csmonitor--2020-11-18--Three presidents in one week: Peruvian youths say ‘enough’

“ The citizen movement today belongs to the young , ” current President Francisco Sagasti said in his inaugural address Nov. 17 .
“ These young people have become protagonists .
They demand representation and political participation.
” Youths protesting this month forced a change in leadership .
They also may have permanently altered Peruvian politics .
On Nov. 9 , legislators rushed to install the speaker of Peru ’ s Congress as president , after his predecessor was hastily impeached .
Federico La Hoz , in his early 20s , met with friends that day and headed to downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly young protesters who opposed what they saw as a power grab .
As the protest grew , so too did the use of social networks like Facebook and TikTok to spread information about where and how to demonstrate .
Peruvians are no strangers to political scandals and corruption .
Almost every president over the past three decades is in jail or facing charges .
But the past week has seen historic shifts in Peru ’ s political landscape : some of the biggest public protests in two decades and the emergence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politically active Peruvians .
Federico La Hoz had an inkling he was going to be a part of history on Nov. 9 .
That was the day legislators rushed to install the speaker of Peru ’ s Congress as president , after his predecessor was hastily impeached .
Mr. La Hoz , 24 , met up with friends and headed to downtown Lima , a sea of government buildings .
They were surprised to join a swelling crowd of demonstrators , the vast majority young , opposed to what they saw as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Merino and his congressional clique .
By Nov. 15 , two protesters had died , intensifying demands for change .
As the crowd grew , so did the use of virtual networks – from Facebook to TikTok – to spread the word that people were organizing against Mr. Merino .
“ We were saying ‘ no ’ to politics as usual , ” says Mr. La Hoz .
“ [ A ] new generation that had not been interested in politics taking to the streets to stop what was happening.
” The protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 they were deemed the largest street demonstrations in Peru in more than two decades .
Mr. Merino stepped down and Congress selected a replacement Francisco Sagasti – a newcomer to electoral politics and thus further removed from the corruption charges plaguing many elected officials – the following day .
That ’ s three presidents in the span of a week .
The young people protesting not only forced a change in leadership , but may have permanently altered the way politics will play out in Peru .
That could mean a greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of political leaders as the country prepares for general elections in April .
“ The citizen movement today belongs to the young , ” President Sagasti said in his inaugural address yesterday .
“ These young people have become protagonists , they demand representation and political participation .
Young people are necessary for politics to change.
” Virtual networks stepped in to fill the vacuum created by Peru ’ s weak political parties over the past week , says Miguel Morachimo , executive director of digital rights organization , Hiperderecho .
“ Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classic political and social organizing .
There were no leaders , which is why the marches were so diverse , with people coming out for the first time to take part in a protest , ” says Mr. Morachimo , whose organization shared tips for protesters on how to protect their devices , ward off digital trolls , and ensure their digital rights .
Luis Nunes , a political scientist who has studied Peruvian politics since the 1990s , says a sea change is underway as emerging generations of Peruvians refuse to accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the protests were coordinated through [ digital ] platforms and not parties , ” he says .
“ The upcoming election is going to depend heavily on social media because everything is transmitted quickly.
” The political crisis that led first to former President Martín Vizcarra ’ s impeachment and then Mr. Merino ’ s resignation has been years in the making .
Congress and different administrations have been at loggerheads over policies , particularly how to deal with corruption .
While Mr. Vizcarra was popular , with an approval rating near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only impetus behind the protests .
The spark was the fear that Mr. Merino would attempt to roll back anti-corruption reforms and possibly stop the scheduled elections from taking place .
It was a final straw in a country where polls show that corruption is considered an even bigger problem than the pandemic or the economic crisis it has created .
Peru has the third highest per capita death rate from COVID-19 , according to Johns Hopkins University , and its economy contracted by 14.5 % in the first nine months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to data from the national statistics agency .
These numbers , however , coexist with a dismal political track record .
Corruption cost the country around $ 6.5 billion in 2019 , according to the Comptroller General ’ s office .
With the exception of an interim president in 2001 , every president since the mid-1980s has had serious legal trouble .
Many are either in jail or inching closer to it .
One president , Alberto Fujimori ( 1990-2000 ) , is in prison serving a 25-year sentence for human rights violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convictions in several corruption cases .
Two former presidents are under house arrest , and another committed suicide in 2018 to avoid arrest .
Mr. Vizcarra was impeached on allegations , so far without evidence , of corruption .
He is under investigation for allegedly receiving around $ 625,000 in kickbacks when he was governor of a small state nearly a decade ago .
He denies the allegations .
Two of the top presidential candidates in the upcoming race are accused of receiving illegal campaign contributions during a previous hard-fought election .
Added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governors , mayors , and former cabinet ministers : More than 60 of the current 130 members in the single chamber Congress face corruption investigations .
Trials for many of these former politicians and candidates have not started , and the protests over the past week stemmed from fears that Mr. Merino ’ s temporary government would make sure they never began .
Many thought anti-corruption reforms , even if imperfect , would come to a screeching halt .
Congress was badgered by former President Vizcarra and faced public pressure to approve legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from running for or holding office .
Even though Congress passed the change , it is still looking for ways to interpret how the new law is applied .
The swift reaction of Peru ’ s younger generations via protests is a sign that politics here are already shifting , says Mr. Morachimo .
He sees it as similar to the role virtual communities have played in organizing pro-democracy marches in Hong Kong or protests for racial justice in the United States .
“ We are seeing a new awakening of young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed , ” he says .
A new crop of political leaders getting ready to run in the April elections is already convinced virtual platforms are the way to get new generations engaged .
Luis Terán , who is running for Congress with the Podemos Peru party , says the pandemic has helped facilitate how politics are done in the country .
He says the upcoming campaign requires creativity : Traditional methods are no longer effective .
Mr. Terán , a millennial , has been tapping into the online platform TikTok .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promote labor rights with short , one-minute clips .
It is a way to get young people interested , because until now , my generation and people younger than us had turned our backs on politics , ” he says .
So far , Peru has 24 registered parties – a historic high – ready to run in 2021 .
Newly inaugurated President Sagasti promised a government based on science , technology , and innovation , saying this is what the future of Peru requires .
He promised to close the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s unacceptable that only 40 % of households in Peru have access to the internet .
Smartphones , which are prevalent and typically have internet access , may be a great tool for connecting in a protest , but they are not as helpful for distance learning .
The president wants to remedy that divide .
Mr. La Hoz , the young man who went out to protest with his friends , says he is certain that young people are not going to forget what happened this month when they cast their ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have changed , ” he says .
“ My generation and people even younger , who are just finishing school , will not forgive these parties for what they have done ” to Peru .

“The citizen movement today belongs to the young,” current President Francisco Sagasti said in his inaugural address Nov. 17. “These young people have become protagonists. They demand representation and political participation.”
Youths protesting this month forced a change in leadership. They also may have permanently altered Peruvian politics.
“We were saying ‘no’ to politics as usual,” says Mr. La Hoz.
Political crisis is on Peru’s doorstep once again, with a startling three presidents holding office in the span of a week. What’s different this time around? Young generations online and in the streets are vowing “never again.”
On Nov. 9, legislators rushed to install the speaker of Peru’s Congress as president, after his predecessor was hastily impeached. Federico La Hoz, in his early 20s, met with friends that day and headed to downtown Lima to join the swelling crowd of mostly young protesters who opposed what they saw as a power grab. As the protest grew, so too did the use of social networks like Facebook and TikTok to spread information about where and how to demonstrate.
Peruvians are no strangers to political scandals and corruption. Almost every president over the past three decades is in jail or facing charges. But the past week has seen historic shifts in Peru’s political landscape: some of the biggest public protests in two decades and the emergence of a new, digitally savvy generation of politically active Peruvians.
Federico La Hoz had an inkling he was going to be a part of history on Nov. 9.
That was the day legislators rushed to install the speaker of Peru’s Congress as president, after his predecessor was hastily impeached. Mr. La Hoz, 24, met up with friends and headed to downtown Lima, a sea of government buildings. They were surprised to join a swelling crowd of demonstrators, the vast majority young, opposed to what they saw as a power grab by newly installed President Manuel Merino and his congressional clique.
By Nov. 15, two protesters had died, intensifying demands for change.
Why We Wrote This Political crisis is on Peru’s doorstep once again, with a startling three presidents holding office in the span of a week. What’s different this time around? Young generations online and in the streets are vowing “never again.”
As the crowd grew, so did the use of virtual networks – from Facebook to TikTok – to spread the word that people were organizing against Mr. Merino.
“We were saying ‘no’ to politics as usual,” says Mr. La Hoz. “[A] new generation that had not been interested in politics taking to the streets to stop what was happening.”
The protests grew in size, and by Nov. 14 they were deemed the largest street demonstrations in Peru in more than two decades. Mr. Merino stepped down and Congress selected a replacement Francisco Sagasti – a newcomer to electoral politics and thus further removed from the corruption charges plaguing many elected officials – the following day.
That’s three presidents in the span of a week.
Rodrigo Abd/AP View caption Hide caption People who refused to recognize Peru's new government gathered to protest in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 14, 2020. Peru's Congress voted overwhelmingly to remove now ex-President Marín Vizcarra on Monday.
The young people protesting not only forced a change in leadership, but may have permanently altered the way politics will play out in Peru. That could mean a greater dependence on social media than the dictates of political leaders as the country prepares for general elections in April.
“The citizen movement today belongs to the young,” President Sagasti said in his inaugural address yesterday. “These young people have become protagonists, they demand representation and political participation. Young people are necessary for politics to change.”
Social media vs. classic politics
Virtual networks stepped in to fill the vacuum created by Peru’s weak political parties over the past week, says Miguel Morachimo, executive director of digital rights organization, Hiperderecho.
“Social media networks took on the role of classic political and social organizing. There were no leaders, which is why the marches were so diverse, with people coming out for the first time to take part in a protest,” says Mr. Morachimo, whose organization shared tips for protesters on how to protect their devices, ward off digital trolls, and ensure their digital rights.
Luis Nunes, a political scientist who has studied Peruvian politics since the 1990s, says a sea change is underway as emerging generations of Peruvians refuse to accept politics as usual.
“The majority of the protests were coordinated through [digital] platforms and not parties,” he says. “The upcoming election is going to depend heavily on social media because everything is transmitted quickly.”
The political crisis that led first to former President Martín Vizcarra’s impeachment and then Mr. Merino’s resignation has been years in the making. Congress and different administrations have been at loggerheads over policies, particularly how to deal with corruption.
History of corruption
While Mr. Vizcarra was popular, with an approval rating near 60%, his removal was not the only impetus behind the protests. The spark was the fear that Mr. Merino would attempt to roll back anti-corruption reforms and possibly stop the scheduled elections from taking place.
It was a final straw in a country where polls show that corruption is considered an even bigger problem than the pandemic or the economic crisis it has created. Peru has the third highest per capita death rate from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University, and its economy contracted by 14.5% in the first nine months of the year compared to 2019, according to data from the national statistics agency.
These numbers, however, coexist with a dismal political track record. Corruption cost the country around $6.5 billion in 2019, according to the Comptroller General’s office.
Rodrigo Abd/AP View caption Hide caption People hold photos of Jack Bryan Pintado Sánchez, who died during weekend protests against lawmakers' removal of President Martín Vizcarra, in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 16, 2020. A new crop of political leaders, preparing for April elections, is increasingly aware of the power of a young generation and digital platforms in the nation's politics.
With the exception of an interim president in 2001, every president since the mid-1980s has had serious legal trouble. Many are either in jail or inching closer to it. One president, Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000), is in prison serving a 25-year sentence for human rights violations. He already finished serving time for convictions in several corruption cases. Two former presidents are under house arrest, and another committed suicide in 2018 to avoid arrest.
Mr. Vizcarra was impeached on allegations, so far without evidence, of corruption. He is under investigation for allegedly receiving around $625,000 in kickbacks when he was governor of a small state nearly a decade ago. He denies the allegations.
Two of the top presidential candidates in the upcoming race are accused of receiving illegal campaign contributions during a previous hard-fought election. Added to the lists of potential inmates are governors, mayors, and former cabinet ministers: More than 60 of the current 130 members in the single chamber Congress face corruption investigations.
Trials for many of these former politicians and candidates have not started, and the protests over the past week stemmed from fears that Mr. Merino’s temporary government would make sure they never began. Many thought anti-corruption reforms, even if imperfect, would come to a screeching halt.
Congress was badgered by former President Vizcarra and faced public pressure to approve legislation that prohibits people convicted of a crime from running for or holding office. Even though Congress passed the change, it is still looking for ways to interpret how the new law is applied.
“New awakening”
The swift reaction of Peru’s younger generations via protests is a sign that politics here are already shifting, says Mr. Morachimo.
He sees it as similar to the role virtual communities have played in organizing pro-democracy marches in Hong Kong or protests for racial justice in the United States.
“We are seeing a new awakening of young people, and it is something that was needed,” he says.
A new crop of political leaders getting ready to run in the April elections is already convinced virtual platforms are the way to get new generations engaged. Luis Terán, who is running for Congress with the Podemos Peru party, says the pandemic has helped facilitate how politics are done in the country. He says the upcoming campaign requires creativity: Traditional methods are no longer effective.
Mr. Terán, a millennial, has been tapping into the online platform TikTok.
“TikTok is a way for me to promote labor rights with short, one-minute clips. It is a way to get young people interested, because until now, my generation and people younger than us had turned our backs on politics,” he says.
So far, Peru has 24 registered parties – a historic high – ready to run in 2021.
Newly inaugurated President Sagasti promised a government based on science, technology, and innovation, saying this is what the future of Peru requires. He promised to close the country’s digital gap, saying it’s unacceptable that only 40% of households in Peru have access to the internet. Smartphones, which are prevalent and typically have internet access, may be a great tool for connecting in a protest, but they are not as helpful for distance learning. The president wants to remedy that divide.
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Mr. La Hoz, the young man who went out to protest with his friends, says he is certain that young people are not going to forget what happened this month when they cast their ballots in the April elections.
“Things have changed,” he says. “My generation and people even younger, who are just finishing school, will not forgive these parties for what they have done” to Peru.


csmonitor--2020-11-18--Electoral College reform: Colorado is latest state to approve the idea

Emily Sirota , a legislator sponsoring the reform in Colorado , says the NPVIC “ is a really elegant way of working within the current system of the Electoral College to still achieve a national popular vote.
” Already , the legislation has passed in 15 states and the District of Columbia ( representing 196 electoral votes ) – and survived a referendum to repeal it in Colorado in November .
But states are allowed to award their electoral votes using whatever system they enact into law .
That 's where a reform effort called the National Popular Vote Interstate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play .
States that opt in would award their electoral votes to the popular winner of the entire country .
This would start only after states representing 270 Electoral College votes have joined .
Debates over the effectiveness of the United States Electoral College have been happening for 200 years .
Under the current system , the presidential candidate who wins the most popular votes within a state is typically awarded that state ’ s electoral votes .
The result can be an election winner who lost the popular vote nationwide .
Debates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Electoral College have been happening for 200 years .
Abolishing the Electoral College has become a popular topic in recent years , but would require a constitutional amendment .
Some reformers , however , are proposing to use the Electoral College against itself .
That ’ s the goal of the multistate National Popular Vote Interstate Compact ( NPVIC ) .
Q : How does the NPVIC work ?
Under the current system , the presidential candidate who wins the most popular votes within a state is typically awarded all of that state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are allowed to award their electoral votes using whatever system they enact into law .
Under the NPVIC , a state would hold off on giving its electoral votes to the popular winner of the state , and instead award those votes to the popular winner of the entire country .
And to avoid strange outcomes , states joining the NPVIC only begin awarding votes this way when a threshold of states representing 270 Electoral College votes has passed it .
It ’ s a concept that ’ s beginning to draw support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed in 15 states and the District of Columbia , representing 196 Electoral College votes , according to National Popular Vote , the organization that wrote the model legislation for the NPVIC and advocates for its passage in statehouses .
In the November elections , Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure to overturn their state ’ s NPVIC bill .
The NPVIC “ is a really elegant way of working within the current system of the Electoral College to still achieve a national popular vote , ” says Emily Sirota , the co-prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House of Representatives .
Q : What is the NPVIC meant to fix ?
Critics of the Electoral College say it ’ s an antiquated system and forces campaigns to compete in only a select number of swing states .
Data collected by National Popular Vote shows 96 % of major-party presidential campaign events from Aug. 28 to Nov. 3 , 2020 , were in only 12 states .
Additionally , they say , the Electoral College makes it possible for a president to be elected despite more people voting for his or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times , most recently in 2000 and 2016 .
But Don Wilson , mayor of Monument , Colorado , and co-sponsor of the state ’ s referendum against NPVIC , says a national popular vote would leave Coloradans behind as campaigns focus on big population centers to get the most votes out of their limited campaign cash .
Larger cities and states don ’ t always understand the perspectives of smaller locales , says Mr. Wilson .
“ So it ’ s important that each state maintains that sovereignty and that state voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge of our nation.
” In recent years , however , as Colorado has voted more consistently Democratic , and therefore become less attractive to national campaigns , the NPVIC would help ensure Colorado votes and interests remained relevant , says Ms. Sirota , who is a Democrat .
“ Republicans in Colorado haven ’ t had a vote count for president for quite some time at this point , ” due to Democratic wins in the state , she says .
A system based on the national popular vote would ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Is the NPVIC likely to come into effect ?
That may depend on how often the presidency changes hands .
John Koza , chairman of National Popular Vote , says that typically whichever political party doesn ’ t hold the White House is more responsive to reforming the Electoral College .
For instance , when the organization started pushing the legislation in 2006 , Republican state legislators were hard to get on board , but then started warming to the idea during the Obama presidency .
That oscillation means that while target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and which party controls which statehouses , there are always a couple of states whose legislators will be interested in the idea , says Mr. Koza .
Still , getting Republicans on board going forward could get harder , as the country ’ s current urban-rural divide has given Republicans an Electoral College advantage .
Democrats increasingly need to win the popular vote by larger margins to secure a majority in the Electoral College .

Emily Sirota, a legislator sponsoring the reform in Colorado, says the NPVIC “is a really elegant way of working within the current system of the Electoral College to still achieve a national popular vote.”
Already, the legislation has passed in 15 states and the District of Columbia (representing 196 electoral votes) – and survived a referendum to repeal it in Colorado in November.
The Electoral College is blamed for focusing presidential campaigns around just a few swing states, and for allowing a popular vote winner to lose an election. Could an interstate compact be a path to reform?
But states are allowed to award their electoral votes using whatever system they enact into law. That's where a reform effort called the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) has come into play. States that opt in would award their electoral votes to the popular winner of the entire country. This would start only after states representing 270 Electoral College votes have joined.
Debates over the effectiveness of the United States Electoral College have been happening for 200 years. Under the current system, the presidential candidate who wins the most popular votes within a state is typically awarded that state’s electoral votes. The result can be an election winner who lost the popular vote nationwide.
Debates over the effectiveness of the United States Electoral College have been happening for 200 years. Abolishing the Electoral College has become a popular topic in recent years, but would require a constitutional amendment.
Some reformers, however, are proposing to use the Electoral College against itself. That’s the goal of the multistate National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC).
Q: How does the NPVIC work?
Why We Wrote This The Electoral College is blamed for focusing presidential campaigns around just a few swing states, and for allowing a popular vote winner to lose an election. Could an interstate compact be a path to reform?
Under the current system, the presidential candidate who wins the most popular votes within a state is typically awarded all of that state’s electoral votes. But states are allowed to award their electoral votes using whatever system they enact into law.
Under the NPVIC, a state would hold off on giving its electoral votes to the popular winner of the state, and instead award those votes to the popular winner of the entire country. And to avoid strange outcomes, states joining the NPVIC only begin awarding votes this way when a threshold of states representing 270 Electoral College votes has passed it.
It’s a concept that’s beginning to draw support. The NPVIC legislation has already been passed in 15 states and the District of Columbia, representing 196 Electoral College votes, according to National Popular Vote, the organization that wrote the model legislation for the NPVIC and advocates for its passage in statehouses. In the November elections, Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure to overturn their state’s NPVIC bill.
The NPVIC “is a really elegant way of working within the current system of the Electoral College to still achieve a national popular vote,” says Emily Sirota, the co-prime sponsor of the legislation in the Colorado House of Representatives.
Q: What is the NPVIC meant to fix?
Critics of the Electoral College say it’s an antiquated system and forces campaigns to compete in only a select number of swing states. Data collected by National Popular Vote shows 96% of major-party presidential campaign events from Aug. 28 to Nov. 3, 2020, were in only 12 states.
Additionally, they say, the Electoral College makes it possible for a president to be elected despite more people voting for his or her opponent – this has happened five times, most recently in 2000 and 2016.
But Don Wilson, mayor of Monument, Colorado, and co-sponsor of the state’s referendum against NPVIC, says a national popular vote would leave Coloradans behind as campaigns focus on big population centers to get the most votes out of their limited campaign cash.
Larger cities and states don’t always understand the perspectives of smaller locales, says Mr. Wilson. “So it’s important that each state maintains that sovereignty and that state voice on who is going to be in charge of our nation.”
In recent years, however, as Colorado has voted more consistently Democratic, and therefore become less attractive to national campaigns, the NPVIC would help ensure Colorado votes and interests remained relevant, says Ms. Sirota, who is a Democrat.
“Republicans in Colorado haven’t had a vote count for president for quite some time at this point,” due to Democratic wins in the state, she says. A system based on the national popular vote would ensure that votes by all Coloradans matter.
Q: Is the NPVIC likely to come into effect?
That may depend on how often the presidency changes hands. John Koza, chairman of National Popular Vote, says that typically whichever political party doesn’t hold the White House is more responsive to reforming the Electoral College.
For instance, when the organization started pushing the legislation in 2006, Republican state legislators were hard to get on board, but then started warming to the idea during the Obama presidency.
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That oscillation means that while target states change depending on who is president and which party controls which statehouses, there are always a couple of states whose legislators will be interested in the idea, says Mr. Koza.
Still, getting Republicans on board going forward could get harder, as the country’s current urban-rural divide has given Republicans an Electoral College advantage. Democrats increasingly need to win the popular vote by larger margins to secure a majority in the Electoral College.


csmonitor--2020-11-18--When Republicans push back on Trump

When Republicans push back on Trump

Dear reader : On “ Fox & Friends ” Wednesday morning , co-host Brian Kilmeade offered some advice to President Donald Trump – a regular viewer .
`` It 's in the country 's best interest if he starts coordinating on the virus and starts coordinating on security with the Biden team , '' said Mr. Kilmeade .
For now , President Trump isn ’ t showing any signs of relenting in his legal fight against the 2020 election results in key battleground states .
As we ’ ve said before , he has the right to do that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ downside to the way Mr. Trump fights , including his torrent of tweets claiming the election was stolen – tweets that have no apparent basis in fact and deepen the nation ’ s political divide .
Monitor reporter Christa Case Bryant wrote an excellent piece Monday exploring that terrain : the numerous so-far-unsuccessful Trump lawsuits and their potential political impact .
“ If what he has done is convince Republican voters and activists that ‘ I didn ’ t really lose , ’ that gives him a relevance that Jimmy Carter or George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” says Henry Olsen of the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center .
The Kilmeade comment merely makes a practical suggestion : Proceed with transition activities as a protection to Americans , foremost on the pandemic and national security .
Mr. Trump need not concede the election to take that step .
Meanwhile , the president is digging in – literally .
He ’ s canceled plans to spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago .
More important , he ’ s fired Christopher Krebs , the administration ’ s top cybersecurity official , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website .
Mr. Krebs and other officials had declared the 2020 election “ the most secure in American history , ” contradicting the president ’ s claims otherwise .
In Michigan , a Tuesday night GOP revolt over election certification in heavily Democratic Wayne County resolved within hours after a public outcry .
But Republicans are still trying to block certification of results in other battleground states , including Arizona , Nevada , and Pennsylvania .
In Wisconsin , the Trump campaign announced Wednesday it would fund a recount in two heavily Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has withstood attacks from fellow Republicans , including Mr. Trump , over how the voting was conducted .
Unofficially , Democrat Joe Biden is slightly ahead there , amid a hand recount of all 5 million votes .
“ We ’ re going to continue the process and , as a Republican , I think that I ’ ll probably be disappointed in the result , ” Mr. Raffensperger told The Associated Press .
“ But as the secretary of state , I can be very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Let us know what you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
On “Fox & Friends” Wednesday morning, co-host Brian Kilmeade offered some advice to President Donald Trump – a regular viewer.
"It's in the country's best interest if he starts coordinating on the virus and starts coordinating on security with the Biden team," said Mr. Kilmeade.
For now, President Trump isn’t showing any signs of relenting in his legal fight against the 2020 election results in key battleground states. As we’ve said before, he has the right to do that. But there’s also a major downside to the way Mr. Trump fights, including his torrent of tweets claiming the election was stolen – tweets that have no apparent basis in fact and deepen the nation’s political divide.
Monitor reporter Christa Case Bryant wrote an excellent piece Monday exploring that terrain: the numerous so-far-unsuccessful Trump lawsuits and their potential political impact.
“If what he has done is convince Republican voters and activists that ‘I didn’t really lose,’ that gives him a relevance that Jimmy Carter or George H.W. Bush didn’t possess,” says Henry Olsen of the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center.
The Kilmeade comment merely makes a practical suggestion: Proceed with transition activities as a protection to Americans, foremost on the pandemic and national security. Mr. Trump need not concede the election to take that step.
Meanwhile, the president is digging in – literally. He’s canceled plans to spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago. More important, he’s fired Christopher Krebs, the administration’s top cybersecurity official, who fought election disinformation with this Rumor Control website. Mr. Krebs and other officials had declared the 2020 election “the most secure in American history,” contradicting the president’s claims otherwise.
In Michigan, a Tuesday night GOP revolt over election certification in heavily Democratic Wayne County resolved within hours after a public outcry. But Republicans are still trying to block certification of results in other battleground states, including Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
In Wisconsin, the Trump campaign announced Wednesday it would fund a recount in two heavily Democratic counties. Then there’s Georgia, where Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has withstood attacks from fellow Republicans, including Mr. Trump, over how the voting was conducted. Unofficially, Democrat Joe Biden is slightly ahead there, amid a hand recount of all 5 million votes.
“We’re going to continue the process and, as a Republican, I think that I’ll probably be disappointed in the result,” Mr. Raffensperger told The Associated Press. “But as the secretary of state, I can be very comfortable in the counting of the ballots.”
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.
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csmonitor--2020-11-18--Iraq, Saudi Arabia span a religious divide

A key desert crossing at the heart of the Middle East reopened on Wednesday , three decades after being closed to regular traffic .
At the Arar transit point , Saudi Arabia finally began to allow vehicles and people from Iraq to cross the 505-mile border .
It was a tangible sign of a growing tolerance between Shiite-dominated Iraq and Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia – and a counterpoint to Iran ’ s religious aggression in the region .
Just days before the opening , leaders of the two Arab nations issued a statement citing “ the need to keep the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a contrast to Saudi Arabia writing off Iraq as a “ lost cause ” in 2003 after Shiites took power in Baghdad following the ouster of Saddam Hussein .
The border was first closed in 1990 after Saddam ’ s invasion of Kuwait .
A rapprochement between the two oil giants has been five years in the making .
It reflects other tectonic shifts in the Mideast , such as recent recognition of Israel by a few more Arab states and a general response by the region ’ s leaders to appease restless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a practical level , Iraq needs Saudi investments to provide jobs and to recover from a devastating war with the Islamic State .
Saudi Arabia seeks to counter Iran ’ s strong hand in Iraq .
Yet each shows a willingness to curb the historic Sunni-Shiite rivalry in the Middle East .
As a struggling democracy , Iraq is now better able to balance the interests of its Sunni and Shiite populations .
During the pandemic , Iraq ’ s top cleric , Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani , called for aid to be given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabia is trying to show a new face of moderate Islam .
Earlier this year it sponsored a TV drama showing Jews , Christians , and Muslims living together in a peaceful village .
The line of cargo trucks at the Iraq-Saudi border on Wednesday was more than a sign of commercial exchange .
The two countries “ follow the same religion and share the same interests and challenges , ” said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman .
And , he might have added , it ’ s about time they @ @ @

A key desert crossing at the heart of the Middle East reopened on Wednesday, three decades after being closed to regular traffic. At the Arar transit point, Saudi Arabia finally began to allow vehicles and people from Iraq to cross the 505-mile border. It was a tangible sign of a growing tolerance between Shiite-dominated Iraq and Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia – and a counterpoint to Iran’s religious aggression in the region.
Just days before the opening, leaders of the two Arab nations issued a statement citing “the need to keep the region away from tensions.” That is quite a contrast to Saudi Arabia writing off Iraq as a “lost cause” in 2003 after Shiites took power in Baghdad following the ouster of Saddam Hussein. The border was first closed in 1990 after Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait.
A rapprochement between the two oil giants has been five years in the making. It reflects other tectonic shifts in the Mideast, such as recent recognition of Israel by a few more Arab states and a general response by the region’s leaders to appease restless youth mobilized on social media.
At a practical level, Iraq needs Saudi investments to provide jobs and to recover from a devastating war with the Islamic State. Saudi Arabia seeks to counter Iran’s strong hand in Iraq. Yet each shows a willingness to curb the historic Sunni-Shiite rivalry in the Middle East.
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As a struggling democracy, Iraq is now better able to balance the interests of its Sunni and Shiite populations. During the pandemic, Iraq’s top cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, called for aid to be given to people of all faiths. And Saudi Arabia is trying to show a new face of moderate Islam. Earlier this year it sponsored a TV drama showing Jews, Christians, and Muslims living together in a peaceful village.
The line of cargo trucks at the Iraq-Saudi border on Wednesday was more than a sign of commercial exchange. The two countries “follow the same religion and share the same interests and challenges,” said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. And, he might have added, it’s about time they show it.


csmonitor--2020-11-18--Boeing 737 Max cleared by FAA to take to the skies again

After nearly two years and a pair of deadly crashes , the United States Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Boeing ’ s 737 Max for flight .
The nation ’ s air safety agency announced the move early Wednesday , saying it was done after a “ comprehensive and methodical ” 20-month review process .
Regulators around the world grounded the Max in March 2019 , after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet .
That happened less than five months after another Max flown by Indonesia ’ s Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea .
A total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planes were killed .
Federal Aviation Administration chief Stephen Dickson signed an order Wednesday rescinding the grounding .
U.S. airlines will be able to fly the Max once Boeing updates critical software and computers on each plane and pilots receive training in flight simulators .
The FAA says the order was made in cooperation with air safety regulators worldwide .
“ Those regulators have indicated that Boeing ’ s design changes , together with the changes to crew procedures and training enhancements , will give them the confidence to validate the aircraft as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and regions , ” the FAA said in a statement .
The move follows exhaustive congressional hearings on the crashes that led to criticism of the FAA for lax oversight and Boeing for rushing to implement a new software system that put profits over safety and ultimately led to the firing of its CEO .
Investigators focused on anti-stall software that Boeing had devised to counter the plane ’ s tendency to tilt nose-up because of the size and placement of the engines .
That software pushed the nose down repeatedly on both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ struggles to regain control .
In each case , a single faulty sensor triggered the nose-down pitch .
The FAA required Boeing to change the software so it doesn ’ t repeatedly point the nose of the plane down to counteract possible aerodynamic stalling .
Boeing says the software also does not override the pilot ’ s controls like it did in the past .
Boeing also must install new display systems for pilots and change the way wires are routed to a tail stabilizer bar .
“ These events and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety , quality , and integrity , ” Boeing CEO David Calhoun said in a statement .
Boeing ’ s redemption comes in the middle of a pandemic that has scared away passengers and decimated the aviation industry , limiting the company ’ s ability to make a comeback .
Air travel in the U.S. alone is down about 65 % from a year ago .
Boeing sales of new planes have plunged because of the Max crisis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,000 Max jets have been canceled or removed from Boeing ’ s backlog this year .
Each plane carries a sticker price between $ 99 million and $ 135 million , although airlines routinely pay far less than list price .
John Hansman , an aeronautics professor at MIT , said that people typically avoid airplanes for a few months after there are problems .
But the Max case is unusual , and were it not for the novel coronavirus , Dr. Hansman said he would feel safe flying on a Max @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more scrutiny than any airplane in the world , ” he said .
“ It ’ s probably the safest airplane to be on.
” American is the only U.S. airline to put the Max back in its schedule so far , starting with one round trip daily between New York and Miami beginning Dec. 29 .
Nearly 400 Max jets were in service worldwide when they were grounded , and Boeing has built and stored about 450 more since then .
All have to undergo maintenance and get some modifications before they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simulator training , which was not required when the aircraft was introduced .
Dr. Hansman said pilot training for qualified 737 pilots shouldn ’ t take long because Boeing has fixed software problems .
Relatives of people who died in the crashes remain unconvinced of the Max ’ s safety .
They accused Boeing of hiding critical design features from the FAA and say the company tried to fix the tendency for the plane ’ s nose to tip up with software that was implicated in both crashes .
“ The flying public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Stumo , whose daughter died in the second crash .
“ Change your flight .
This is still a more dangerous aircraft than other modern planes.
” Boeing ’ s reputation has taken a beating since the crashes .
Its then-CEO , Dennis Muilenburg , initially suggested that the foreign pilots were to blame .
However , congressional investigators discovered an FAA analysis – conducted after the first Max crash – that predicted there would be 15 more crashes during the plane ’ s life span if the flight-control software were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House Transportation Committee heaped blame on Boeing , which was under pressure to develop the Max to compete with a plane from European rival Airbus , and the FAA , which certified the Max and was the last agency in the world to ground it after the crashes .
The investigators said Boeing suffered from a “ culture of concealment , ” and pressured engineers in a rush to get the plane on the market .
Boeing was repeatedly wrong about how quickly it could fix the plane .
When those predictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was perceived as putting undue pressure on the FAA , Mr. Muilenburg was fired in December 2019 .
Mr. Dickson – who flew F-15 fighters in the Air Force before serving as a pilot and an executive at Delta Air Lines – flew the plane personally before it was cleared .
Europe ’ s aviation regulator , the European Union Aviation Safety Agency , said it will take public comment on its plans to clear the Max for flight and expects to finalize a plan late this year or early next year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own individual grounding notices as well .
Regulators in Canada and China are still conducting their own reviews .
Relatives say it ’ s too soon , and they and their lawyers say Boeing and the FAA are withholding documents .
Anton Sahadi , who lives in Jakarta , Indonesia , and lost two brothers in the Lion Air crash , said he feels it is too early for the Max to fly again .
“ The cases from the incidents are not 100 % finished yet , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in process .
I think all the victims ’ family in Indonesia and Ethiopia will feel the same , so regretful , why it can fly again because we are still in the recovery process for our problems because of the incidents.
” Naoise Ryan , an Irish citizen whose husband died in the Ethiopian crash , said the Max is “ the same airplane that crashed not once but twice because safety was not a priority for this company.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Koenig reported from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edna Tarigan in Jakarta , Indonesia , and David Risling in Berlin contributed to this report .

After nearly two years and a pair of deadly crashes, the United States Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Boeing’s 737 Max for flight.
The nation’s air safety agency announced the move early Wednesday, saying it was done after a “comprehensive and methodical” 20-month review process.
Regulators around the world grounded the Max in March 2019, after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet. That happened less than five months after another Max flown by Indonesia’s Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea. A total of 346 passengers and crew members on both planes were killed.
Federal Aviation Administration chief Stephen Dickson signed an order Wednesday rescinding the grounding. U.S. airlines will be able to fly the Max once Boeing updates critical software and computers on each plane and pilots receive training in flight simulators.
The FAA says the order was made in cooperation with air safety regulators worldwide. “Those regulators have indicated that Boeing’s design changes, together with the changes to crew procedures and training enhancements, will give them the confidence to validate the aircraft as safe to fly in their respective countries and regions,” the FAA said in a statement.
The move follows exhaustive congressional hearings on the crashes that led to criticism of the FAA for lax oversight and Boeing for rushing to implement a new software system that put profits over safety and ultimately led to the firing of its CEO.
Investigators focused on anti-stall software that Boeing had devised to counter the plane’s tendency to tilt nose-up because of the size and placement of the engines. That software pushed the nose down repeatedly on both planes that crashed, overcoming the pilots’ struggles to regain control. In each case, a single faulty sensor triggered the nose-down pitch.
The FAA required Boeing to change the software so it doesn’t repeatedly point the nose of the plane down to counteract possible aerodynamic stalling. Boeing says the software also does not override the pilot’s controls like it did in the past. Boeing also must install new display systems for pilots and change the way wires are routed to a tail stabilizer bar.
“These events and the lessons we have learned as a result have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality, and integrity,” Boeing CEO David Calhoun said in a statement.
Boeing’s redemption comes in the middle of a pandemic that has scared away passengers and decimated the aviation industry, limiting the company’s ability to make a comeback. Air travel in the U.S. alone is down about 65% from a year ago.
Boeing sales of new planes have plunged because of the Max crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. Orders for more than 1,000 Max jets have been canceled or removed from Boeing’s backlog this year. Each plane carries a sticker price between $99 million and $135 million, although airlines routinely pay far less than list price.
John Hansman, an aeronautics professor at MIT, said that people typically avoid airplanes for a few months after there are problems. But the Max case is unusual, and were it not for the novel coronavirus, Dr. Hansman said he would feel safe flying on a Max.
“This whole thing has had more scrutiny than any airplane in the world,” he said. “It’s probably the safest airplane to be on.”
American is the only U.S. airline to put the Max back in its schedule so far, starting with one round trip daily between New York and Miami beginning Dec. 29.
Nearly 400 Max jets were in service worldwide when they were grounded, and Boeing has built and stored about 450 more since then. All have to undergo maintenance and get some modifications before they can fly.
Pilots must also undergo simulator training, which was not required when the aircraft was introduced. Dr. Hansman said pilot training for qualified 737 pilots shouldn’t take long because Boeing has fixed software problems.
Relatives of people who died in the crashes remain unconvinced of the Max’s safety. They accused Boeing of hiding critical design features from the FAA and say the company tried to fix the tendency for the plane’s nose to tip up with software that was implicated in both crashes.
“The flying public should avoid the Max,” said Michael Stumo, whose daughter died in the second crash. “Change your flight. This is still a more dangerous aircraft than other modern planes.”
Boeing’s reputation has taken a beating since the crashes. Its then-CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, initially suggested that the foreign pilots were to blame. However, congressional investigators discovered an FAA analysis – conducted after the first Max crash – that predicted there would be 15 more crashes during the plane’s life span if the flight-control software were not fixed.
After an 18-month investigation, the House Transportation Committee heaped blame on Boeing, which was under pressure to develop the Max to compete with a plane from European rival Airbus, and the FAA, which certified the Max and was the last agency in the world to ground it after the crashes. The investigators said Boeing suffered from a “culture of concealment,” and pressured engineers in a rush to get the plane on the market.
Boeing was repeatedly wrong about how quickly it could fix the plane. When those predictions continued to be wrong, and Boeing was perceived as putting undue pressure on the FAA, Mr. Muilenburg was fired in December 2019.
Mr. Dickson – who flew F-15 fighters in the Air Force before serving as a pilot and an executive at Delta Air Lines – flew the plane personally before it was cleared.
Europe’s aviation regulator, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, said it will take public comment on its plans to clear the Max for flight and expects to finalize a plan late this year or early next year. Some EU states will have to lift their own individual grounding notices as well. Regulators in Canada and China are still conducting their own reviews. Relatives say it’s too soon, and they and their lawyers say Boeing and the FAA are withholding documents.
Anton Sahadi, who lives in Jakarta, Indonesia, and lost two brothers in the Lion Air crash, said he feels it is too early for the Max to fly again.
“The cases from the incidents are not 100% finished yet,” he said. “There are many of them still in process. I think all the victims’ family in Indonesia and Ethiopia will feel the same, so regretful, why it can fly again because we are still in the recovery process for our problems because of the incidents.”
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Naoise Ryan, an Irish citizen whose husband died in the Ethiopian crash, said the Max is “the same airplane that crashed not once but twice because safety was not a priority for this company.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Koenig reported from Dallas. Krisher reported from Detroit. Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, and David Risling in Berlin contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-11-18--Once again toilet paper vanishes. This time, stores are ready.

A surge of new coronavirus cases in the United States is sending people back to stores to stockpile again , leaving shelves bare and forcing retailers to put limits on purchases .
Walmart said Tuesday it ’ s having trouble keeping up with demand for cleaning supplies in some stores .
Supermarket chains Kroger and Publix are limiting how much toilet paper and paper towels shoppers can buy after demand spiked recently .
And Amazon is sold out of most disinfectant wipes and paper towels .
A similar scene played out back in March , when the pandemic first hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Geoff Freeman , president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association , formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association , said he doesn ’ t expect things to be as bad this go-around since lockdowns are being handled on a regional basis and everyone is better prepared .
“ A more informed consumer combined with a more informed manufacturer and a more informed retailer should provide all of us with a greater sense of ease and ensure we can meet this growing demand , ” Mr. Freeman said .
The biggest supply issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of shelves that stock paper towels and toilet paper are empty , the highest level in at least a month , according to market research company IRI .
Cleaning supplies have remained level at 16 % .
Before the pandemic , 5 % to 7 % of consumer goods were typically out of stock , IRI said .
Contributing to the problem is the fact that roughly 10 % of the workforce at manufacturing plants where the products are made are calling out sick , mainly because they ’ ve been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , Mr. Freeman said .
Kelly Anderson of Colorado Springs , Colorado , said she needs more supplies now that in-person school in her area was canceled earlier this month and her two children are at home more .
She ’ s noticed others are stocking up , too : Safeway and Walmart were nearly wiped out of bottled water and disinfectant wipes during a recent visit , both of which had been easy to find since the summer .
It ’ s also been harder to find a time slot to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says she ’ s had to wait as many as two days instead of having same-day delivery .
But that ’ s still not as bad as earlier this year .
“ March seems like a million years ago , but I do remember freaking out , ” she said .
“ I couldn ’ t get groceries delivered for a week.
” Walmart said while supplies are stressed in some areas , it thinks it will be able to handle any stockpiling now than earlier this year .
Amazon said its working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinfecting wipes , paper towels , and hand sanitizer in stock .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

Looking for toilet paper? Good luck.
A surge of new coronavirus cases in the United States is sending people back to stores to stockpile again, leaving shelves bare and forcing retailers to put limits on purchases.
Walmart said Tuesday it’s having trouble keeping up with demand for cleaning supplies in some stores. Supermarket chains Kroger and Publix are limiting how much toilet paper and paper towels shoppers can buy after demand spiked recently. And Amazon is sold out of most disinfectant wipes and paper towels.
A similar scene played out back in March, when the pandemic first hit and people hunkered down in their homes.
But Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association, said he doesn’t expect things to be as bad this go-around since lockdowns are being handled on a regional basis and everyone is better prepared.
“A more informed consumer combined with a more informed manufacturer and a more informed retailer should provide all of us with a greater sense of ease and ensure we can meet this growing demand,” Mr. Freeman said.
The biggest supply issue seems to be paper products: 21% of shelves that stock paper towels and toilet paper are empty, the highest level in at least a month, according to market research company IRI. Cleaning supplies have remained level at 16%. Before the pandemic, 5% to 7% of consumer goods were typically out of stock, IRI said.
Contributing to the problem is the fact that roughly 10% of the workforce at manufacturing plants where the products are made are calling out sick, mainly because they’ve been in contact with others who tested positive for COVID-19, Mr. Freeman said.
Kelly Anderson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, said she needs more supplies now that in-person school in her area was canceled earlier this month and her two children are at home more. She’s noticed others are stocking up, too: Safeway and Walmart were nearly wiped out of bottled water and disinfectant wipes during a recent visit, both of which had been easy to find since the summer.
It’s also been harder to find a time slot to get her groceries delivered. Ms. Anderson says she’s had to wait as many as two days instead of having same-day delivery. But that’s still not as bad as earlier this year.
“March seems like a million years ago, but I do remember freaking out,” she said. “I couldn’t get groceries delivered for a week.”
Walmart said while supplies are stressed in some areas, it thinks it will be able to handle any stockpiling now than earlier this year.
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Amazon said its working with manufacturers to get items such as disinfecting wipes, paper towels, and hand sanitizer in stock.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-11-18--Cashless kids: Banks prepare for a new generation of spenders

When John Hibbs ’ daughter Xanthe received her first bank card in the mail , the 6 year old spent the next week Googling how to buy a horse .
Mr. Hibbs and his wife Kate had got Xanthe a newly launched children ’ s debit card from the British digital bank Starling .
The card is one of a number of new offerings from fintechs aimed at children and teenagers .
“ The earlier we can start the learning process of using a card , the earlier she can learn that you can ’ t just go out and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hibbs , who runs a charity .
While traditional banks have long offered basic savings accounts to children , fintechs say they have spotted an opportunity to offer better , slicker apps to tech-savvy kids and teenagers , who they say have been underserved .
Starling ’ s Kite card allows parents to transfer money to their children ’ s account , set spending limits , and receive notifications of their purchases .
It rivals similar products from gohenry and Monzo in Britain while in the American fintechs Greenlight , Step , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market in the United States .
JPMorgan Chase also recently entered the space , introducing a children ’ s account in partnership with Greenlight .
The companies say they aim to give children a taste of financial freedom and education , while letting parents track and block spending .
They hope to capitalize on the digital payment and e-commerce boom , and hold on to new customers into adulthood .
“ It ’ s a play on profitability to get lifelong customers , ” said Kavita Kamdar , who heads JPMorgan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Banking .
JPMorgan ’ s partner Greenlight has grown from 500,000 to 2 million parent and children customers in a year .
“ I think the startups are in a position to take junior accounts away from the high street banks , ” said Sarah Kocianski , head of research at fintech consultancy 11 : FS .
“ But they have to strike a balance between being appealing to kids and appealing to parents , and goodness knows how you do that.
” Companies must also be careful in keeping data secure and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are giving consent to , Mr. Kocianski said .
Atlanta-based Greenlight , which costs $ 4.99 a month , including debit cards for up to five kids , allows parents to create in-app chore lists for children and tie the work to perks .
It also lets parents set and pay interest on their children ’ s savings .
“ A couple of big macro trends drove the adoption of Greenlight , ” Timothy Sheehan , the company ’ s chief executive said .
“ The decline in use in cash and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among adults but among children.
” U.S. digital payment apps such as PayPal Holdings Inc. ’ s Venmo and Square Inc. ’ s Cash App , which have become a common way for consumers to send money to each other , do not allow users under the age of 18 .
This boosts the appeal of new apps targeted at those too young for popular apps but old enough to spend money .
“ This is a demographic that doesn ’ t have a bank account , they still have money underneath their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to the digital economy , ” said Eddie Behringer , chief executive of Seattle-based teen banking app Copper .
Analysts and investors question whether the youth market is getting overcrowded , given that youngsters are not cash-rich .
“ A lot of money is going to these firms , but do they make money ?
” said Ian Kar , the founder and chief executive of consultancy Fintech Today .
“ Teen banking is not very profitable yet.
” UK-based gohenry , which was founded 8 years ago , offers accounts for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per month .
Alex Zivoder , gohenry ’ s chief executive , said the company is on track to make a profit within a few years , despite its pretax loss jumping by three quarters to $ 7.7 million last year as it invested in expansion including in the U.S. Mr. Zivoder said the company made an underlying profit in the second and third quarters of 2020 .
Rivals do not worry him .
“ The market is huge , ” he said .
“ If you think of how many parents there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will they be happy with one solution , one product ?
” For neobanks like Starling , where children and teen accounts are an added product line , analysts see the service as a way to generate additional revenue .
Apps solely focused on the younger demographic may find it tougher .
Starling ’ s Kite account , which costs less than $ 3 a month , has been “ flying off the shelves , ” said Helen Bierton , the startup ’ s chief banking officer .
She declined to disclose figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its strategy to reach profitability by the end of 2020 .
Teenagers and children may not have much disposable income , but startups are banking on their growing spending power .
Gen Z , the generation currently between the ages of 8 and 23 , represents around $ 150 billion in spending power in the U.S. , according to the consulting firm McKinsey .
San Francisco-based Step , which hopes to build a bank for the next generation , plans to initially make money through card interchange and then offer more financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every brand wants to reach this new generation , ” said Step founder and chief executive CJ MacDonald .
“ They are not rich , but they still spend billions of dollars a year.
” Ben Galbraith , a Palo Alto-based father of eight , has used Step with his five older kids for the past 10 months .
He used to keep track of allowances , spending , and frequently lost cards with a spreadsheet .
“ Moving it into an easy-to-use app gets rid of all that stuff , ” Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an 18-year old New York University student , doesn ’ t mind her parents having a real time view of her spending .
As an added perk she can use Step to ask her siblings to pay her back any money they owe her .
But access to digital banking can ’ t solve everything .
“ They ignore my requests , so I have to badger them , ” she said .
“ Three of them have not responded.
” This story was reported by Reuters .

When John Hibbs’ daughter Xanthe received her first bank card in the mail, the 6 year old spent the next week Googling how to buy a horse.
Mr. Hibbs and his wife Kate had got Xanthe a newly launched children’s debit card from the British digital bank Starling. The card is one of a number of new offerings from fintechs aimed at children and teenagers.
“The earlier we can start the learning process of using a card, the earlier she can learn that you can’t just go out and buy a horse,” said Mr. Hibbs, who runs a charity.
While traditional banks have long offered basic savings accounts to children, fintechs say they have spotted an opportunity to offer better, slicker apps to tech-savvy kids and teenagers, who they say have been underserved.
Starling’s Kite card allows parents to transfer money to their children’s account, set spending limits, and receive notifications of their purchases. It rivals similar products from gohenry and Monzo in Britain while in the American fintechs Greenlight, Step, and Copper are trying to capture the youth market in the United States.
JPMorgan Chase also recently entered the space, introducing a children’s account in partnership with Greenlight.
The companies say they aim to give children a taste of financial freedom and education, while letting parents track and block spending. They hope to capitalize on the digital payment and e-commerce boom, and hold on to new customers into adulthood.
“It’s a play on profitability to get lifelong customers,” said Kavita Kamdar, who heads JPMorgan’s children’s venture, Chase First Banking.
JPMorgan’s partner Greenlight has grown from 500,000 to 2 million parent and children customers in a year.
“I think the startups are in a position to take junior accounts away from the high street banks,” said Sarah Kocianski, head of research at fintech consultancy 11:FS. “But they have to strike a balance between being appealing to kids and appealing to parents, and goodness knows how you do that.”
Companies must also be careful in keeping data secure and ensure children and parents understand what they are giving consent to, Mr. Kocianski said.
From popularity to profitability
Atlanta-based Greenlight, which costs $4.99 a month, including debit cards for up to five kids, allows parents to create in-app chore lists for children and tie the work to perks. It also lets parents set and pay interest on their children’s savings.
“A couple of big macro trends drove the adoption of Greenlight,” Timothy Sheehan, the company’s chief executive said. “The decline in use in cash and the adoption of the smartphone, not only among adults but among children.”
U.S. digital payment apps such as PayPal Holdings Inc.’s Venmo and Square Inc.’s Cash App, which have become a common way for consumers to send money to each other, do not allow users under the age of 18. This boosts the appeal of new apps targeted at those too young for popular apps but old enough to spend money.
“This is a demographic that doesn’t have a bank account, they still have money underneath their bed – and we are providing them access to the digital economy,” said Eddie Behringer, chief executive of Seattle-based teen banking app Copper.
Analysts and investors question whether the youth market is getting overcrowded, given that youngsters are not cash-rich.
“A lot of money is going to these firms, but do they make money?” said Ian Kar, the founder and chief executive of consultancy Fintech Today. “Teen banking is not very profitable yet.”
UK-based gohenry, which was founded 8 years ago, offers accounts for children, charging parents about $4 per month.
Alex Zivoder, gohenry’s chief executive, said the company is on track to make a profit within a few years, despite its pretax loss jumping by three quarters to $7.7 million last year as it invested in expansion including in the U.S.
Mr. Zivoder said the company made an underlying profit in the second and third quarters of 2020.
Rivals do not worry him. “The market is huge,” he said.
“If you think of how many parents there are in the U.S. and UK, will they be happy with one solution, one product?”
For neobanks like Starling, where children and teen accounts are an added product line, analysts see the service as a way to generate additional revenue. Apps solely focused on the younger demographic may find it tougher.
Starling’s Kite account, which costs less than $3 a month, has been “flying off the shelves,” said Helen Bierton, the startup’s chief banking officer. She declined to disclose figures, noting products like Kite are part of its strategy to reach profitability by the end of 2020.
Spending
Teenagers and children may not have much disposable income, but startups are banking on their growing spending power. Gen Z, the generation currently between the ages of 8 and 23, represents around $150 billion in spending power in the U.S., according to the consulting firm McKinsey.
San Francisco-based Step, which hopes to build a bank for the next generation, plans to initially make money through card interchange and then offer more financial products as customers grow older.
“Every brand wants to reach this new generation,” said Step founder and chief executive CJ MacDonald. “They are not rich, but they still spend billions of dollars a year.”
Ben Galbraith, a Palo Alto-based father of eight, has used Step with his five older kids for the past 10 months. He used to keep track of allowances, spending, and frequently lost cards with a spreadsheet.
“Moving it into an easy-to-use app gets rid of all that stuff,” Mr. Galbraith said.
His oldest daughter Jackie, an 18-year old New York University student, doesn’t mind her parents having a real time view of her spending. As an added perk she can use Step to ask her siblings to pay her back any money they owe her. But access to digital banking can’t solve everything.
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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.
“They ignore my requests, so I have to badger them,” she said. “Three of them have not responded.”
This story was reported by Reuters.


csmonitor--2020-11-18--Architects break the mold with new designs for wellbeing

From office workers to students , Americans facing colder weather and more time inside have a pressing question : How can they keep safe amid a pandemic that scientists say thrives in indoor settings ?
The search for answers has prompted a new look at what architects and their buildings can do to help , both now and in the future .
“ The built environment is a first line of defense in a pandemic , ” said Rachel Gutter , president of the International WELL Building Institute .
“ That ’ s a real shift in how we think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomson Reuters Foundation .
Ms. Gutter and her colleagues oversee a global set of standards for buildings aimed at promoting the health of their occupants .
Some 4,900 projects in more than 60 countries are currently at some stage in the voluntary WELL certification process .
In September , the institute launched a major update that includes coronavirus-specific changes that it began piloting this summer , the result of work by about 600 public health officials , government officials , designers , and more .
Last month , a group of United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the medical journal Science , called on public health officials to highlight the importance of moving activities outdoors and improving indoor air , along with wearing masks and social distancing .
“ Indoor air quality considerations will be of even greater importance in regions of the world that are preparing for winter , ” Ms. Gutter said .
The changes to the WELL recommendations highlight the need to limit touch as people move through a building , safely disinfect surfaces , and more , in particular boosting indoor air quality , Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance has been enormous , and implementation has been “ lightning fast , ” she said , adding that about 350 million square feet of space has been newly registered with the institute since June .
Other building certification systems have rolled out new guidance , too , including LEED – or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – which focuses on environmental impact and has been widely adopted across the globe .
“ The pandemic has really shone a spotlight on , ‘ What is my indoor air quality like , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Melissa Baker , senior vice president of LEED development at the U.S. Green Building Council , which oversees the system .
“ These are the questions that tenants will be asking their landlords now.
” Months into the pandemic , designers are tracking changes in how people interact with buildings and trying to see how they can help make the indoors healthier , said Rachel Minnery , a senior director with the American Institute of Architects .
“ Here we are , almost every building except your home is considered unsafe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can the built environment play ... so hopefully we ’ re not in quarantine for the next two years ?
” Design tweaks could start with a user ’ s entry into a building , Ms. Minnery noted , through vestibules and queuing areas to facilitate temperature checks or social distancing .
Architects are also incorporating one-way doors and hallways , spreading workstations farther apart , deploying touchless technologies , and upgrading air-filtration systems , she added .
The demands are forcing designers to learn about a range of new issues .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m an architect , ” said Jenine Kotob , who works just outside Washington with Hord Coplan Macht ( HCM ) , a national firm .
When the pandemic hit , Ms. Kotob and her colleagues started participating in emergency workshops with public health experts .
“ They defined for us a baseline of understanding , the knowledge base that any architect now needs to be aware of : how infectious diseases are transferred , ” she said .
In a survey of real estate experts around the world released by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in October , 90 % of respondents said certification of healthy offices will likely rise in coming years .
The pandemic is also shifting thinking in terms of how buildings can help with the way communities function more broadly , from wellbeing to work .
“ The thing that ’ s different about COVID is we ’ re focusing not only on physical wellness but also emotional wellbeing , ” said Donald Powell , a partner at the BOKA Powell architecture firm based in Texas .
“ That ’ s the hurdle all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come back to the workplace.
” In response to client queries on how to entice workers back to the office , Mr. Powell said he and his colleagues are considering on-site child care and even classrooms , aimed at parents who are home-schooling and want to come back to work .
Schools have been a high-profile point of contention throughout the pandemic , and a growing number in the U.S. are contemplating how to open back up .
“ Without school buildings able to come back online during the pandemic , the longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will see repercussions to our society , ” said HCM ’ s Ms. Kotob .
She and her colleagues are being asked to repurpose cafeterias , libraries , and other large gathering spaces to create multiple smaller classrooms , all while adhering to local regulations and social distancing guidance , she said .
The need for these changes has underscored the chronic underfunding of public schools , Ms. Kotob noted .
U.S. elementary facilities face a shortfall of $ 38 billion a year , according to advocacy group Build America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide $ 5 billion for emergency school repairs as part of a pandemic relief package , which could go toward improving sanitation and upgrading air-filtration systems , for example .
“ What we ’ ve seen in the pandemic is there are specific issues that have gone unaddressed for so long – air quality , overcrowded conditions , access to the outdoors – that can ’ t be tabled any longer , ” said Ms. Kotob .
That kind of thinking is prompting broader recognition of the notion of health as a human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ms. Gutter at the International WELL Building Institute .
“ Many of us have now been cooped up in our homes for months , so we ’ re much more tuned in to these impacts on our health , ” she said .
“ The way we build affordable housing , construct our schools – what would happen if we embraced the notion that these could enhance rather than take away from our health and wellbeing ?
” This story was reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation .
Editor ’ s note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

From office workers to students, Americans facing colder weather and more time inside have a pressing question: How can they keep safe amid a pandemic that scientists say thrives in indoor settings?
The search for answers has prompted a new look at what architects and their buildings can do to help, both now and in the future.
“The built environment is a first line of defense in a pandemic,” said Rachel Gutter, president of the International WELL Building Institute. “That’s a real shift in how we think about buildings,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Ms. Gutter and her colleagues oversee a global set of standards for buildings aimed at promoting the health of their occupants.
Some 4,900 projects in more than 60 countries are currently at some stage in the voluntary WELL certification process.
In September, the institute launched a major update that includes coronavirus-specific changes that it began piloting this summer, the result of work by about 600 public health officials, government officials, designers, and more.
Last month, a group of United States scientists, in an open letter published in the medical journal Science,called on public health officials to highlight the importance of moving activities outdoors and improving indoor air, along with wearing masks and social distancing.
“Indoor air quality considerations will be of even greater importance in regions of the world that are preparing for winter,” Ms. Gutter said.
The changes to the WELL recommendations highlight the need to limit touch as people move through a building, safely disinfect surfaces, and more, in particular boosting indoor air quality, Ms. Gutter said.
Interest in the coronavirus guidance has been enormous, and implementation has been “lightning fast,” she said, adding that about 350 million square feet of space has been newly registered with the institute since June.
Other building certification systems have rolled out new guidance, too, including LEED – or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – which focuses on environmental impact and has been widely adopted across the globe.
“The pandemic has really shone a spotlight on, ‘What is my indoor air quality like, and why does that matter?’” said Melissa Baker, senior vice president of LEED development at the U.S. Green Building Council, which oversees the system.
“These are the questions that tenants will be asking their landlords now.”
Healthier indoors
Months into the pandemic, designers are tracking changes in how people interact with buildings and trying to see how they can help make the indoors healthier, said Rachel Minnery, a senior director with the American Institute of Architects.
“Here we are, almost every building except your home is considered unsafe,” she said.
“What role can the built environment play ... so hopefully we’re not in quarantine for the next two years?”
Design tweaks could start with a user’s entry into a building, Ms. Minnery noted, through vestibules and queuing areas to facilitate temperature checks or social distancing.
Architects are also incorporating one-way doors and hallways, spreading workstations farther apart, deploying touchless technologies, and upgrading air-filtration systems, she added.
The demands are forcing designers to learn about a range of new issues.
“I’m not an epidemiologist – I’m an architect,” said Jenine Kotob, who works just outside Washington with Hord Coplan Macht (HCM), a national firm.
When the pandemic hit, Ms. Kotob and her colleagues started participating in emergency workshops with public health experts.
“They defined for us a baseline of understanding, the knowledge base that any architect now needs to be aware of: how infectious diseases are transferred,” she said.
In a survey of real estate experts around the world released by the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit Urban Land Institute in October, 90% of respondents said certification of healthy offices will likely rise in coming years.
Emotional wellbeing
The pandemic is also shifting thinking in terms of how buildings can help with the way communities function more broadly, from wellbeing to work.
“The thing that’s different about COVID is we’re focusing not only on physical wellness but also emotional wellbeing,” said Donald Powell, a partner at the BOKA Powell architecture firm based in Texas.
“That’s the hurdle all corporations have to cross before employees will come back to the workplace.”
In response to client queries on how to entice workers back to the office, Mr. Powell said he and his colleagues are considering on-site child care and even classrooms, aimed at parents who are home-schooling and want to come back to work.
Schools have been a high-profile point of contention throughout the pandemic, and a growing number in the U.S. are contemplating how to open back up.
“Without school buildings able to come back online during the pandemic, the longer we stretch it out, the longer we will see repercussions to our society,” said HCM’s Ms. Kotob.
She and her colleagues are being asked to repurpose cafeterias, libraries, and other large gathering spaces to create multiple smaller classrooms, all while adhering to local regulations and social distancing guidance, she said.
The need for these changes has underscored the chronic underfunding of public schools, Ms. Kotob noted.
U.S. elementary facilities face a shortfall of $38 billion a year, according to advocacy group Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition.
Pending legislation would provide $5 billion for emergency school repairs as part of a pandemic relief package, which could go toward improving sanitation and upgrading air-filtration systems, for example.
“What we’ve seen in the pandemic is there are specific issues that have gone unaddressed for so long – air quality, overcrowded conditions, access to the outdoors – that can’t be tabled any longer,” said Ms. Kotob.
That kind of thinking is prompting broader recognition of the notion of health as a human right and its links with buildings, said Ms. Gutter at the International WELL Building Institute.
“Many of us have now been cooped up in our homes for months, so we’re much more tuned in to these impacts on our health,” she said.
“The way we build affordable housing, construct our schools – what would happen if we embraced the notion that these could enhance rather than take away from our health and wellbeing?”
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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.
This story was reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-11-19--The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reclaims its language

On Cape Cod in Massachusetts , Mashpee Middle-High School students have the option to study Spanish , French , Mandarin , and also Wôpanâak , a language once spoken by thousands of people across what is now Massachusetts and Rhode Island .
Wôpanâak , anglicized as Wampanoag , is the language of the people who welcomed the Pilgrims and taught them how to farm in the harsh New England climate .
This turned out to be disastrous for the “ People of the Dawn ” – “ our biggest mistake ... the beginning of the end , ” Wampanoag elder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , schools that forbade children from speaking their language , and the pressures of religious and cultural assimilation ensured that by the beginning of the 20th century , there were no more living fluent speakers .
Wampanoag had “ gone to sleep , ” as some tribe members say .
In the 1990s , linguist and Mashpee tribe member jessie “ little doe ” baird began to wake it up again , founding the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project ( WLRP ) .
Today , in addition to the older students , children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults can take classes .
There are now more than 100 speakers of varying fluency .
How were tribe members able to reclaim a language that no one had spoken for 150 years ?
They began with written records .
The Puritans who settled Massachusetts in the 17th century were keen to spread their religion , so some missionaries learned Wampanoag .
The first Bible printed in America was in fact a translation into it : “ Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe Up-Biblum God ” ( 1663 ) .
The 17th-century Wampanoag were themselves highly literate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and wills .
While written records provided a sense of Wampanoag vocabulary and grammar , the WLRP also compared it with its sister languages in the Algonquian family .
And finally , the WLRP created new words .
Tracy Kelley , a linguist and Mashpee tribe member , explained how this process works .
Wampanoag is a polysynthetic language , which means that utterances are made up of many morphemes ( units of meaning ) stuck together .
Many nouns end up being good descriptions of what they represent : pôhpukun ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forth round.
” What is the essence of , say , a car , and which morphemes would best convey it ?
A car ’ s chief characteristic is that it rolls on wheels , so the word became yâweeqât , “ rolls by four.
” Bicycle , then , was easy : neesweeqât , “ rolls by two.
” Wampanoag people are once again able to pray , to learn their history , and to talk about “ the elder one that rolls by two ” ( kuhteesweeqât , a motorcycle ) @ @ @ @ @

On Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Mashpee Middle-High School students have the option to study Spanish, French, Mandarin, and also Wôpanâak, a language once spoken by thousands of people across what is now Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Wôpanâak, anglicized as Wampanoag, is the language of the people who welcomed the Pilgrims and taught them how to farm in the harsh New England climate. This turned out to be disastrous for the “People of the Dawn” – “our biggest mistake ... the beginning of the end,” Wampanoag elder Wamsutta wrote in 1970. War and disease, schools that forbade children from speaking their language, and the pressures of religious and cultural assimilation ensured that by the beginning of the 20th century, there were no more living fluent speakers. Wampanoag had “gone to sleep,” as some tribe members say.
In the 1990s, linguist and Mashpee tribe member jessie “little doe” baird began to wake it up again, founding the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project (WLRP). Today, in addition to the older students, children can attend an immersion school, and adults can take classes. There are now more than 100 speakers of varying fluency.
How were tribe members able to reclaim a language that no one had spoken for 150 years? They began with written records. The Puritans who settled Massachusetts in the 17th century were keen to spread their religion, so some missionaries learned Wampanoag. The first Bible printed in America was in fact a translation into it: “Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe Up-Biblum God” (1663). The 17th-century Wampanoag were themselves highly literate, and wrote many deeds, letters, and wills.
While written records provided a sense of Wampanoag vocabulary and grammar, the WLRP also compared it with its sister languages in the Algonquian family.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
And finally, the WLRP created new words. Tracy Kelley, a linguist and Mashpee tribe member, explained how this process works. Wampanoag is a polysynthetic language, which means that utterances are made up of many morphemes (units of meaning) stuck together. Many nouns end up being good descriptions of what they represent: pôhpukun (“pumpkin”) means “grows forth round.” What is the essence of, say, a car, and which morphemes would best convey it? A car’s chief characteristic is that it rolls on wheels, so the word became yâweeqât, “rolls by four.” Bicycle, then, was easy: neesweeqât, “rolls by two.”
Wampanoag people are once again able to pray, to learn their history, and to talk about “the prominent/revered thing that rolls by two” (kuhteesweeqât, a motorcycle) in their own language.