranking leaders.
Every former living president is being probed or has been charged on corruption charges. All but one has been tied to the massive Odebrecht scandal, in which the Brazilian construction giant has admitted to doling out millions in bribes in exchange for public works contracts. The other, strongman Alberto Fujimori, is serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption, and sanctioning death squads during his 1990-2000 administration.
And those are the just the cases involving heads of state.
As Mr. Vizcarra took the stand in his defense Monday, he pointed out that 68 lawmakers are currently facing their own investigations on accusations ranging from money laundering to homicide. The country’s newly appointed president, Manuel Merino, has himself been questioned for possible nepotism in the awarding of $55,000 in state contracts given to his mother and two siblings while he was a legislator, though he denies wrongdoing.
“Will they also have to leave their jobs because of that?” Mr. Vizcarra asked.
The hypocrisy wasn’t lost on scores of Peruvians who have demonstrated in the days since to protest Mr. Vizcarra’s removal under a vague measure dating back to the 19th century that allows the powerful Congress to remove a president for “permanent moral incapacity.” Lawmakers accused him of taking over $630,000 in bribes in exchange for two construction contracts while serving as governor of a small province in southern Peru.
Mr. Vizcarra denied the accusations and he has not been charged, though he agreed to step down, saying he didn’t want to further aggravate the country’s already precarious stability. Peru has experienced one of the world’s worst virus outbreaks and has the highest per capita COVID-19 mortality rate of any country in the globe.
Some blame a weak system of political parties in which Peruvians elect lawmakers from a confusing list of little-known candidates, many of whom have no experience. Analysts also believe Peru’s generous parliamentary immunity encourages bad apples to run.
A survey by Proetica, the Peruvian chapter of Transparency International, found that of 40 cases brought by the Supreme Court from 2006 to 2019 calling for lawmakers’ immunity to be lifted to pursue possible charges, only six were granted – indicating that those suspected of wrongdoing can often ward off prosecution.
“Many lawmakers enter office already with investigations,” said Samuel Rotta, the group’s director. “Many enter politics to access immunity.”
Though lawmakers accused Mr. Vizcarra of corruption in voting him out, many political analysts say the move was little more than a parliamentary coup by a group of legislators who feared the president’s acts would put their own careers in jeopardy.
Mr. Vizcarra had just eight months left in office and has said he wouldn’t run again.
Some have questioned whether Mr. Vizcarra should have stood up to Congress instead of easily stepping down after they secured an overwhelming vote to remove him.
“The odds that corruption reforms are going to go forward is very remote,” said Cynthia McClintock, a political science professor at George Washington University.
Others worry about what sort of government the new president will be able to put together. One of his first appointments, for prime minister, is a politician who resigned in 2009 after 34 people were killed in a lengthy Indigenous protest.
It’s still unknown how Mr. Merino will handle gargantuan issues like the pandemic and many expect him to try to pass potentially destructive populist measures.
Very few countries in the region have signaled they will recognize Mr. Merino’s government, with several issuing statements urging Peru to uphold plans for an April presidential election. The Organization of American States said Wednesday it is “deeply worried” about the upheaval in Peru.
“The entire new government is so evidently crippled by what he did that he is not going to be able to gather support,” Mr. Gurmendi Dunkelberg said, referring to Mr. Merino.
Peru’s politics weren’t always considered so corrupt.
Carlos Fernández, a political science professor at Antonio Ruiz de Montoya University in Lima, has analyzed decades of public opinion polls and found that it wasn’t until the late 1980s that Peruvians began widely distrusting their politicians.
The scourge started during the 1985-1990 administration of Alan García, who in 2019 killed himself as police arrived at his home to detain him in connection with the Odebrecht probe. During Mr. Fujimori’s turbulent 10-year rule, rife with rights abuses and a notorious scandal involving a spy chief caught bribing congressmen, confidence further declined.
In the decades since, Peruvians have watched as one politician after another was accused of taking bribes, obstructing justice, and embezzling funds.
“For the last 35 years we’ve had corrupt governments,” Mr. Fernández said. “That has created a political culture of corruption that now people are rejecting.”
University student Violeta Mejia said many are simply fed up.
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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.
“Why am I protesting?” she said among a crowd of demonstrators Tuesday. “Because we are tired.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Christine Armario reported from Bogota, Colombia.


csmonitor--2020-11-12--With resignations, Hong Kong democracy movement hangs in balance

Pro-democracy legislators in Hong Kong began resigning Thursday to protest the expulsion of four other lawmakers , heightening a conflict with Beijing over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory ’ s future .
Pro-democracy activists say China ’ s ruling Communist Party , which has tightened control in Hong Kong in response to demands for more democracy , is destroying the civil liberties and rights that were promised the territory when Britain returned it to China in 1997 .
The 15 remaining lawmakers in the pro-democracy bloc said Wednesday they will resign en masse after China ’ s central government passed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four lawmakers ’ disqualification .
The four had urged foreign governments to sanction China and Hong Kong over Beijing ’ s crackdown on dissent in the territory .
The Communist Party accused them of violating their oaths of office .
Most of the 15 lawmakers did not attend a regular session of the legislature on Thursday , and some later handed in resignation letters at the Legislative Council ’ s secretariat .
China sharply criticized the move .
Its Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office called the mass resignation “ an open challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government and the Basic Law , Hong Kong ’ s constitution .
“ If these lawmakers hope to use their resignation to provoke opposition and beg for foreign interference , they have miscalculated , ” it said in a statement .
Wu Chi-wai , the head of the pro-democracy bloc , said the Chinese and Hong Kong governments were trying to take away the separation of powers in the city , since the ousting of the four lawmakers bypassed the courts .
“ We lost our check-and-balance power , and all the constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief executive ’ s hands , ” Mr. Wu said .
He said it was the end of the city ’ s “ one country , two systems ” framework under which Hong Kong enjoyed autonomy and freedoms not found on the mainland since it was returned to China in 1997 .
Claudia Mo , a pro-democracy lawmaker who also handed in her resignation , said : “ We are quitting the legislature only at this juncture .
We ’ re not quitting Hong Kong ’ s democracy fight.
” Earlier in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lam Cheuk-ting , unfurled a banner from a balcony inside the Legislative Council building saying city leader Carrie Lam had brought disaster to Hong Kong and its people , and that her infamy would last ten thousand years .
The mass departure will leave Hong Kong ’ s legislature with just 43 legislators , 41 of whom belong to the pro-Beijing bloc .
This means that the legislature could pass bills favored by Beijing with little opposition .
The lawmakers announced their decision to resign hours after the Hong Kong government said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alvin Yeung , Dennis Kwok , Kwok Ka-ki , and Kenneth Leung .
A resolution passed this week by the Standing Committee of China ’ s National People ’ s Congress said that any lawmaker who supports Hong Kong ’ s independence , refuses to acknowledge China ’ s sovereignty over the city , threatens national security , or asks external forces to interfere in the city ’ s affairs should be disqualified .
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Thursday reiterated Beijing ’ s support for Hong Kong ’ s government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NPC Standing Committee ’ s decision.
” “ No country will turn a blind eye to acts of betrayal of the country by public officials , including members of the Legislative Council , who break their oaths of office , ” Mr. Wang said at a daily news briefing .
Britain , the United States , Australia , and the European Union denounced China ’ s move .
The U.K. summoned China ’ s ambassador in London to register “ deep concern at this latest action by his government , ” Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr. Adams said it was “ another sad day for the people of Hong Kong ” and that the British government has declared it the third breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the territory ’ s handover since it came into force in 1997 and the second time in the last six months .
He said China ’ s actions are “ designed to harass and stifle all voices critical of China ’ s policies.
” Hong Kong ’ s people , he added , are left now with a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s national security adviser , Robert O ’ Brien , said the Chinese Communist Party has violated its international commitment to the people of Hong Kong .
“ ‘ One country , two systems ’ is now merely a fig leaf covering for the CCP ’ s expanding one-party dictatorship in Hong Kong , ” he said .
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the disqualification of the four lawmakers “ seriously undermined ” Hong Kong ’ s democratic processes and institutions .
The EU ’ s foreign policy chief , Josep Borrell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitute a further severe blow to political pluralism and freedom of opinion in Hong Kong.
” “ We call for the immediate reversal of these decisions by the authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong Government and for the immediate reinstatement of the Legislative Council members , ” he said in a statement .
In recent months , Beijing has increasingly clamped down on Hong Kong , despite promising when it took control in 1997 to leave the territory ’ s more open legal and economic systems intact for 50 years , until 2047 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June that some have labeled draconian after anti-government protests rocked the city for months last year , and it has used it to crack down on opposition voices .
In response , the U.S. leveled sanctions on several officials , including Carrie Lam .
Several Western countries have suspended their extradition treaties with the territory , and Australia and Britain have offered Hong Kongers easier paths to settle in those countries .
Earlier in the year , the four lawmakers were barred from seeking reelection in a vote originally scheduled for September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a year , citing the coronavirus .
The pro-democracy camp criticized the move as an attempt to block them from winning a majority of seats in the legislature – which was a possibility in the election .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Deb Riechmann in Washington , Pan Pylas in London , and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report .

Pro-democracy legislators in Hong Kong began resigning Thursday to protest the expulsion of four other lawmakers, heightening a conflict with Beijing over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s future.
Pro-democracy activists say China’s ruling Communist Party, which has tightened control in Hong Kong in response to demands for more democracy, is destroying the civil liberties and rights that were promised the territory when Britain returned it to China in 1997.
The 15 remaining lawmakers in the pro-democracy bloc said Wednesday they will resign en masse after China’s central government passed a resolution this week that led to the four lawmakers’ disqualification.
The four had urged foreign governments to sanction China and Hong Kong over Beijing’s crackdown on dissent in the territory. The Communist Party accused them of violating their oaths of office.
Most of the 15 lawmakers did not attend a regular session of the legislature on Thursday, and some later handed in resignation letters at the Legislative Council’s secretariat.
China sharply criticized the move. Its Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office called the mass resignation “an open challenge” to the authority of the central government and the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitution.
“If these lawmakers hope to use their resignation to provoke opposition and beg for foreign interference, they have miscalculated,” it said in a statement.
Wu Chi-wai, the head of the pro-democracy bloc, said the Chinese and Hong Kong governments were trying to take away the separation of powers in the city, since the ousting of the four lawmakers bypassed the courts.
“We lost our check-and-balance power, and all the constitutional power in Hong Kong rests in the chief executive’s hands,” Mr. Wu said.
He said it was the end of the city’s “one country, two systems” framework under which Hong Kong enjoyed autonomy and freedoms not found on the mainland since it was returned to China in 1997.
Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker who also handed in her resignation, said: “We are quitting the legislature only at this juncture. We’re not quitting Hong Kong’s democracy fight.”
Earlier in the day, one of the pro-democracy lawmakers, Lam Cheuk-ting, unfurled a banner from a balcony inside the Legislative Council building saying city leader Carrie Lam had brought disaster to Hong Kong and its people, and that her infamy would last ten thousand years.
The mass departure will leave Hong Kong’s legislature with just 43 legislators, 41 of whom belong to the pro-Beijing bloc. This means that the legislature could pass bills favored by Beijing with little opposition.
The lawmakers announced their decision to resign hours after the Hong Kong government said it was disqualifying the four legislators – Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki, and Kenneth Leung.
A resolution passed this week by the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress said that any lawmaker who supports Hong Kong’s independence, refuses to acknowledge China’s sovereignty over the city, threatens national security, or asks external forces to interfere in the city’s affairs should be disqualified.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Thursday reiterated Beijing’s support for Hong Kong’s government in “fulfilling its duty according to the NPC Standing Committee’s decision.”
“No country will turn a blind eye to acts of betrayal of the country by public officials, including members of the Legislative Council, who break their oaths of office,” Mr. Wang said at a daily news briefing.
Britain, the United States, Australia, and the European Union denounced China’s move.
The U.K. summoned China’s ambassador in London to register “deep concern at this latest action by his government,” Foreign Office minister Nigel Adams told lawmakers Thursday.
Mr. Adams said it was “another sad day for the people of Hong Kong” and that the British government has declared it the third breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the territory’s handover since it came into force in 1997 and the second time in the last six months.
He said China’s actions are “designed to harass and stifle all voices critical of China’s policies.”
Hong Kong’s people, he added, are left now with a “neutered legislature.”
President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, said the Chinese Communist Party has violated its international commitment to the people of Hong Kong.
“‘One country, two systems’ is now merely a fig leaf covering for the CCP’s expanding one-party dictatorship in Hong Kong,” he said.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the disqualification of the four lawmakers “seriously undermined” Hong Kong’s democratic processes and institutions.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said China’s moves “constitute a further severe blow to political pluralism and freedom of opinion in Hong Kong.”
“We call for the immediate reversal of these decisions by the authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong Government and for the immediate reinstatement of the Legislative Council members,” he said in a statement.
In recent months, Beijing has increasingly clamped down on Hong Kong, despite promising when it took control in 1997 to leave the territory’s more open legal and economic systems intact for 50 years, until 2047.
Beijing imposed a national security law in June that some have labeled draconian after anti-government protests rocked the city for months last year, and it has used it to crack down on opposition voices.
In response, the U.S. leveled sanctions on several officials, including Carrie Lam. Several Western countries have suspended their extradition treaties with the territory, and Australia and Britain have offered Hong Kongers easier paths to settle in those countries.
Earlier in the year, the four lawmakers were barred from seeking reelection in a vote originally scheduled for September.
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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.
The government eventually postponed the election by a year, citing the coronavirus. The pro-democracy camp criticized the move as an attempt to block them from winning a majority of seats in the legislature – which was a possibility in the election.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Deb Riechmann in Washington, Pan Pylas in London, and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-11-12--U.S., China, Taiwan: Why the tense status quo may stick – for now

China ’ s People ’ s Liberation Army has stepped up incursions into Taiwan ’ s defense zone , while Washington accelerates arms sales to Taipei .
But despite the elevated tensions , and the risk of conflict sparked by accident , both sides say larger strategic calculations lessen the likelihood of all-out war .
For example , China ’ s military has grown dramatically , but it still lacks the ability to wage its ideal military campaign : a swift , overwhelming attack and successful amphibious landing invasion that would present the world with a fait accompli .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on high alert during the U.S. vote , its defense minister told lawmakers in Taipei .
Beijing frequently vows to reunite Taiwan with mainland China , and concerns over the potential for a military clash have grown as relations between China and the U.S. deteriorate to a low not seen for half a century .
Taiwan ’ s defense deterrent relies , in part , on the expectation that the U.S. would quickly help counter an attack on the island , which Beijing claims as part of its territory .
As the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the risks of a distracted Washington were felt in a hot spot halfway around the globe : Taiwan .
As the world watched the U.S. presidential election unfold last week , the risks of a distracted Washington were felt perhaps most acutely in a hot spot halfway around the globe : Taiwan .
Taiwan placed its military on high alert during the elections , Taiwan ’ s Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa told lawmakers in Taipei last Wednesday , saying the island faces a threat from escalating incursions by Chinese warplanes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the island , just 80 miles off mainland China ’ s coast .
The People ’ s Liberation Army has conducted more than 2,700 air and sea incursions so far this year , Mr .
Yen said .
PLA aircraft crossed the “ median line ” – an unofficial line that both sides have traditionally observed in the airspace between Taiwan and mainland China – nearly 50 times , he said , the most since 1990 .
Taiwan ’ s defense deterrent relies in part on the expectation that the U.S. military would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the island , a self-ruling democracy that Beijing claims as part of its territory .
Washington is also accelerating arms sales aimed at shoring up Taiwan ’ s defenses , and on Election Day the U.S. State Department approved a $ 600 million sale to Taiwan of four MQ-9B armed drones and related equipment , which drew a swift rebuke from Beijing .
The sale brings the total of U.S. weapon sales to Taiwan approved this year to more than $ 5 billion .
Concerns have heightened over the potential for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flashpoint between the United States and China – especially as relations between the two superpowers deteriorate to a low not seen for half a century .
Beijing bristles at the tightening of U.S.-Taiwan ties under the Trump administration , viewing it as part of a broader containment strategy .
China ’ s military pressure on Taiwan , meanwhile , coupled with its crackdown on Hong Kong ’ s autonomy and its aggressive staking out of claims in the South China Sea and along its disputed border with India , amplifies the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accident , military analysts say .
Barring a military mishap , however , and despite the elevated tensions , experts on both sides say larger strategic calculations lessen the likelihood of an all-out war over Taiwan that would trigger conflict between China and the U.S. , both nuclear powers .
Beijing ’ s military capabilities – which do not yet guarantee success in an armed takeover – Taiwan ’ s growing asymmetric defenses , and the prospect of allied intervention all leave Beijing unlikely to use force anytime soon , despite its often-repeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ China is still deterred from using force to reunify because they have no assurance of success , ” says Drew Thompson , a former Pentagon official overseeing China policy .
Yet the decidedly tense status quo is growing more so .
PLA pilots now cross the median line “ with impunity , so that sets up a much more dangerous arrangement where the Taiwanese jets always have to intercept , ” says Kharis Templeman , a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and a lecturer in East Asian studies at Stanford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well trained , but … you can imagine them crashing into one another , and the two sides do not have good communications to de-escalate , ” he says .
For its part , Beijing ’ s Foreign Ministry spokesman stated in September that the median line is “ nonexistent.
” Chinese military analysts agree the risk is high , if for different reasons .
“ In my opinion , most of the military tensions today are the result of enhanced relations between Taiwan and the United States , ” says Lyu Jinghua @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace .
The Taiwan Strait is currently “ very dangerous , ” Colonel Lyu says , because “ the Chinese government has no room to maneuver if the Taiwan crisis escalates .
… [ It ] will have to fight to defend the territory and sovereignty of China.
” China ’ s military capabilities have grown dramatically over the past 20 years .
With “ staggering amounts of new military hardware ” and improvements in joint operations and combat readiness , Beijing is on track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PLA by 2035 and building a “ world class ” military by 2049 , according to the Pentagon ’ s 2020 China military power report released in September .
Yet China still lacks the ability to wage its ideal military campaign on Taiwan : a swift , overwhelming attack and successful amphibious landing invasion that would present the world with a fait accompli .
“ Even though it ’ s a short distance from mainland China to Taiwan , [ the PLA ] would still have to deal with Taiwan ’ s defensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , anti-ship cruise missiles , and booby traps , as well as weather and geography that limit China ’ s options , says Derek Grossman , a senior defense analyst at Rand Corp. who focuses on Indo-Pacific security issues .
“ If they failed , it could be the end of Chinese Communist Party rule .
It would be seen as so incompetent and embarrassing , ” he says .
Another important deterrent is Taiwan ’ s embrace of a new , asymmetric defense strategy .
Faced with the reality of China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 250 billion last year compared with Taiwan ’ s $ 11 billion – and a stark force imbalance that will only grow , Taiwan is adopting a more nimble , David vs. Goliath approach .
The goal of the new strategy is to take advantage of Taiwan ’ s geography to fortify the island .
“ ‘ Fortress Taiwan ’ is really the mantra now at the Pentagon – trying to make Taiwan an impenetrable fortress to Chinese attack is now the key objective , ” says Mr. Grossman .
Known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strategy “ redefines winning the war as foiling the PLA ’ s mission of successfully invading and exerting political control over Taiwan , ” retired Adm. Lee Hsi-min , who developed the concept as chief of staff of Taiwan ’ s armed forces from 2017 to 2019 , explained last week in The Diplomat .
No longer planning for a war of attrition with high-profile , expensive conventional weapons platforms such as fighter jets , tanks , and submarines , the strategy instead relies upon low-cost weapons systems meant to stymie a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stealthy fast-attack crafts dispersed among fishing boats in the island ’ s 200 ports , Admiral Lee wrote .
It uses camouflage and deception to preserve Taiwan ’ s forces , combined with large numbers of small , mobile , lethal , and hard-to-target weapons designed for guerrilla warfare , such as precision-guided munitions and cruise missiles , man-portable air-defense systems , and anti-armor weapons .
The U.S. is backing the strategy with advanced sales of asymmetric weaponry such as armed drones , and shore-based cruise missiles that can target ships on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ That is where China is the weakest , ” says Mr. Thompson , who is now visiting senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore .
“ Taiwan has tremendous advantages and is figuring out now how to maximize them , ” says Mr. Thompson .
“ If you are China and looking at what Taiwan has done in the last decade , there is a reason China is deterred , ” he says .
“ The PLA knows it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are taking a tremendous risk in initiating an invasion.
” China , for its part , has focused much of its effort on trying to counter the anticipated U.S. military intervention in a Taiwan contingency , using area denial weapons such as bombers and a new ship-to-ship , supersonic missile .
“ The PLA has spent the last 25 years trying to make it as difficult as possible for the U.S. military to move into that air space and sea space without suffering a lot of casualties up front , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expands China ’ s anti-access area , raising concerns at the Pentagon , he says .
“ This is a rare weapon that has a longer range and is more effective than what we have in our own stocks , so it has gotten a lot of attention from our military , ” he says .
“ They don ’ t like to be outgunned on anything.
” But experts on both sides of the strait point to encouraging signs that all parties can avoid confrontation in the first place – such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at multiple levels between Washington and Beijing .
Despite increasing tensions , “ the two militaries are very conscious of their communications and so they are still holding consultations ” as planned , says Colonel Lyu .
“ The number of dangerous incidents between the planes and ships are actually decreasing ” since 2014 , when the PLA and Pentagon signed agreements to create confidence-building measures , she says .
Those memorandums “ are playing a very positive role in preventing a crisis .
”

For the last few years, headlines about rising tensions over Taiwan have been a steady drumbeat, making it hard to parse which developments are most important. Here’s a reality check on the island’s defense.
China’s People’s Liberation Army has stepped up incursions into Taiwan’s defense zone, while Washington accelerates arms sales to Taipei. But despite the elevated tensions, and the risk of conflict sparked by accident, both sides say larger strategic calculations lessen the likelihood of all-out war. For example, China’s military has grown dramatically, but it still lacks the ability to wage its ideal military campaign: a swift, overwhelming attack and successful amphibious landing invasion that would present the world with a fait accompli .
The self-ruling, democratic island had its military on high alert during the U.S. vote, its defense minister told lawmakers in Taipei. Beijing frequently vows to reunite Taiwan with mainland China, and concerns over the potential for a military clash have grown as relations between China and the U.S. deteriorate to a low not seen for half a century. Taiwan’s defense deterrent relies, in part, on the expectation that the U.S. would quickly help counter an attack on the island, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.
As the world watched the U.S. presidential election unfold last week, the risks of a distracted Washington were felt in a hot spot halfway around the globe: Taiwan.
As the world watched the U.S. presidential election unfold last week, the risks of a distracted Washington were felt perhaps most acutely in a hot spot halfway around the globe: Taiwan.
Taiwan placed its military on high alert during the elections, Taiwan’s Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa told lawmakers in Taipei last Wednesday, saying the island faces a threat from escalating incursions by Chinese warplanes and naval ships into the defensive zone around the island, just 80 miles off mainland China’s coast. The People’s Liberation Army has conducted more than 2,700 air and sea incursions so far this year, Mr. Yen said. PLA aircraft crossed the “median line” – an unofficial line that both sides have traditionally observed in the airspace between Taiwan and mainland China – nearly 50 times, he said, the most since 1990.
Taiwan’s defense deterrent relies in part on the expectation that the U.S. military would quickly help counter an attack by China on the island, a self-ruling democracy that Beijing claims as part of its territory. Washington is also accelerating arms sales aimed at shoring up Taiwan’s defenses, and on Election Day the U.S. State Department approved a $600 million sale to Taiwan of four MQ-9B armed drones and related equipment, which drew a swift rebuke from Beijing. The sale brings the total of U.S. weapon sales to Taiwan approved this year to more than $5 billion.
Why We Wrote This For the last few years, headlines about rising tensions over Taiwan have been a steady drumbeat, making it hard to parse which developments are most important. Here’s a reality check on the island’s defense.
Concerns have heightened over the potential for a military clash over Taiwan – a strategic flashpoint between the United States and China – especially as relations between the two superpowers deteriorate to a low not seen for half a century. Beijing bristles at the tightening of U.S.-Taiwan ties under the Trump administration, viewing it as part of a broader containment strategy. China’s military pressure on Taiwan, meanwhile, coupled with its crackdown on Hong Kong’s autonomy and its aggressive staking out of claims in the South China Sea and along its disputed border with India, amplifies the risk of a conflict, especially one sparked by accident, military analysts say.
Barring a military mishap, however, and despite the elevated tensions, experts on both sides say larger strategic calculations lessen the likelihood of an all-out war over Taiwan that would trigger conflict between China and the U.S., both nuclear powers. Beijing’s military capabilities – which do not yet guarantee success in an armed takeover – Taiwan’s growing asymmetric defenses, and the prospect of allied intervention all leave Beijing unlikely to use force anytime soon, despite its often-repeated vows to unify, military analysts say. “China is still deterred from using force to reunify because they have no assurance of success,” says Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official overseeing China policy.
Yet the decidedly tense status quo is growing more so. PLA pilots now cross the median line “with impunity, so that sets up a much more dangerous arrangement where the Taiwanese jets always have to intercept,” says Kharis Templeman, a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and a lecturer in East Asian studies at Stanford University. “The Taiwanese are pretty well trained, but … you can imagine them crashing into one another, and the two sides do not have good communications to de-escalate,” he says. For its part, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesman stated in September that the median line is “nonexistent.”
Chinese military analysts agree the risk is high, if for different reasons. “In my opinion, most of the military tensions today are the result of enhanced relations between Taiwan and the United States,” says Lyu Jinghua, a retired PLA colonel and a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The Taiwan Strait is currently “very dangerous,” Colonel Lyu says, because “the Chinese government has no room to maneuver if the Taiwan crisis escalates. … [It] will have to fight to defend the territory and sovereignty of China.”
New deterrent
China’s military capabilities have grown dramatically over the past 20 years. With “staggering amounts of new military hardware” and improvements in joint operations and combat readiness, Beijing is on track to meet its goals of modernizing the PLA by 2035 and building a “world class” military by 2049, according to the Pentagon’s 2020 China military power report released in September.
Yet China still lacks the ability to wage its ideal military campaign on Taiwan: a swift, overwhelming attack and successful amphibious landing invasion that would present the world with a fait accompli. “Even though it’s a short distance from mainland China to Taiwan, [the PLA] would still have to deal with Taiwan’s defensive capabilities,” such as sea mines, anti-ship cruise missiles, and booby traps, as well as weather and geography that limit China’s options, says Derek Grossman, a senior defense analyst at Rand Corp. who focuses on Indo-Pacific security issues.
“If they failed, it could be the end of Chinese Communist Party rule. It would be seen as so incompetent and embarrassing,” he says.
Another important deterrent is Taiwan’s embrace of a new, asymmetric defense strategy. Faced with the reality of China’s massive military spending – an estimated $250 billion last year compared with Taiwan’s $11 billion – and a stark force imbalance that will only grow, Taiwan is adopting a more nimble, David vs. Goliath approach.
The goal of the new strategy is to take advantage of Taiwan’s geography to fortify the island. “‘Fortress Taiwan’ is really the mantra now at the Pentagon – trying to make Taiwan an impenetrable fortress to Chinese attack is now the key objective,” says Mr. Grossman.
Known as the “Overall Defense Concept,” the strategy “redefines winning the war as foiling the PLA’s mission of successfully invading and exerting political control over Taiwan,” retired Adm. Lee Hsi-min, who developed the concept as chief of staff of Taiwan’s armed forces from 2017 to 2019, explained last week in The Diplomat.
No longer planning for a war of attrition with high-profile, expensive conventional weapons platforms such as fighter jets, tanks, and submarines, the strategy instead relies upon low-cost weapons systems meant to stymie a Chinese invasion, such as minelaying ships and stealthy fast-attack crafts dispersed among fishing boats in the island’s 200 ports, Admiral Lee wrote. It uses camouflage and deception to preserve Taiwan’s forces, combined with large numbers of small, mobile, lethal, and hard-to-target weapons designed for guerrilla warfare, such as precision-guided munitions and cruise missiles, man-portable air-defense systems, and anti-armor weapons.
A wider puzzle
The U.S. is backing the strategy with advanced sales of asymmetric weaponry such as armed drones, and shore-based cruise missiles that can target ships on the fringes of China’s littoral. “That is where China is the weakest,” says Mr. Thompson, who is now visiting senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.
“Taiwan has tremendous advantages and is figuring out now how to maximize them,” says Mr. Thompson. “If you are China and looking at what Taiwan has done in the last decade, there is a reason China is deterred,” he says. “The PLA knows it will not be a cake walk, so they are taking a tremendous risk in initiating an invasion.”
China, for its part, has focused much of its effort on trying to counter the anticipated U.S. military intervention in a Taiwan contingency, using area denial weapons such as bombers and a new ship-to-ship, supersonic missile. “The PLA has spent the last 25 years trying to make it as difficult as possible for the U.S. military to move into that air space and sea space without suffering a lot of casualties up front,” says Mr. Templeman. The new ship-to-ship missile expands China’s anti-access area, raising concerns at the Pentagon, he says.
“This is a rare weapon that has a longer range and is more effective than what we have in our own stocks, so it has gotten a lot of attention from our military,” he says. “They don’t like to be outgunned on anything.”
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But experts on both sides of the strait point to encouraging signs that all parties can avoid confrontation in the first place – such as the existence of functioning military communications mechanisms at multiple levels between Washington and Beijing.
Despite increasing tensions, “the two militaries are very conscious of their communications and so they are still holding consultations” as planned, says Colonel Lyu. “The number of dangerous incidents between the planes and ships are actually decreasing” since 2014, when the PLA and Pentagon signed agreements to create confidence-building measures, she says. Those memorandums “are playing a very positive role in preventing a crisis.”


csmonitor--2020-11-12--Who decides when an election is over?

Who decides when an election is over?

Dear reader : When the presidential race was “ called ” last Saturday for former Vice President Joe Biden , I was sitting with a few other reporters in an Italian restaurant near the Trump National Golf Club in northern Virginia .
We , the White House “ press pool , ” weren ’ t invited to accompany President Donald Trump into his club .
But when it came time to leave , we got to see what he saw from inside the motorcade – crowds of Biden and Trump supporters , holding signs , waving flags , making noise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , all based on the announcements of news media “ decision desks ” that call elections .
But President Trump has not conceded the race , nor has his administration “ ascertained ” that Mr. Biden is the “ apparent successful candidate.
” Such a legal designation has existed since 1963 to help with an orderly transition , as I wrote Tuesday .
Here ’ s the issue : The election , technically , isn ’ t over – as many readers have pointed out .
Votes are still being counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most states have yet to certify results , and the Electoral College hasn ’ t met .
That happens Dec. 14 .
Mr. Trump has the right not to concede the election .
But he isn ’ t just sitting idly by , waiting for final results .
He ’ s actively promoting , via social media , the idea that the election was stolen .
Twitter labels his tweets “ disputed , ” but his message is still breaking through .
A Politico/Morning Consult poll taken Nov. 6-9 found that 70 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election was “ free and fair.
” To many Americans , the president ’ s behavior poses a threat to democracy .
The challenge for the mainstream media , repeatedly dubbed “ fake news , ” is profound .
This year , media outlets have gone out of their way to explain how they declare election winners , as with this Associated Press article .
The people who work at decision desks are green-eyeshade data scientists committed to getting it right , not partisans projecting a desired outcome .
In the meantime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here ’ s some advice from my old friend Bob Carolla , a former aide to retired Democratic Sen. George Mitchell of Maine .
“ If I learned anything from George Mitchell as a lawyer and legislator , ” it ’ s this , Mr. Carolla writes in an email .
“ If a person is being reasonable , be reasonable and flexible .
If they are unreasonable but within their rights , be patient but firm and keep advancing steadily.
” He concludes : We are passing through a “ Great American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
When the presidential race was “called” last Saturday for former Vice President Joe Biden, I was sitting with a few other reporters in an Italian restaurant near the Trump National Golf Club in northern Virginia. We, the White House “press pool,” weren’t invited to accompany President Donald Trump into his club. But when it came time to leave, we got to see what he saw from inside the motorcade – crowds of Biden and Trump supporters, holding signs, waving flags, making noise.
Scenes like this played out around the country, all based on the announcements of news media “decision desks” that call elections. But President Trump has not conceded the race, nor has his administration “ascertained” that Mr. Biden is the “apparent successful candidate.” Such a legal designation has existed since 1963 to help with an orderly transition, as I wrote Tuesday.
Here’s the issue: The election, technically, isn’t over – as many readers have pointed out. Votes are still being counted, court challenges are in progress, most states have yet to certify results, and the Electoral College hasn’t met. That happens Dec. 14.
Mr. Trump has the right not to concede the election. But he isn’t just sitting idly by, waiting for final results. He’s actively promoting, via social media, the idea that the election was stolen. Twitter labels his tweets “disputed,” but his message is still breaking through. A Politico/Morning Consult poll taken Nov. 6-9 found that 70% of Republicans don’t believe the election was “free and fair.” To many Americans, the president’s behavior poses a threat to democracy.
The challenge for the mainstream media, repeatedly dubbed “fake news,” is profound. This year, media outlets have gone out of their way to explain how they declare election winners, as with this Associated Press article. The people who work at decision desks are green-eyeshade data scientists committed to getting it right, not partisans projecting a desired outcome.
In the meantime, before the 2020 election fully resolves, here’s some advice from my old friend Bob Carolla, a former aide to retired Democratic Sen. George Mitchell of Maine.
“If I learned anything from George Mitchell as a lawyer and legislator,” it’s this, Mr. Carolla writes in an email. “If a person is being reasonable, be reasonable and flexible. If they are unreasonable but within their rights, be patient but firm and keep advancing steadily.”
He concludes: We are passing through a “Great American Civics Lesson.”
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.
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csmonitor--2020-11-13--Brexit brings together two lovers, both of whom are outsiders

What confers identity , and what gives a sense of belonging ?
Is it family ?
Locale ?
Community ?
In her charming novel , “ A Lover ’ s Discourse , ” Xiaolu Guo explores these universal questions through the experiences of a man and woman who meet and fall in love despite their considerable differences .
The two first cross paths in London in 2015 , just as Brexit begins to dominate the conversation .
She has recently moved from southern China to pursue a graduate degree at a British university .
Her parents have recently died , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from difficult memories is a deliberate one .
When she picks up and moves to another continent , she expects to experience loneliness – but she ’ s not prepared for just how unmoored she actually feels .
He is a landscape architect who grew up in Australia , though he lived in Germany during his teen years before moving to Britain as an adult .
His father is originally from Germany , while his mother is from England .
The two are still very much a part of his life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ while socializing with mutual friends .
She first spots him while he picks flowers .
She remembers it well .
Their story , told through a collection of memories , follows their experiences as they fall in love , get married , and have a child .
While the book traces their journey through these formative experiences , there is no real plotline .
Rather , Guo skillfully employs this relatively mundane backdrop to explore the loftier , more universal themes of personal identity and purpose .
For example , how much does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s sense of self ?
Guo ’ s young woman has neither when she moves to London .
Can the city still be her home ?
These questions emerge as we watch the young woman struggle with a new language and a community that is vastly different from her hometown in rural China .
Perhaps the way in which a person stands in contrast to these elements shapes a sense of identity , Guo suggests .
On the other hand , the young man passed his formative years in three different countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his home , or is it always wherever he happens to live ?
With parents from two different cultures , he feels the influence of family and ancestors upon his present life .
Does this curious sense of identity get passed forward to a future generation ?
These are weighty questions to ponder , and it is a credit to Guo ’ s talent as a writer that this slim volume succeeds so beautifully in addressing them .
Her prose possesses qualities of poetry , and her plot is structured just enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evoke the ethereal quality of memories .
The story is told in brief chapters , some only a page or two long .
Each begins with a few sentences of dialogue shared between the two lovers .
Neither of them is ever named , an omission that lends a sense of intimacy – because why would they introduce themselves , if their conversation is solely between the two of them ?
Following these fragments of dialogue , both the man and woman reflect upon scraps of memories that reveal how differently they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These experiences – socializing with friends , deciding where to live , interacting with members of their extended family – form the basis of their bond .
But they also underscore considerable differences between the lovers .
Other details also add impact to the story .
The two recall their shared residences , including a houseboat and a tiny flat , which have left them feeling adrift and confined at various points in their relationship .
The timing of the Brexit vote is not random , either – it brings with it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes everyone leery of strangers .
Guo uses the couple ’ s struggles as a microcosm of a national conversation .
While Guo asks timely questions about societal division , she is not prescriptive in her answers .
She leaves it to readers to discern their own truths .
“ Failure .
Success .
Did I see my own life in these terms ?
” she writes .
“ In some ways , my life had just begun .
Perhaps there would be something there that could be called mine , and ours @ @

What confers identity, and what gives a sense of belonging? Is it family? Locale? Community?
In her charming novel, “A Lover’s Discourse,” Xiaolu Guo explores these universal questions through the experiences of a man and woman who meet and fall in love despite their considerable differences.
The two first cross paths in London in 2015, just as Brexit begins to dominate the conversation. She has recently moved from southern China to pursue a graduate degree at a British university. Her parents have recently died, and her decision to start over far away from difficult memories is a deliberate one. When she picks up and moves to another continent, she expects to experience loneliness – but she’s not prepared for just how unmoored she actually feels.
He is a landscape architect who grew up in Australia, though he lived in Germany during his teen years before moving to Britain as an adult. His father is originally from Germany, while his mother is from England. The two are still very much a part of his life.
The couple first meet in a park while socializing with mutual friends. She first spots him while he picks flowers. She remembers it well. Their story, told through a collection of memories, follows their experiences as they fall in love, get married, and have a child. While the book traces their journey through these formative experiences, there is no real plotline. Rather, Guo skillfully employs this relatively mundane backdrop to explore the loftier, more universal themes of personal identity and purpose.
For example, how much does a shared language and culture frame someone’s sense of self? Guo’s young woman has neither when she moves to London. Can the city still be her home? These questions emerge as we watch the young woman struggle with a new language and a community that is vastly different from her hometown in rural China. Perhaps the way in which a person stands in contrast to these elements shapes a sense of identity, Guo suggests.
On the other hand, the young man passed his formative years in three different countries. Is one of those locations still his home, or is it always wherever he happens to live? With parents from two different cultures, he feels the influence of family and ancestors upon his present life. Does this curious sense of identity get passed forward to a future generation?
These are weighty questions to ponder, and it is a credit to Guo’s talent as a writer that this slim volume succeeds so beautifully in addressing them. Her prose possesses qualities of poetry, and her plot is structured just enough to make the story cohesive while still managing to evoke the ethereal quality of memories.
The story is told in brief chapters, some only a page or two long. Each begins with a few sentences of dialogue shared between the two lovers. Neither of them is ever named, an omission that lends a sense of intimacy – because why would they introduce themselves, if their conversation is solely between the two of them?
Following these fragments of dialogue, both the man and woman reflect upon scraps of memories that reveal how differently they recall the events of their shared lives. These experiences – socializing with friends, deciding where to live, interacting with members of their extended family – form the basis of their bond. But they also underscore considerable differences between the lovers.
Other details also add impact to the story. The two recall their shared residences, including a houseboat and a tiny flat, which have left them feeling adrift and confined at various points in their relationship. The timing of the Brexit vote is not random, either – it brings with it a heightened awareness of national identity that makes everyone leery of strangers. Guo uses the couple’s struggles as a microcosm of a national conversation.
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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.
While Guo asks timely questions about societal division, she is not prescriptive in her answers. She leaves it to readers to discern their own truths.
“Failure. Success. Did I see my own life in these terms?” she writes. “In some ways, my life had just begun. Perhaps there would be something there that could be called mine, and ours.”


csmonitor--2020-11-13--It’s not just an election that divides America, it’s where to go for facts

Katlyn Carter , a Notre Dame University historian , says , “ It ’ s a very dangerous situation because there is no quick remedy to rebuild trust when it has eroded to such an extent that not only facts , but the very processes of establishing them , are contested.
” If there is a silver lining to lawsuits the Trump campaign has filed , it may be that those provide a chance for assurance that competing claims have been heard .
Mr. Ring ’ s view reflects a phenomenon that ’ s been building for over a decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political divisions are bolstered in part by “ media silos ” that isolate Americans from one another .
This may help explain why , despite evidence that Mr. Biden has won , one postelection poll of registered voters finds most Republicans do not believe the presidential election was free and fair .
“ I ’ ll never listen to Fox again , ” says Mr. Ring , sitting at his dining room table with his wife and granddaughter .
For Pat Ring in Bristol , Wisconsin , even Fox News is now a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first to project Democrat Joe Biden the winner of Arizona – just before President Donald Trump was reportedly preparing to declare victory .
A few mornings ago , when Mary Ring ’ s granddaughter asked her , “ Are you sad that Biden won ?
” the Kenosha County resident was quick to respond .
She and her husband , Pat , are ardent supporters of President Donald Trump , and 10 days after the election , their front lawn in Bristol , Wisconsin , is still festooned with the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of families across a country sharply divided by politics , their adult children , including their granddaughter ’ s parents , voted for President-elect Joe Biden .
Their political differences with their children aren ’ t simply a matter of contrasting values , she and her husband say .
They are also about the fundamental facts they believe to be true – like the claims of widespread voter fraud the president continues to allege .
“ They think we have misinformation , ” says Ms. Ring , who , like her husband , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years .
“ We say they ’ re misinformed , ” she says , noting that their grown-up kids watch MSNBC and listen to podcasts .
“ That ’ s what we get for sending them to college !
” Mr. Ring jokes .
But Ms. Ring has the last word .
“ They ’ re wonderful human beings , ” she says .
“ We just don ’ t agree.
” But the Rings ’ loyalty to the president sent a sudden jolt through the trust they ’ ve put into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , Fox News was the first to project Mr. Biden the winner of Arizona , just before President Trump was reportedly preparing to declare victory .
“ I ’ ll never listen to the mainstream media again , ” says Mr. Ring , sitting at his dining room table with his wife and granddaughter .
“ And I ’ ll never listen to Fox again , ” he says , though he adds he ’ ll still watch Tucker Carlson , one of President Trump ’ s most steadfast defenders .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Such implicit trust and loyalty , as well as the jubilant sense of identity the president often inspires , has been one of the most enduring features of the polarizing presidency of Donald Trump from the start .
At least 70 % of Republicans said they trusted the president more than news outlets such as The New York Times , The Washington Post , and CNN .
But 54 % of Republicans also said they ’ d trust President Trump over Fox News as well , according to a 2017 YouGov poll .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Biden by more than 5 million votes , over 72.5 million Americans voted for President Trump in this year ’ s election – nearly 10 million more than the number of those who vaulted him to victory in 2016 .
And according to a Politico/Morning Consult survey of registered voters on Nov. 6-9 , some 70 % of Republicans , in varying degrees , do not believe the 2020 election was free and fair .
That ’ s in contrast with the Trump administration itself , with its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nov. 3 election “ the most secure in American history.
” “ There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes , changed votes or was in any way compromised , ” it continued , adding that while there were “ many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation , ” voters should turn to election officials for answers .
For over a decade , many political observers have expressed growing concern not only with the country ’ s alarmingly stark political divisions , but also the phenomenon of “ media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have only seemed to reinforce them , isolating Americans from each other , creating two virtual worlds of competing fact claims and casual dismissals of the other side ’ s “ fake news.
” “ What we ’ re seeing is a widespread lack of trust in the news media and established institutions , which is leading to a rejection of factual information and , beyond that , standards of evidence , ” says Katlyn Carter , professor of history at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no quick remedy to rebuild trust when it has eroded to such an extent that not only facts , but the very processes of establishing them , are contested , ” says Professor Carter .
The Trump campaign filed a number of lawsuits in the swing states he ’ s projected to lose , including the so-called “ blue wall ” states of Wisconsin , Michigan , and Pennsylvania .
As of Friday , the Trump campaign was 1-14 in court , with most judges ruling that the cases lack factual evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign lawyers have acknowledged in court in two states that they are not alleging voter fraud – let alone widespread voter fraud , as the president claims .
In Arizona on Friday , Trump lawyers asked a judge not to issue a ruling , since the Biden win there rendered a decision unnecessary .
Also on Friday , a Michigan judge refused to throw out the certification process for Wayne County , saying , “ it would be an unprecedented exercise of judicial activism.
” Moderate Republican officials – such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ben Sasse , and Govs .
Charlie Baker , Mike DeWine , and Larry Hogan – have already congratulated President-elect Biden on his projected Electoral College victory and record-setting popular vote .
And many Republican voters like William Marshall say they do not necessarily believe the president ’ s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud .
Sitting behind a plexiglass barrier at a rest area on Interstate 94 near Kenosha , where he cheerfully helps guide travelers to their destinations , Mr. Marshall says he ’ s not surprised President Trump is projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s frustrated with the nation ’ s cacophony of news sources , and he laments the loss of the trust he once placed in the authoritative news broadcasts of an earlier era .
“ Now things have become so politically polarized in the country , ” and that has made it very difficult to sort through the dizzying amount of competing factual claims , says Mr. Marshall , a self-described “ news junkie ” who watches NBC News and sometimes tunes in to CBS and Fox .
“ It bothers me that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch the news and find someone who has no agenda.
” Jason Sponaugle , a junior at the University of Cincinnati and president of its chapter of College Republicans , says he has no trust at all in mainstream news media outlets , and he considers both CNN and Fox News to be “ entertainment-based ” networks dominated by a narrow set of corporate interests and governed by political agendas – a view held by many young progressives as well .
And like many in his generation all across the political spectrum , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics and finance , has embraced the wide diversity of news sources easily available online , and he says he tries to go straight to the source as often as possible , seeking the statements and websites candidates themselves publish online , and piecing together his understanding of the news through a variety of outlets .
“ To be completely honest , I hope I ’ m wrong [ about any potential voter fraud ] because the implications of this are massive , but it ’ s looking more and more like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different states , ” Mr. Sponaugle says , giving weight to the statements of the Trump campaign .
Yet in many ways , Mr. Sponaugle and other Republican voters say they simply want to allow the president ’ s claims of voter fraud to be examined in the nation ’ s courts .
“ As of right now , nothing ’ s finalized , ” says Mr. Sponaugle .
“ I think it remains to be seen whether or not President Trump lost this election , and that ’ s something we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plays on.
” Indeed , there is a silver lining to the number of lawsuits the Trump campaign has filed in state and federal courts , given the profound lack of trust many voters express toward the nation ’ s mainstream news outlets .
“ Elections as an institution need to be viewed as legitimate , which in our case means free , fair , frequent , and transparent , ” says Gayle Alberda , professor of politics at Fairfield University in Connecticut .
“ But we also need the ability for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner or the loser , to have an avenue to protest the results.
” “ That ’ s an essential part of a democracy in that it upholds the legitimacy of an election , ” Professor Alberda continues .
“ If the results are finalized , but then I don ’ t have as a candidate the ability to question those results or seek legal action or ask for a recount , then how do we know that election was valid ?
” Given the nation ’ s generally widespread respect for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect strengthen the country .
“ They ’ re looking at the claims in these court cases , they ’ re looking at whether or not there was proof , they ’ re hearing the president ’ s case if there was widespread fraud , ” Professor Alberda says .
“ And then we can settle those conflicts .
... Will they change the outcome of the election ?
Probably not , but it does and hopefully it will give the election the validity that it needs after they have exhausted all those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s institutions have done their job.
” But there remains the wider problem , many scholars say , of the country ’ s massive media ecosystem unmoored from a common set of facts , and the tremendous amount of faith tens of millions of Americans place in President Trump over traditional and nontraditional news sources .
“ Leaders influence the worldview their followers are in , and those worldviews define their private reality , ” says Helio Fred Garcia , who teaches professional development and leadership at Columbia University in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media is ‘ fake news ’ and that science is a deep-state conspiracy , and the evidence suddenly is irrelevant.
” “ Leaders who lie persistently create a false worldview for their followers , who cling to those worldviews even when the leader moves on , ” continues Mr. Garcia .
“ So , even after the Bob Woodward recordings revealed that Donald Trump knew that the virus was deadly , airborne , and worse than the flu , his followers kept showing up for rallies unmasked and undistanced , ” even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a hoax .
“ When he said he was cured and that the nation was turning the corner , they continued to believe him and not the objective evidence.
” Many observers , too , say the distrust millions of conservative Americans express toward the news media is only exacerbating the problems surrounding factual information .
Older Republican voters like Ms. and Mr. Ring in Wisconsin – who are even skeptical of sources like Fox News – are turning to alternative and more deeply partisan sources such as the One America News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other sources many say are uncritically friendly to President Trump .
And as Twitter and Facebook have incorporate more aggressive fact-checking policies and warning labels on many of President Trump ’ s posted claims , Mr. Sponaugle believes these in fact have demonstrated extreme bias against conservative views .
So like the Rings , he recently set up an account on Parler , a social media site that does not block or censor any user information – which has made it a source of wild conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic views , critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreman and Trump voter who lives in Springfield Township in Ohio , is also considering switching to Parler to get his news , believing the reporting on Fox News during the election “ raised some red flags ” as it cast doubt on the president ’ s claims .
“ People stick to what they know , who they think they can trust , ” says Mr. Ireland .
“ It ’ s all about who you trust , which , right now it ’ s hard to figure out who that is @ @

Katlyn Carter, a Notre Dame University historian, says, “It’s a very dangerous situation because there is no quick remedy to rebuild trust when it has eroded to such an extent that not only facts, but the very processes of establishing them, are contested.”
If there is a silver lining to lawsuits the Trump campaign has filed, it may be that those provide a chance for assurance that competing claims have been heard.
Mr. Ring’s view reflects a phenomenon that’s been building for over a decade, as the country’s stark political divisions are bolstered in part by “media silos” that isolate Americans from one another. This may help explain why, despite evidence that Mr. Biden has won, one postelection poll of registered voters finds most Republicans do not believe the presidential election was free and fair.
The aftermath of Election Day has featured not just a political battle over the outcome; it has also put on display an American electorate riven over where to turn for facts and trustworthy information.
“I’ll never listen to Fox again,” says Mr. Ring, sitting at his dining room table with his wife and granddaughter.
For Pat Ring in Bristol, Wisconsin, even Fox News is now a tainted source, after the network was the first to project Democrat Joe Biden the winner of Arizona – just before President Donald Trump was reportedly preparing to declare victory.
A few mornings ago, when Mary Ring’s granddaughter asked her, “Are you sad that Biden won?” the Kenosha County resident was quick to respond.
“No,” Ms. Ring gently told her, “because he hasn’t won.”
She and her husband, Pat, are ardent supporters of President Donald Trump, and 10 days after the election, their front lawn in Bristol, Wisconsin, is still festooned with the president’s signs. But like a number of families across a country sharply divided by politics, their adult children, including their granddaughter’s parents, voted for President-elect Joe Biden.
Why We Wrote This The aftermath of Election Day has featured not just a political battle over the outcome; it has also put on display an American electorate riven over where to turn for facts and trustworthy information.
Their political differences with their children aren’t simply a matter of contrasting values, she and her husband say. They are also about the fundamental facts they believe to be true – like the claims of widespread voter fraud the president continues to allege.
“They think we have misinformation,” says Ms. Ring, who, like her husband, have been loyal watchers of Fox News for years. “We say they’re misinformed,” she says, noting that their grown-up kids watch MSNBC and listen to podcasts.
Richard Mertens View caption Hide caption Pat Ring stands in his front yard in Bristol, Wisconsin, with one of his many pro-Trump signs, on Nov. 11, 2020. Mr. Ring, a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, voted for President Trump and as the Trump campaign pursues election-related lawsuits, Mr. Ring rejects reports that the president lost the election.
“That’s what we get for sending them to college!” Mr. Ring jokes. But Ms. Ring has the last word. “They’re wonderful human beings,” she says. “We just don’t agree.”
But the Rings’ loyalty to the president sent a sudden jolt through the trust they’ve put into their favored news source. On election night, Fox News was the first to project Mr. Biden the winner of Arizona, just before President Trump was reportedly preparing to declare victory.
“I’ll never listen to the mainstream media again,” says Mr. Ring, sitting at his dining room table with his wife and granddaughter. “And I’ll never listen to Fox again,” he says, though he adds he’ll still watch Tucker Carlson, one of President Trump’s most steadfast defenders. “He’s one of us.”
Such implicit trust and loyalty, as well as the jubilant sense of identity the president often inspires, has been one of the most enduring features of the polarizing presidency of Donald Trump from the start. At least 70% of Republicans said they trusted the president more than news outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN. But 54% of Republicans also said they’d trust President Trump over Fox News as well, according to a 2017 YouGov poll.
Though he lost the popular vote to Mr. Biden by more than 5 million votes, over 72.5 million Americans voted for President Trump in this year’s election – nearly 10 million more than the number of those who vaulted him to victory in 2016. And according to a Politico/Morning Consult survey of registered voters on Nov. 6-9, some 70% of Republicans, in varying degrees, do not believe the 2020 election was free and fair.
That’s in contrast with the Trump administration itself, with its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency releasing a statement Thursday calling the Nov. 3 election “the most secure in American history.” “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised,” it continued, adding that while there were “many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation,” voters should turn to election officials for answers.
SOURCE: 270 to win, Federal Election Commission, Cook Political Report | Staff
Media silos and echo chambers
For over a decade, many political observers have expressed growing concern not only with the country’s alarmingly stark political divisions, but also the phenomenon of “media silos” and “echo chambers” that have only seemed to reinforce them, isolating Americans from each other, creating two virtual worlds of competing fact claims and casual dismissals of the other side’s “fake news.”
“What we’re seeing is a widespread lack of trust in the news media and established institutions, which is leading to a rejection of factual information and, beyond that, standards of evidence,” says Katlyn Carter, professor of history at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
“It’s a very dangerous situation because there is no quick remedy to rebuild trust when it has eroded to such an extent that not only facts, but the very processes of establishing them, are contested,” says Professor Carter.
The Trump campaign filed a number of lawsuits in the swing states he’s projected to lose, including the so-called blue wall states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. As of Friday, the Trump campaign was 1-14 in court, with most judges ruling that the cases lack factual evidence to support claims. In fact, the Trump campaign lawyers have acknowledged in court in two states that they are not alleging voter fraud – let alone widespread voter fraud, as the president claims.
In Arizona on Friday, Trump lawyers asked a judge not to issue a ruling, since the Biden win there rendered a decision unnecessary. Also on Friday, a Michigan judge refused to throw out the certification process for Wayne County, saying, “it would be an unprecedented exercise of judicial activism.”
Moderate Republican officials – such as Sens. Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, and Govs. Charlie Baker, Mike DeWine, and Larry Hogan – have already congratulated President-elect Biden on his projected Electoral College victory and record-setting popular vote. And many Republican voters like William Marshall say they do not necessarily believe the president’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
Evan Vucci/AP View caption Hide caption President Donald Trump talks with reporters on Air Force One after participating in the final presidential debate, on Oct. 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee. Many Americans have migrated in recent years toward more partisan sources of information, including relying directly on candidates and political groups.
Sitting behind a plexiglass barrier at a rest area on Interstate 94 near Kenosha, where he cheerfully helps guide travelers to their destinations, Mr. Marshall says he’s not surprised President Trump is projected to lose the election. But he’s frustrated with the nation’s cacophony of news sources, and he laments the loss of the trust he once placed in the authoritative news broadcasts of an earlier era.
“Now things have become so politically polarized in the country,” and that has made it very difficult to sort through the dizzying amount of competing factual claims, says Mr. Marshall, a self-described “news junkie” who watches NBC News and sometimes tunes in to CBS and Fox. “It bothers me that there’s no place I can watch the news and find someone who has no agenda.”
Jason Sponaugle, a junior at the University of Cincinnati and president of its chapter of College Republicans, says he has no trust at all in mainstream news media outlets, and he considers both CNN and Fox News to be “entertainment-based” networks dominated by a narrow set of corporate interests and governed by political agendas – a view held by many young progressives as well.
And like many in his generation all across the political spectrum, Mr. Sponaugle, who’s studying politics and finance, has embraced the wide diversity of news sources easily available online, and he says he tries to go straight to the source as often as possible, seeking the statements and websites candidates themselves publish online, and piecing together his understanding of the news through a variety of outlets.
“To be completely honest, I hope I’m wrong [about any potential voter fraud] because the implications of this are massive, but it’s looking more and more like a fix was in in some of these different states,” Mr. Sponaugle says, giving weight to the statements of the Trump campaign.
Trump voters want courts to decide
Yet in many ways, Mr. Sponaugle and other Republican voters say they simply want to allow the president’s claims of voter fraud to be examined in the nation’s courts. “As of right now, nothing’s finalized,” says Mr. Sponaugle. “I think it remains to be seen whether or not President Trump lost this election, and that’s something we’ll find out as the legal process plays on.”
Indeed, there is a silver lining to the number of lawsuits the Trump campaign has filed in state and federal courts, given the profound lack of trust many voters express toward the nation’s mainstream news outlets.
“Elections as an institution need to be viewed as legitimate, which in our case means free, fair, frequent, and transparent,” says Gayle Alberda, professor of politics at Fairfield University in Connecticut. “But we also need the ability for any candidate, whether you’re the winner or the loser, to have an avenue to protest the results.”
“That’s an essential part of a democracy in that it upholds the legitimacy of an election,” Professor Alberda continues. “If the results are finalized, but then I don’t have as a candidate the ability to question those results or seek legal action or ask for a recount, then how do we know that election was valid?”
Given the nation’s generally widespread respect for the court system, these lawsuits can in effect strengthen the country.
“They’re looking at the claims in these court cases, they’re looking at whether or not there was proof, they’re hearing the president’s case if there was widespread fraud,” Professor Alberda says. “And then we can settle those conflicts. ... Will they change the outcome of the election? Probably not, but it does and hopefully it will give the election the validity that it needs after they have exhausted all those options, and all the other country’s institutions have done their job.”
But there remains the wider problem, many scholars say, of the country’s massive media ecosystem unmoored from a common set of facts, and the tremendous amount of faith tens of millions of Americans place in President Trump over traditional and nontraditional news sources.
“Leaders influence the worldview their followers are in, and those worldviews define their private reality,” says Helio Fred Garcia, who teaches professional development and leadership at Columbia University in New York. “Create a worldview in which the media is ‘fake news’ and that science is a deep-state conspiracy, and the evidence suddenly is irrelevant.”
“Leaders who lie persistently create a false worldview for their followers, who cling to those worldviews even when the leader moves on,” continues Mr. Garcia. “So, even after the Bob Woodward recordings revealed that Donald Trump knew that the virus was deadly, airborne, and worse than the flu, his followers kept showing up for rallies unmasked and undistanced,” even as many said they believed the coronavirus was a hoax. “When he said he was cured and that the nation was turning the corner, they continued to believe him and not the objective evidence.”
Many observers, too, say the distrust millions of conservative Americans express toward the news media is only exacerbating the problems surrounding factual information.
Stepping into Parler
Older Republican voters like Ms. and Mr. Ring in Wisconsin – who are even skeptical of sources like Fox News – are turning to alternative and more deeply partisan sources such as the One America News Network, Newsmax, Gateway Pundit, and other sources many say are uncritically friendly to President Trump.
And as Twitter and Facebook have incorporated more aggressive fact-checking policies and warning labels on many of President Trump’s posted claims, Mr. Sponaugle believes these in fact have demonstrated extreme bias against conservative views.
So like the Rings, he recently set up an account on Parler, a social media site that does not block or censor any user information – which has made it a source of wild conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic views, critics say.
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Nathan Ireland, a construction foreman and Trump voter who lives in Springfield Township in Ohio, is also considering switching to Parler to get his news, believing the reporting on Fox News during the election “raised some red flags” as it cast doubt on the president’s claims.
“People stick to what they know, who they think they can trust,” says Mr. Ireland. “It’s all about who you trust, which, right now it’s hard to figure out who that is.”


csmonitor--2020-11-13--Points of Progress: Lynxes make a comeback, and more

A recent survey found that 311 Iberian lynxes were born in Spain and Portugal last year , continuing the species ’ yearslong journey away from the brink of extinction .
Iberian lynxes nearly disappeared due to habitat loss , long-retired government policies , and the decline of local rabbit populations , which are the spotted cat ’ s primary prey .
The kittens bring the peninsula ’ s overall lynx population to 855 , marking a 900 % increase since the first census in 2002 .
At this rate , researchers say the species could be fully recovered within two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reintroduction program , the $ 22 million Life Lynxconnect project , is supported by the European Union .
Ramón Pérez de Ayala , World Wildlife Fund Spain ’ s coordinator of large carnivores , says it will be necessary to establish new populations in rabbit-rich areas and blend existing populations to encourage genetic diversity .
But he ’ s hopeful about the lynx ’ s future : “ If we can maintain the population growth momentum ... we ’ ll have at least 750 females of reproductive age – which means more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ( The Guardian ) Chileans have overwhelmingly voted to rewrite their constitution , guaranteeing women and Indigenous peoples a seat at the table .
Next spring , the country will return to the polls to select members of the constitutional convention .
By law , half of those members will be women .
The referendum comes after a year of mass protests against the country ’ s rampant inequality , which many blame on the restrictive constitution created under Augusto Pinochet ’ s dictatorship in 1980 .
The landslide victory – nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new charter drafted solely by Chilean citizens – marks a rare example of a country choosing to rework its constitution without war or political revolution .
Experts say many challenges lie ahead , but this groundbreaking vote is the first step in creating a more inclusive and equal country .
( The Conversation ) China , Japan , and South Korea have all pledged to cut carbon emissions to net-zero in the coming years .
In September , Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 – a weighty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greenhouse gas emitter .
Japan , the fifth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide , then pledged in October to go carbon neutral by 2050 , and South Korea followed suit .
The latter two countries are now in line with the European Union , which set a similar timeline for reaching carbon neutrality last year .
Patricia Espinosa , the United Nations climate chief , said the commitments from China , Japan , and South Korea are “ extremely important , ” signaling a renewed focus on international climate policy after the pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diplomatic momentum .
“ [ The pledges ] are coming at a time when we need this kind of leadership , ” she said .
( Thomson Reuters Foundation , Nikkei Review ) An innovative social enterprise combining clean energy technology and tourism has equipped more than 130 villages in India with solar power and generated $ 100,000 in income for residents .
Global Himalayan Expedition ( GHE ) finds villages that lack reliable access to electricity and leads tourist treks to help engineers set up solar microgrids and other clean energy fixtures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hikes help pay for the grids and cost up to $ 3,500 per person .
So far more than 1,300 tourists have participated .
GHE also trains local women to be electricians and run lucrative homestays where guests can use solar-powered telescopes to stargaze .
The United Nations awarded the GHE project a 2020 Global Climate Action Award , citing its potential for replicability in other regions facing similar challenges .
( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) Scientists have found a thriving column of coral taller than the Empire State Building – the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system discovered in more than 120 years .
Studies show the Great Barrier Reef has lost more than 50 % of its coral in recent decades , but this new blade-like outcropping off the coast of North Queensland appears healthy .
Measuring more than 1,690 feet , the reef is teeming with life , including several species of shark and rare fish .
Remote reefs such as this one are difficult to study , but the deep-sea robots and sonar beams on Falkor , the Schmidt Ocean Institute ’ s massive research vessel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ map of the seabed .
“ This powerful combination of mapping data and underwater imagery will be used to understand this new reef and its role within the incredible Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area , ” said Dr. Jyotika Virmani , the institute ’ s executive director .
( The New York Times , BBC ) A new report on effective peace building shows women are crucial to establishing lasting peace .
Research by U.N. Women and the Council on Foreign Relations shows that agreements are 64 % less likely to fail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace talks through civil society groups .
Researchers warn that women are still widely excluded from formal peace processes , but data in the report shows some signs of progress .
Since 2010 , women have made up as much as one-third of the members of peace negotiating teams , according to the United Nations .
( Read our related story here . )
The qualitative analysis highlighted case studies including the contributions by women on both sides of the 2016 negotiations between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Advisory Board for Syria , which is working successfully across political lines to find consensus .
( Council on Foreign Relations , Government of the United Kingdom )

1. Iberian Peninsula
A recent survey found that 311 Iberian lynxes were born in Spain and Portugal last year, continuing the species’ yearslong journey away from the brink of extinction. Iberian lynxes nearly disappeared due to habitat loss, long-retired government policies, and the decline of local rabbit populations, which are the spotted cat’s primary prey. The kittens bring the peninsula’s overall lynx population to 855, marking a 900% increase since the first census in 2002. At this rate, researchers say the species could be fully recovered within two decades.
Victor Fraile/Reuters/File View caption Hide caption Two endangered Iberian lynxes look out from an enclosure at a nature reserve in Cabárceno near Santander in northern Spain. There are now 855 lynxes in the wild.
The latest phase of the reintroduction program, the $22 million Life Lynxconnect project, is supported by the European Union. Ramón Pérez de Ayala, World Wildlife Fund Spain’s coordinator of large carnivores, says it will be necessary to establish new populations in rabbit-rich areas and blend existing populations to encourage genetic diversity. But he’s hopeful about the lynx’s future: “If we can maintain the population growth momentum ... we’ll have at least 750 females of reproductive age – which means more than 3,000 lynxes in total – by 2040.” (The Guardian)
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. Chile
Chileans have overwhelmingly voted to rewrite their constitution, guaranteeing women and Indigenous peoples a seat at the table. Next spring, the country will return to the polls to select members of the constitutional convention. By law, half of those members will be women. The referendum comes after a year of mass protests against the country’s rampant inequality, which many blame on the restrictive constitution created under Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship in 1980.
Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters View caption Hide caption Supporters in Valparaíso, Chile, Oct. 25, 2020, celebrate passage of a referendum specifying that citizens, not politicians, will rewrite the constitution next year.
The landslide victory – nearly 80% of voters called for a new charter drafted solely by Chilean citizens – marks a rare example of a country choosing to rework its constitution without war or political revolution. Experts say many challenges lie ahead, but this groundbreaking vote is the first step in creating a more inclusive and equal country. (The Conversation)
3. China, Japan, and South Korea
China, Japan, and South Korea have all pledged to cut carbon emissions to net-zero in the coming years. In September, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 – a weighty commitment from the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter. Japan, the fifth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, then pledged in October to go carbon neutral by 2050, and South Korea followed suit. The latter two countries are now in line with the European Union, which set a similar timeline for reaching carbon neutrality last year. Patricia Espinosa, the United Nations climate chief, said the commitments from China, Japan, and South Korea are “extremely important,” signaling a renewed focus on international climate policy after the pandemic and moves by the U.S. government have derailed diplomatic momentum. “[The pledges] are coming at a time when we need this kind of leadership,” she said. (Thomson Reuters Foundation, Nikkei Review)
4. India
An innovative social enterprise combining clean energy technology and tourism has equipped more than 130 villages in India with solar power and generated $100,000 in income for residents. Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) finds villages that lack reliable access to electricity and leads tourist treks to help engineers set up solar microgrids and other clean energy fixtures in the remote Himalayan communities. The hikes help pay for the grids and cost up to $3,500 per person. So far more than 1,300 tourists have participated. GHE also trains local women to be electricians and run lucrative homestays where guests can use solar-powered telescopes to stargaze. The United Nations awarded the GHE project a 2020 Global Climate Action Award, citing its potential for replicability in other regions facing similar challenges. (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
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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.
5. Australia
Scientists have found a thriving column of coral taller than the Empire State Building – the first new structure of the Great Barrier Reef system discovered in more than 120 years. Studies show the Great Barrier Reef has lost more than 50% of its coral in recent decades, but this new blade-like outcropping off the coast of North Queensland appears healthy. Measuring more than 1,690 feet, the reef is teeming with life, including several species of shark and rare fish.
Schmidt Ocean Institute/ Reuters View caption Hide caption A robotic arm takes rock samples from a towering coral reef discovered off Australia’s Cape York Peninsula.
Remote reefs such as this one are difficult to study, but the deep-sea robots and sonar beams on Falkor, the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s massive research vessel, allowed scientists to create a 3D map of the seabed. “This powerful combination of mapping data and underwater imagery will be used to understand this new reef and its role within the incredible Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area,” said Dr. Jyotika Virmani, the institute’s executive director. (The New York Times, BBC)
World
A new report on effective peace building shows women are crucial to establishing lasting peace. Research by U.N. Women and the Council on Foreign Relations shows that agreements are 64% less likely to fail when women meaningfully participate in the preceding peace talks through civil society groups. Researchers warn that women are still widely excluded from formal peace processes, but data in the report shows some signs of progress. Since 2010, women have made up as much as one-third of the members of peace negotiating teams, according to the United Nations. (Read our related story here.) The qualitative analysis highlighted case studies including the contributions by women on both sides of the 2016 negotiations between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and the ongoing role of the Women’s Advisory Board for Syria, which is working successfully across political lines to find consensus. (Council on Foreign Relations, Government of the United Kingdom)