npr--2020-08-18--How Bars Are Fueling COVID-19 Outbreaks

How Bars Are Fueling COVID-19 Outbreaks

From the early days of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak , states have wrestled with the best course of action for the nation 's imperiled bars and nightclubs .
Many of these businesses find their economic prospects tied to a virus that preys on their industry 's lifeblood — social gatherings in tight quarters .
Public health experts and top health officials , including the Dr. Tony Fauci , say the evidence is abundantly clear : When bars open , infections tend to follow .
Some states moved quickly to shutter bars early in the pandemic for months or longer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under strict conditions .
Many other states moved to reopen bars on a faster timeline — only to shut them down again as viral case counts rebounded this summer .
`` We 're big targets .
It 's just wrong , '' says Steve Smith , whose Nashville , Tenn. , businesses include honky-tonks that serve alcohol and cater to tourists .
But some legal experts say public health authorities have broad power to close down any business they deem to be particularly dangerous .
`` They ca n't regulate in ways that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawrence Gostin , professor of law at Georgetown University .
`` But if there 's good evidence that a certain class of establishment is causing the spread of infectious diseases , it 's absolutely clear that they have the right — in fact , they have the duty — to do it . ''
The evidence that bars are a particular problem has continued to grow , says Dr. Ogechika Alozie , an infectious disease specialist in El Paso , Texas .
`` If you were to create a petri dish and say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most ?
It would be cruise ships , jails and prisons , factories , and it would be bars , '' Alozie says .
He was a member of the Texas Medical Association committee that created a COVID-19 risk scale for common activities such as shopping at the grocery store .
Bars top the list as the most risky .
`` You ca n't drink through the mask , so you 're taking off your mask .
There are lots of people , tight spaces and alcohol is a dis-inhibitor — people change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What am I going to do ? ''
At The Beer Junction in West Seattle , the stools are stacked in the corner .
These days the craft brewery 's taps flow for to-go drinks only .
`` It would be very lively , '' Allison Herzog , the brewery 's owner , says of its pre-pandemic days .
`` It is weird to come in here and not feel that vibrancy . ''
The coronavirus pandemic has compromised the bedrock of Herzog 's business : people gathering together to drink , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other 's company .
`` I wake up and I think every day , what am I going to do to keep going ? ''
Herzog says .
In the spring , The Beer Junction shut down indoor service as the coronavirus swept through Washington state .
Then , as coronavirus numbers improved , restrictions on restaurants and bars were eased in the early summer .
Finally , Herzog was allowed to open up a few tables and serve a limited number of customers indoors .
`` I could hear people laughing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It just touched my heart , and it felt like something was normal again . ''
But this reprieve did not last long .
By late July , the coronavirus had made a resurgence in the Seattle area , and Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee soon put another ban on indoor service at places that sold alcohol — including Herzog 's shop .
Even though it 's hard on her bottom line , she says she believes the risk of the coronavirus justifies the decision .
`` I trust that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scale back when it 's responsible , '' Herzog says .
There are now many examples across the U.S. of bars and nightclubs that have seeded outbreaks .
In July , Louisiana rolled back its limited opening of bars , reporting that more than 400 people had caught the coronavirus just from interactions at those businesses .
Texas and Arizona ordered bars to close down when infections skyrocketed and scenes of packed bars persisted .
In Michigan , public health authorities have traced close to 200 cases back to a now-infamous East Lansing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear masks and sit at tables , Alozie says he is skeptical that such guidance , however well-intentioned , can be successful .
`` The reality is man proposes , God disposes , '' he says .
`` Alcohol disposes even more . ''
An outbreak linked to a bar and grill in southwest Washington state is instructive .
For karaoke night , the staff spaced the tables , checked temperatures at the door , even put up plexiglass barriers near the singers .
Nonetheless , a few weeks later , close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected .
`` You 're asking customers who are drinking and doing karaoke to follow the physical distancing and masking requirements , '' says Dr. Alan Melnick , director of the Clark County Health Department , which conducted the investigation .
`` So that was challenging in this particular situation . ''
The chance of catching the virus through tiny airborne respiratory droplets , known as aerosols , goes up significantly in indoor spaces .
When some states reopened bars after the first round of lockdowns , Jose Luis-Jimenez , who studies the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I thought these were superspreading events waiting to happen , and look — that 's what happened , '' says Luis-Jimenez , a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder .
`` It was irresponsible . ''
Many of the risk factors for airborne transmission of the coronavirus come together in a bar — think of each one like a `` check mark '' that adds to a person 's overall risk .
And behavior matters , Luis-Jimenez says .
It can determine whether an indoor gathering becomes a superspreading event , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problematic than even a restaurant .
`` I would put my money that a bar is where the transmission is most likely to occur [ compared with a restaurant ] because that 's where you 're most likely to have people that are shouting and who are not wearing masks , '' he says .
In a handful of states , some bar owners are fighting in court against government orders that they stay closed .
Bars and taverns have brought legal challenges to coronavirus restrictions in Colorado , Florida , Arizona , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona , more than 60 bars filed a lawsuit to overturn the governor 's order to shut them down .
Ilan Wurman , an associate professor of law at Arizona State University , is representing the bar owners who argue that the state has unfairly singled them out while letting restaurants stay open late and serve alcohol .
`` Either treat them all equally and shut them all down — or treat them all equally and allow them all to conform to reasonable health measures , '' Wurman argues .
`` What you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criterion , something like alcohol , that 's totally arbitrary and that totally discriminates . ''
Gostin , the Georgetown University legal scholar , says courts historically have sided with public health decisions — even as recently as last month .
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a Nevada church 's challenge to limitations on holding services , although attorneys for the church had argued that the restrictions on worship services were more onerous than the ones placed on casinos and restaurants .
`` We have to remember we 're in an emergency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decision .
`` The health department should have reasonable discretion so long as it 's acting on the basis of good evidence . ''
Closing bars has a `` double effect , '' according to Dr. Joshua Sharfstein , vice dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .
`` It reduces the spread of the virus within the bar , and it makes everyone take this situation more seriously . ''
Sharfstein , who is also a former secretary of health and mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says he thinks , in most communities , keeping bars open will only set back other efforts to reopen society .
`` You ca n't look at the decision about bars separate from the need to save lives in nursing homes or to be able to open schools , '' Sharfstein says .
`` They 're all connected . ''

How Bars Are Fueling COVID-19 Outbreaks
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
From the early days of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, states have wrestled with the best course of action for the nation's imperiled bars and nightclubs. Many of these businesses find their economic prospects tied to a virus that preys on their industry's lifeblood — social gatherings in tight quarters.
Public health experts and top health officials, including the Dr. Tony Fauci, say the evidence is abundantly clear: When bars open, infections tend to follow.
Some states moved quickly to shutter bars early in the pandemic for months or longer, keeping them entirely closed or open only under strict conditions. Many other states moved to reopen bars on a faster timeline — only to shut them down again as viral case counts rebounded this summer.
"We're big targets. It's just wrong," says Steve Smith, whose Nashville, Tenn., businesses include honky-tonks that serve alcohol and cater to tourists.
But some legal experts say public health authorities have broad power to close down any business they deem to be particularly dangerous.
"They can't regulate in ways that are arbitrary or capricious," says Lawrence Gostin, professor of law at Georgetown University. "But if there's good evidence that a certain class of establishment is causing the spread of infectious diseases, it's absolutely clear that they have the right — in fact, they have the duty — to do it."
The evidence that bars are a particular problem has continued to grow, says Dr. Ogechika Alozie, an infectious disease specialist in El Paso, Texas.
"If you were to create a petri dish and say, how can we spread this the most? It would be cruise ships, jails and prisons, factories, and it would be bars," Alozie says. He was a member of the Texas Medical Association committee that created a COVID-19 risk scale for common activities such as shopping at the grocery store.
Bars top the list as the most risky.
"You can't drink through the mask, so you're taking off your mask. There are lots of people, tight spaces and alcohol is a dis-inhibitor — people change their behaviors," Alozie says.
"What am I going to do?"
At The Beer Junction in West Seattle, the stools are stacked in the corner. These days the craft brewery's taps flow for to-go drinks only.
"It would be very lively," Allison Herzog, the brewery's owner, says of its pre-pandemic days. "It is weird to come in here and not feel that vibrancy."
toggle caption Will Stone/NPR
The coronavirus pandemic has compromised the bedrock of Herzog's business: people gathering together to drink, talk, laugh and let loose in each other's company.
"I wake up and I think every day, what am I going to do to keep going?" Herzog says.
In the spring, The Beer Junction shut down indoor service as the coronavirus swept through Washington state. Then, as coronavirus numbers improved, restrictions on restaurants and bars were eased in the early summer. Finally, Herzog was allowed to open up a few tables and serve a limited number of customers indoors.
"I could hear people laughing in the bar," she recalls. "It just touched my heart, and it felt like something was normal again."
But this reprieve did not last long.
By late July, the coronavirus had made a resurgence in the Seattle area, and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee soon put another ban on indoor service at places that sold alcohol — including Herzog's shop.
Even though it's hard on her bottom line, she says she believes the risk of the coronavirus justifies the decision.
"I trust that they will open when it's responsible and scale back when it's responsible," Herzog says.
What the evidence shows
There are now many examples across the U.S. of bars and nightclubs that have seeded outbreaks.
In July, Louisiana rolled back its limited opening of bars, reporting that more than 400 people had caught the coronavirus just from interactions at those businesses. Texas and Arizona ordered bars to close down when infections skyrocketed and scenes of packed bars persisted. In Michigan, public health authorities have traced close to 200 cases back to a now-infamous East Lansing pub.
While bars can ask customers to wear masks and sit at tables, Alozie says he is skeptical that such guidance, however well-intended, can be successful.
"The reality is, man proposes, God disposes," he says. "Alcohol disposes even more."
An outbreak linked to a bar and grill in southwest Washington state is instructive.
For karaoke night, the staff spaced the tables, checked temperatures at the door, even put up plexiglass barriers near the singers. Nonetheless, a few weeks later, close to 20 customers and employees had been infected.
"You're asking customers who are drinking and doing karaoke to follow the physical distancing and masking requirements," says Dr. Alan Melnick, director of the Clark County Health Department, which conducted the investigation. "So that was challenging in this particular situation."
The chance of catching the virus through tiny airborne respiratory droplets, known as aerosols, goes up significantly in indoor spaces.
When some states reopened bars after the first round of lockdowns, Jose Luis-Jimenez, who studies the behavior of aerosols, was dismayed.
"I thought these were superspreading events waiting to happen, and look — that's what happened," says Luis-Jimenez, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. "It was irresponsible."
Many of the risk factors for airborne transmission of the coronavirus come together in a bar — think of each one like a "check mark" that adds to a person's overall risk.
And behavior matters, Luis-Jimenez says. It can determine whether an indoor gathering becomes a superspreading event, which is why a bar is more problematic than even a restaurant.
"I would put my money that a bar is where the transmission is most likely to occur [compared with a restaurant] because that's where you're most likely to have people that are shouting and who are not wearing masks," he says.
Bars are fighting back
In a handful of states, some bar owners are fighting in court against government orders that they stay closed. Bars and taverns have brought legal challenges to coronavirus restrictions in Colorado, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee, Texas and Louisiana.
In Arizona, more than 60 bars filed a lawsuit to overturn the governor's order to shut them down.
Ilan Wurman, an associate professor of law at Arizona State University, is representing the bar owners who argue that the state has unfairly singled them out while letting restaurants stay open late and serve alcohol.
"Either treat them all equally and shut them all down — or treat them all equally and allow them all to conform to reasonable health measures," Wurman argues. "What you can't do is pick out a criterion, something like alcohol, that's totally arbitrary and that totally discriminates."
Gostin, the Georgetown University legal scholar, says courts historically have sided with public health decisions — even as recently as last month.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a Nevada church's challenge to limitations on holding services, although attorneys for the church had argued that the restrictions on worship services were more onerous than the ones placed on casinos and restaurants.
"We have to remember we're in an emergency," Gostin says, regarding the court's decision. "The health department should have reasonable discretion so long as it's acting on the basis of good evidence."
Closing bars has a "double effect," according to Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "It reduces the spread of the virus within the bar, and it makes everyone take this situation more seriously."
Sharfstein, who is also a former secretary of health and mental hygiene for the state of Maryland, says he thinks, in most communities, keeping bars open will only set back other efforts to reopen society.
"You can't look at the decision about bars separate from the need to save lives in nursing homes or to be able to open schools," Sharfstein says. "They're all connected."


npr--2020-08-18--Extreme Heat And Fire Tornadoes Slow Firefighting Efforts In California

Firefighters are battling more than a dozen wildfires across California as a scorching heatwave continues to bear down on the state .
And in the midst of record-breaking temperatures , rare lightning storms have also sparked a handful of new fires that continue to rage on .
`` We are all experiencing rather extraordinary conditions , '' Gov .
Gavin Newsom said on Monday , adding that there are about 15 fires burning in the northern and southern ends of the state .
About 40,000 acres have been charred by a fire that was started by lightning close to Loyalton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near Reno .
As of Monday afternoon , officials said it was 10 % contained after destroying 11 structures , including five homes , the Tahoe National Forest said .
The Lake Fire , which erupted near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest on Wednesday , has now burned nearly 29 square miles of land , Cal Fire reported on Monday .
So far , 26 crews from across three agencies have contained about 38 % of the fire .
Part of the challenge they are facing is the steep and rugged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inaccessible .
Officials were relieved to report significant progress on the eastern and northern borders of the fire during an afternoon press conference .
But the western edge , which has not burned in more than 100 years , is where the fire is most dangerous to existing structures .
Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said at least 4,000 structures are in danger of being torched .
In all , 21 structures have been destroyed by the fire , while three others have been damaged .
Meanwhile , the threat of fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck northern California on Saturday .
That has prompted the National Weather Service to issue tornado warnings as pyrocumulus clouds form over the rapidly spreading fires .
These clouds , which contain moisture from fires below , sometimes generate such strong winds that they reach tornadic speeds .
In the case of the Loyalton fire on Saturday , the National Weather Service said wind speeds exceeded 60 mph .
Firefighting officials in Los Angeles County on Monday said the extreme hot weather is not going to let up anytime soon .
And those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could dry out vegetation in other parts of the West , setting the stage for future fires .
Some climate scientists say the current heat wave could be the worst in more than a decade .

Extreme Heat And Fire Tornadoes Slow Firefighting Efforts In California
Enlarge this image toggle caption Katelynn & Jordan Hewlett/AP Katelynn & Jordan Hewlett/AP
Firefighters are battling more than a dozen wildfires across California as a scorching heat wave continues to bear down on the state. And in the midst of record-breaking temperatures, rare lightning storms have also sparked a handful of new fires that continue to rage on.
"We are all experiencing rather extraordinary conditions," Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, adding that there are about 15 fires burning in the northern and southern ends of the state.
About 40,000 acres have been charred by a fire that was started by lightning close to Loyalton, a community along the California-Nevada border near Reno.
As of Monday afternoon, officials said it was 10% contained after destroying 11 structures, including five homes, the U.S. Forest Service said.
The Lake Fire, which erupted near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest on Wednesday, has now burned nearly 29 square miles of land, Cal Fire reported on Monday. So far, 26 crews from three agencies have contained about 38% of the fire.
Part of the challenge they are facing is the steep and rugged terrain that makes much of the blaze inaccessible.
Officials were relieved to report significant progress on the eastern and northern borders of the fire during a Monday afternoon press conference.
But the western edge, which has not burned in more than 100 years, is where the fire presents the most danger. Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said at least 4,000 structures are in danger of being torched.
In all, 21 structures have been destroyed by the fire, while three others have been damaged.
Meanwhile, the threat of fire tornadoes hovers over the state after several struck northern California on Saturday. That has prompted the National Weather Service to issue tornado warnings as pyrocumulus clouds form over the rapidly spreading fires.
These clouds, which contain moisture from fires below, sometimes generate such strong winds that they reach tornadic speeds. In the case of the Loyalton fire on Saturday, the National Weather Service said wind speeds exceeded 60 mph.
Firefighting officials in Los Angeles County on Monday said the extreme hot weather is not going to let up anytime soon. And those on the front lines are concerned it could dry out vegetation in other parts of the West, setting the stage for future fires.
Some climate scientists say the current heat wave could be the worst in more than a decade.


npr--2020-08-18--Michelle Obama Rips Trump As 'Clearly In Over His Head'

Michelle Obama Rips Trump As 'Clearly In Over His Head' Updated at 7:22 a.m .
ET Michelle Obama did n't mince words Monday night .
After mostly staying out of the political fray during President Trump 's tenure in the White House , she used her prime-time Democratic National Convention slot to deliver a blistering indictment on his policies and ability to lead .
`` Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country .
He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job , but he is clearly in over his head .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is . ''
The bestselling author and popular former first lady was the closer for Democrats on the first night of the convention .
In a taped appearance sitting in what looked like a living room with a Biden sign behind her , Obama said she `` hates politics , '' but she proceeded to give the most political and personal speech of the night .
She reprised her 2016 Democratic convention tag line , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump : `` When they go low , we go high . ''
Obama acknowledged that some were n't sure the Democratic Party should stick with that approach .
But she defended staying true to it , saying , `` Going high is the only thing that works , because when we go low , when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others , we just become part of the ugly noise that 's drowning out everything else .
We degrade ourselves .
We degrade the very causes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 version , Obama suggested there are times when hitting back is necessary , saying , `` Going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty . ''
Wearing a gold necklace with letters that spelled V-O-T-E , the former first lady made an urgent plea for Americans to show up in 2020 .
`` We 've got to vote early , in person if we can .
We 've got to request our mail-in ballots right now , tonight , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure they 're received .
And then , make sure our friends and families do the same .
We have got to grab our comfortable shoes , put on our masks , pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast too , because we 've got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to . ''
That message could be viewed as at odds with advice from public health experts who warn that Americans need to social distance during the coronavirus pandemic and avoid crowded places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held few public events and has stuck to just a handful of low-key events with small numbers of voters in his home state of Delaware or neighboring Pennsylvania .
Obama warned against complacency and noted that people deciding their votes did n't matter led to Trump 's victory in 2016 .
She also made it clear people who may not be completely sold on Biden needed to get behind the party 's nominee .
In a reference that could include rapper Kanye West 's lackluster candidacy for president , Obama said , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning . ''
President Trump responded to the former first lady in a series of tweets on Tuesday morning , criticizing the record of the Obama-Biden administration and mocking the timing of Michelle Obama 's endorsement of her husband 's vice president .
Many of the speakers during Monday night 's lineup focused on issues of racial injustice in an effort to build a case that Biden is the right candidate to heal a country still reeling from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was in the custody of Minneapolis police officers .
Floyd 's family members appeared for a moment of silence as part of the programming .
But Obama 's speech only briefly touched on that issue , when she mentioned Floyd and another African American , Breonna Taylor , who was shot and killed in Louisville , Ky. , five months ago .
Obama noted , `` Stating the simple fact that a Black life matters is still met with derision from the nation 's highest office . ''
The former first lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know Biden during her husband 's presidency , outlining Biden 's own struggles and ability to empathize with others .
`` His life is a testament to getting back up , and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up , to help us heal and guide us forward . ''
But a central message of her speech was focused on painting a dark picture of what she described as the state of the country and the current president 's character and impact on children .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next generation `` see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists .
They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages , and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protesters for a photo op . ''
Former President Barack Obama is slated to speak on Wednesday night about his former vice president , and it 's likely he will include more firsthand accounts of Biden 's leadership and involvement in some of his administration 's biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care reforms and addressing the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath .
On Twitter , he also echoed his wife 's push for people to get out and vote .
Michelle Obama referenced the divisions in the country , saying , `` I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic convention . ''
But even as Biden announced the historic pick of Kamala Harris as his running mate — making her the first Black woman and the first person of Asian descent to be nominated as vice president by a major political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time marking that dynamic in her speech .
Instead , she used the speech to paint a picture of what she believes is at stake for the country if the president is reelected .
Obama warned : `` If you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me , they can ; and they will if we do n't make a change in this election .
If we have any hope of ending this chaos , we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it .
@

Michelle Obama Rips Trump As 'Clearly In Over His Head'
Updated at 7:22 a.m. ET
Michelle Obama didn't mince words Monday night. After mostly staying out of the political fray during President Trump's tenure in the White House, she used her prime-time Democratic National Convention slot to deliver a blistering indictment on his policies and ability to lead.
"Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is."
The bestselling author and popular former first lady was the closer for Democrats on the first night of the convention. In a taped appearance sitting in what looked like a living room with a Biden sign behind her, Obama said she "hates politics," but she proceeded to give the most political and personal speech of the night.
She reprised her 2016 Democratic convention tag line, describing her strategy for responding to then-candidate Donald Trump: "When they go low, we go high."
Obama acknowledged that some weren't sure the Democratic Party should stick with that approach. But she defended staying true to it, saying, "Going high is the only thing that works, because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that's drowning out everything else. We degrade ourselves. We degrade the very causes for which we fight."
But for the 2020 version, Obama suggested there are times when hitting back is necessary, saying, "Going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty."
Wearing a gold necklace with letters that spelled V-O-T-E, the former first lady made an urgent plea for Americans to show up in 2020.
"We've got to vote early, in person if we can. We've got to request our mail-in ballots right now, tonight, and send them back immediately and follow up to make sure they're received. And then, make sure our friends and families do the same. We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast too, because we've got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to."
That message could be viewed as at odds with advice from public health experts who warn that Americans need to social distance during the coronavirus pandemic and avoid crowded places. Joe Biden, 77, has held few public events and has stuck to just a handful of low-key events with small numbers of voters in his home state of Delaware or neighboring Pennsylvania.
Obama warned against complacency and noted that people deciding their votes didn't matter led to Trump's victory in 2016. She also made it clear people who may not be completely sold on Biden needed to get behind the party's nominee.
In a reference that could include rapper Kanye West's lackluster candidacy for president, Obama said, "This is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning."
President Trump responded to the former first lady in a series of tweets on Tuesday morning, criticizing the record of the Obama-Biden administration and mocking the timing of Michelle Obama's endorsement of her husband's vice president.
Many of the speakers during Monday night's lineup focused on issues of racial injustice in an effort to build a case that Biden is the right candidate to heal a country still reeling from the aftermath of George Floyd's death while he was in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. Floyd's family members appeared for a moment of silence as part of the programming. But Obama's speech only briefly touched on that issue, when she mentioned Floyd and another African American, Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed in Louisville, Ky., five months ago. Obama noted, "Stating the simple fact that a Black life matters is still met with derision from the nation's highest office."
The former first lady did discuss her personal experience getting to know Biden during her husband's presidency, outlining Biden's own struggles and ability to empathize with others.
"His life is a testament to getting back up, and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up, to help us heal and guide us forward."
But a central message of her speech was focused on painting a dark picture of what she described as the state of the country and the current president's character and impact on children. At one point Obama said those in the next generation "see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists. They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages, and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protesters for a photo op."
Former President Barack Obama is slated to speak on Wednesday night about his former vice president, and it's likely he will include more firsthand accounts of Biden's leadership and involvement in some of his administration's biggest accomplishments, such as enacting major health care reforms and addressing the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath. On Twitter, he also echoed his wife's push for people to get out and vote.
Michelle Obama referenced the divisions in the country, saying, "I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic convention." But even as Biden announced the historic pick of Kamala Harris as his running mate — making her the first Black woman and the first person of Asian descent to be nominated as vice president by a major political party — she did not spend any time marking that dynamic in her speech.
Instead, she used the speech to paint a picture of what she believes is at stake for the country if the president is reelected.
Obama warned: "If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will if we don't make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it."


npr--2020-08-18--WATCH: Bernie Sanders' Speech To The Democratic National Convention

In remarks Monday night , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called for an `` unprecedented response '' to defeat President Trump and elect Joe Biden .
Here are his remarks , as prepared for delivery : Good evening .
Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment .
We are facing the worst public health crisis in 100 years and the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression .
We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change .
And , in the midst of all of this , we have a president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these crises but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism .
This election is the most important in the modern history of this country .
In response to the unprecedented crises we face , we need an unprecedented response—a movement , like never before , of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency—and against greed , oligarchy , and bigotry .
And we need Joe Biden as our next president .
Let me take this opportunity to say a word to the millions who supported my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My friends , thank you for your trust , your support , and the love you showed Jane , me , and our family .
Together we have moved this country in a bold new direction showing that all of us—Black and white , Latino , Native American , Asian American , gay and straight , native born and immigrant—yearn for a nation based on the principles of justice , love , and compassion .
Our campaign ended several months ago , but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that just a few years ago were considered `` radical , '' are now mainstream .
But , let us be clear , if Donald Trump is re-elected , all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy .
At its most basic , this election is about preserving our democracy .
During this president 's term , the unthinkable has become normal .
He has tried to prevent people from voting , undermined the U.S .
Postal Service , deployed the military and federal agents against peaceful protesters , threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will not leave office if he loses .
This is not normal , and we must never treat it like it is .
Under this administration authoritarianism has taken root in our country .
I , and my family , and many of yours , know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy , decency , and humanity .
As long as I am here , I will work with progressives , with moderates , and , yes , with conservatives to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This president is not just a threat to our democracy , but by rejecting science , he has put our lives and health in jeopardy .
Trump has attacked doctors and scientists trying to protect us from the pandemic , while refusing to take strong action to produce the masks , gowns , and gloves our health care workers desperately need .
Nero fiddled while Rome burned ; Trump golfs .
His actions fanned this pandemic resulting in over 170,000 deaths and a nation still unprepared to protect its people .
Furthermore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis we are now experiencing .
Since this pandemic began , over 30 million people have lost their jobs and many have lost their health insurance .
Millions of working families are wondering how they 'll feed their kids and worried that they will be evicted from their homes .
And how has Trump responded ?
Instead of maintaining the $ 600 a week unemployment supplement that workers were receiving , and the $ 1,200 emergency checks that many of you received , instead of helping small businesses—Trump concocted fraudulent executive orders that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while threatening the very future of Social Security and Medicare .
My friends , the American people have caught on that this president and his administration are , to put it bluntly , frauds .
In 2016 , Trump promised he would stand with working families .
He said that he would `` drain the swamp , '' take on Wall Street and powerful special interests .
He would protect Social Security , Medicare , and Medicaid and , by the way , he would provide health care to `` everybody . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , he filled his administration with billionaires and gave trillions to the top 1 percent and large corporations .
He tried to throw 32 million people off of their health insurance , eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions , and submitted budgets that proposed slashing Medicaid , Medicare , and Social Security .
But the truth is that , even before Trump 's negligent response to this pandemic , too many hard-working families have been caught on an economic treadmill with no hope of ever getting ahead .
Together we must build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more compassionate and more inclusive .
I know that Joe Biden will begin that fight on day one .
Let me offer you just a few examples of how Joe will move us forward .
Joe supports raising the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour .
This will give 40 million workers a pay raise and push the wage scale up for everyone else .
Joe will also make it easier for workers to join unions , create 12 weeks of paid family leave , fund universal pre-K for 3- and 4-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for millions of families .
Joe will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and fight the threat of climate change by transitioning us to 100 percent clean electricity over the next fifteen years .
These initiatives will create millions of good paying jobs all across the country .
As you know , we are the only industrialized nation not to guarantee health care for all people .
While Joe and I disagree on the best path to get to universal coverage , he has a plan that will greatly expand health care and cut the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will lower the eligibility age of Medicare from 65 to 60 .
To help reform our broken criminal justice system Joe will end private prisons and detention centers , cash bail , and the school to prison pipeline .
And to heal the soul of our nation , Joe Biden will end the hate and division Trump has created .
He will stop the demonization of immigrants , the coddling of white nationalists , the racist dog whistling , the religious bigotry , and the ugly attacks on women .
My friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election : The future of our democracy is at stake .
The future of our economy is at stake .
The future of our planet is at stake .
We must come together , defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president .
My friends , the price of failure is just too great to imagine .

WATCH: Bernie Sanders' Speech To The Democratic National Convention
In remarks Monday night, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called for an "unprecedented response" to defeat President Trump and elect Joe Biden. Here are his remarks, as prepared for delivery:
Good evening. Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment.
We are facing the worst public health crisis in 100 years and the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change. And in the midst of all of this, we have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism.
This election is the most important in the modern history of this country. In response to the unprecedented crises we face, we need an unprecedented response — a movement, like never before, of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency — and against greed, oligarchy and bigotry.
And we need Joe Biden as our next president.
Let me take this opportunity to say a word to the millions who supported my campaign this year and in 2016. My friends, thank you for your trust, your support, and the love you showed Jane, me and our family.
Together we have moved this country in a bold new direction showing that all of us — Black and white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, native born and immigrant — yearn for a nation based on the principles of justice, love and compassion. Our campaign ended several months ago, but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day. Many of the ideas we fought for, that just a few years ago were considered "radical," are now mainstream. But let us be clear. If Donald Trump is reelected, all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy.
Defending democracy
At its most basic, this election is about preserving our democracy. During this president's term, the unthinkable has become normal. He has tried to prevent people from voting, undermined the U.S. Postal Service, deployed the military and federal agents against peaceful protesters, threatened to delay the election and suggested that he will not leave office if he loses. This is not normal, and we must never treat it like it is.
Under this administration, authoritarianism has taken root in our country. I and my family, and many of yours, know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy, decency and humanity. As long as I am here, I will work with progressives, with moderates, and, yes, with conservatives to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.
The pandemic
This president is not just a threat to our democracy, but by rejecting science, he has put our lives and health in jeopardy. Trump has attacked doctors and scientists trying to protect us from the pandemic, while refusing to take strong action to produce the masks, gowns and gloves our health care workers desperately need.
Nero fiddled while Rome burned; Trump golfs. His actions fanned this pandemic, resulting in over 170,000 deaths and a nation still unprepared to protect its people.
The economic crisis
Furthermore, Trump's negligence has exacerbated the economic crisis we are now experiencing.
Since this pandemic began, over 30 million people have lost their jobs and many have lost their health insurance. Millions of working families are wondering how they'll feed their kids and worried that they will be evicted from their homes.
And how has Trump responded? Instead of maintaining the $600 a week unemployment supplement that workers were receiving, and the $1,200 emergency checks that many of you received, instead of helping small businesses — Trump concocted fraudulent executive orders that do virtually nothing to address the crisis while threatening the very future of Social Security and Medicare.
Trump the "fraud"
My friends, the American people have caught on that this president and his administration are, to put it bluntly, frauds.
In 2016, Trump promised he would stand with working families. He said that he would "drain the swamp," take on Wall Street and powerful special interests. He would protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and, by the way, he would provide health care to "everybody." Well. None of it was true.
Instead, he filled his administration with billionaires and gave trillions to the top 1% and large corporations. He tried to throw 32 million people off of their health insurance, eliminate protections for preexisting conditions, and submitted budgets that proposed slashing Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.
Joe Biden
But the truth is that, even before Trump's negligent response to this pandemic, too many hard-working families have been caught on an economic treadmill with no hope of ever getting ahead. Together we must build a nation that is more equitable, more compassionate and more inclusive.
I know that Joe Biden will begin that fight on Day 1.
Let me offer you just a few examples of how Joe will move us forward.
Joe supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. This will give 40 million workers a pay raise and push the wage scale up for everyone else.
Joe will also make it easier for workers to join unions, create 12 weeks of paid family leave, fund universal pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, and make child care affordable for millions of families.
Joe will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and fight the threat of climate change by transitioning us to 100% clean electricity over the next 15 years. These initiatives will create millions of good paying jobs all across the country.
As you know, we are the only industrialized nation not to guarantee health care for all people. While Joe and I disagree on the best path to get to universal coverage, he has a plan that will greatly expand health care and cut the cost of prescription drugs. Further, he will lower the eligibility age of Medicare from 65 to 60.
To help reform our broken criminal justice system Joe will end private prisons and detention centers, cash bail, and the school-to-prison pipeline.
And to heal the soul of our nation, Joe Biden will end the hate and division Trump has created. He will stop the demonization of immigrants, the coddling of white nationalists, the racist dog whistling, the religious bigotry and the ugly attacks on women.
My friends, I say to you, to everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election: The future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake. We must come together, defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine.


npr--2020-08-17--Investigation Finds 'Abuses' And 'Failures' In Handling Of First Jussie Smollett Case

Investigation Finds 'Abuses ' And 'Failures ' In Handling Of First Jussie Smollett Case A special prosecutor in Chicago on Monday released the findings of a months-long investigation into the Cook County State 's Attorney 's Office 's handling of the case against actor Jussie Smollett , saying he found `` substantial abuses of discretion and operational failures '' but nothing to support any criminal charges .
This is the latest chapter in the controversial Smollett saga , which began last January when the then-Empire actor told Chicago police he had been the victim of a hate crime .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a 16-count grand jury indictment against Smollett for filing false police reports .
Just weeks later , Cook County State 's Attorney Kim Foxx abruptly dropped all charges in a move that proved divisive nationally and especially in Chicago , where the mayor and police superintendent slammed it as a `` whitewash of justice . ''
( Smollett , who maintains his innocence , was indicted a second time in Feb. 2020 .
Prosecution is ongoing and the court has not yet set a date for his trial . )
Special prosecutor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year by a Chicago judge with determining whether Smollett should be further prosecuted , as well as whether any person or office involved in the initial Smollett case had engaged in wrongdoing — an undertaking intended in part to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system .
The office launched its investigation into the state 's attorney 's office and Chicago Police Department last August .
More than 50 interviews , 50 subpoenas , 26,000 documents and troves of text message data and audio recordings later , Webb issued a lengthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings `` in the interests of justice . ''
The Office of the Special Prosecutor , or OSP , reported that one of its main lines of inquiry was whether State 's Attorney Foxx 's sudden decision to dismiss initial charges was `` influenced in an improper manner by prominent people who reached out to her to discuss the Initial Smollett Case . ''
It said the investigation yielded no evidence that would support any criminal charges against Foxx or anyone working at her office .
It did , however , say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of discretion and failures '' in the office 's prosecution and resolution of the case .
The statement noted , among other points , that the dropping of the charges against Smollett did n't hinge on new evidence and `` surprised '' or `` shocked '' lawyers who worked in the state 's attorney 's office criminal division .
The OSP alleged that Foxx 's office `` breached its obligations of honesty and transparency '' by making false and/or misleading statements to the public regarding Foxx 's recusal from the case , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the extent of Foxx 's communications with Smollett 's sister , Jurnee .
The special prosecutor said one false statement was that the relatively easy terms for dropping the charges — including community service and a monetary penalty — did n't represent a new or unusual practice for the state 's attorney 's office .
The OSP also said its evidence relating to false and misleading public statements `` may rise to the level of a violation of legal ethics by State 's Attorney Foxx and CCSAO lawyers . ''
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney 's office said it `` categorically rejects the OSP 's characterizations of its exercises of prosecutorial discretion and private or public statements as 'abuses of discretion ' or false statements to the public . ''
`` While the release does not say so , any implication that statements made by the CCSAO were deliberately inaccurate is untrue , '' it wrote .
Foxx 's office added it has already made `` a number of changes '' to its operations , such as hiring a new ethics officer and clarifying its recusal plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more favorably to two other conclusions .
The OSP said it did not develop evidence showing Foxx was involved in decision-making on the case after her recusal ( though it maintains she was `` provided with frequent updates '' after that point ) , nor did it develop evidence of improper influence by any outside parties in the office 's decision making .
Prosecutors also noted they found no evidence to support any criminal charges over alleged leaks to the media by the Chicago Police Department .
Webb 's full 60-page report contains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released to the public without a court order .
Webb said he will ask Cook County Circuit Court Judge Michael Toomin to authorize the release .
Foxx 's office said it will issue a written response when it receives the final report .

Investigation Finds 'Abuses' And 'Failures' In Handling Of First Jussie Smollett Case
Enlarge this image toggle caption Zbigniew Bzdak/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Zbigniew Bzdak/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Updated at 5:31 p.m. ET Tuesday
A special prosecutor in Chicago on Monday released the findings of a months-long investigation into the Cook County State's Attorney's Office's handling of the case against actor Jussie Smollett, saying he found "substantial abuses of discretion and operational failures" but nothing to support any criminal charges.
This is the latest chapter in the controversial Smollett saga, which began last January when the then-Empire actor told Chicago police he had been the victim of a hate crime. By March 2019, those allegations had translated into a 16-count grand jury indictment against Smollett for filing false police reports.
Just weeks later, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx abruptly dropped all charges in a move that proved divisive nationally and especially in Chicago, where the mayor and police superintendent slammed it as a "whitewash of justice." (Smollett, who maintains his innocence, was indicted a second time in Feb. 2020. Prosecution is ongoing and the court has not yet set a date for his trial.)
Special prosecutor Dan Webb said his office was charged last year by a Chicago judge with determining whether Smollett should be further prosecuted, as well as whether any person or office involved in the initial Smollett case had engaged in wrongdoing — an undertaking intended in part to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system.
The office launched its investigation into the state's attorney's office and Chicago Police Department last August.
More than 50 interviews, 50 subpoenas, 26,000 documents and troves of text message data and audio recordings later, Webb issued a lengthy public memo on Monday summarizing the main findings "in the interests of justice."
The Office of the Special Prosecutor, or OSP, reported that one of its main lines of inquiry was whether State's Attorney Foxx's sudden decision to dismiss initial charges was "influenced in an improper manner by prominent people who reached out to her to discuss the Initial Smollett Case."
It said the investigation yielded no evidence that would support any criminal charges against Foxx or anyone working at her office.
It did, however, say that it had identified three "substantial abuses of discretion and failures" in the office's prosecution and resolution of the case.
The statement noted, among other points, that the dropping of the charges against Smollett didn't hinge on new evidence and "surprised" or "shocked" lawyers who worked in the state's attorney's office criminal division.
The OSP alleged that Foxx's office "breached its obligations of honesty and transparency" by making false and/or misleading statements to the public regarding Foxx's recusal from the case, the office's subsequent dismissal of the case and the extent of Foxx's communications with Smollett's sister, Jurnee.
The special prosecutor said one false statement was that the relatively easy terms for dropping the charges — including community service and a monetary penalty — didn't represent a new or unusual practice for the state's attorney's office.
The OSP also said its evidence relating to false and misleading public statements "may rise to the level of a violation of legal ethics by State's Attorney Foxx and CCSAO lawyers."
In a statement released Monday, the state's attorney's office said it "categorically rejects the OSP's characterizations of its exercises of prosecutorial discretion and private or public statements as 'abuses of discretion' or false statements to the public."
"While the release does not say so, any implication that statements made by the CCSAO were deliberately inaccurate is untrue," it wrote.
Foxx's office added it has already made "a number of changes" to its operations, such as hiring a new ethics officer and clarifying its recusal plan.
In its statement, it responded more favorably to two other conclusions.
The OSP said it did not develop evidence showing Foxx was involved in decision-making on the case after her recusal (though it maintains she was "provided with frequent updates" after that point), nor did it develop evidence of improper influence by any outside parties in the office's decision making.
Prosecutors also noted they found no evidence to support any criminal charges over alleged leaks to the media by the Chicago Police Department.
Webb's full 60-page report contains grand jury evidence that cannot be released to the public without a court order. Webb said he will ask Cook County Circuit Court Judge Michael Toomin to authorize the release.
Foxx's office said it will issue a written response when it receives the final report.
Smollett's attorney Mark Geragos released a statement saying the report shows there was "no wrongdoing or undue influence by Jussie or the defense."
"This so-called 'report' on Kim Foxx and the timing of the recharging of Jussie reveals the real political electoral motivation of Dan Webb and his cohorts. It's a blatant attempt to take down a black progressive female prosecutor who does not fit within the white power structure." the statement said. "Jussie, a black, gay man who maintains his innocence, continues to be used as a pawn ... and the second wave of charges is a blatant constitutional violation."


npr--2020-08-17--2 Men Charged In Long-Unsolved Killing Of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay

Federal prosecutors announced charges Monday against two men accused of killing Jason Mizell , better known as Jam Master Jay — the DJ for the seminal rap group Run-DMC .
Mizell was shot inside a recording studio in New York City in 2002 .
At a press conference , Seth DuCharme , the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York , said Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington had been charged with murder in Mizell 's death .
DuCharme did n't go into details about what led to the charges but said `` today we begin to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mizell and why . ''
According to newly filed court documents , the killing was allegedly over a drug deal .
Prosecutors said that Mizell was involved in trafficking cocaine across state lines , and that he had 10 kilograms of cocaine that Washington was supposed to sell in Maryland .
Mizell then told Washington that he was being cut from the deal , which led to Washington and Jordan allegedly conspiring to kill him as retaliation , according to a release from the U.S. Attorney 's Office .
The two then entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and `` ultimately executed Mizell , '' according to court documents .
As Jam Master Jay , Mizell was known as the backbone of Run-DMC , a group instrumental in bringing rap and hip-hop into mainstream culture .
The group 's third album , Raising Hell ( which featured hits such `` It 's Tricky , '' `` My Adidas , '' and `` Walk This Way '' ) , was the first rap album to go platinum , eventually reaching triple-platinum status .
Mizell also founded his own record label — JMJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Onyx and 50 Cent .
Mizell 's killing received off-and-on attention from authorities as well as the media over the years .
The case was the center of a 2018 episode of the Netflix documentary series ReMastered that looked not just at the loose threads in the killing but the lack of urgency from law enforcement in solving it .
If charged , both Jordan and Washington face at least a 20-year prison sentence .
Washington is currently serving time for robbery .

2 Men Charged In Long-Unsolved Killing Of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay
Enlarge this image toggle caption Vince Bucci/Getty Images Vince Bucci/Getty Images
Federal prosecutors announced charges Monday against two men accused of killing Jason Mizell, better known as Jam Master Jay — the DJ for the seminal rap group Run-DMC. Mizell was shot inside a recording studio in New York City in 2002.
At a press conference, Seth DuCharme, the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington had been charged with murder in Mizell's death. DuCharme didn't go into details about what led to the charges but said "today we begin to answer that question, who killed Jason Mizell and why."
According to newly filed court documents, the killing was allegedly over a drug deal. Prosecutors said that Mizell was involved in trafficking cocaine across state lines, and that he had 10 kilograms of cocaine that Washington was supposed to sell in Maryland. Mizell then told Washington that he was being cut from the deal, which led to Washington and Jordan allegedly conspiring to kill him as retaliation, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. The two then entered the studio the night of the killing and "ultimately executed Mizell," according to court documents.
As Jam Master Jay, Mizell was known as the backbone of Run-DMC, a group instrumental in bringing rap and hip-hop into mainstream culture. The group's third album, Raising Hell (which featured hits such "It's Tricky," "My Adidas," and "Walk This Way"), was the first rap album to go platinum, eventually reaching triple-platinum status. Mizell also founded his own record label — JMJ Records — known for discovering such artists as Onyx and 50 Cent.
Mizell's killing received off-and-on attention from authorities as well as the media over the years. The case was the center of a 2018 episode of the Netflix documentary series ReMastered that looked not just at the loose threads in the killing but the lack of urgency from law enforcement in solving it.
If charged, both Jordan and Washington face at least a 20-year prison sentence. Washington is currently serving time for robbery.


npr--2020-08-18--Michigan State And Notre Dame Suspend In-Person Learning Over COVID-19 Concerns

Two Midwestern universities announced on Tuesday that they will be modifying their fall plans because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The University of Notre Dame is moving all undergraduate instruction online for two weeks , and Michigan State University is going fully remote for the semester .
The Rev .
John Jenkins , president of Notre Dame , announced that starting Wednesday , in-person classes will be suspended for undergraduates until Sept. 2 and for graduate and professional school students until Aug. 24 .
The move was prompted by what Jenkins called `` a steady increase in positive rates '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resumed on Aug. 10 .
`` The virus is a formidable foe , '' Jenkins said .
`` For the past week , it has been winning .
Let us as the Fighting Irish join together to contain it . ''
He said 146 students and one staff member have tested positive for the virus since Aug. 3 .
None has been hospitalized .
He added that seniors living off-campus account for a large share of the cases , and most infections are coming from `` off-campus gatherings where neither masks were worn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekend , university officials released an alert that the people infected at two off-campus parties had since gone on to infect their close contacts .
They also released a plan to expand surveillance testing in the community .
`` We should all be exercising every precaution possible to prevent the spread to a third ring , '' officials wrote .
To slow the spread , the university is asking off-campus students not to visit campus until further notice and telling those on campus to remain there except for emergencies .
All student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 people .
Many campus resources will remain available even as classes shift online .
Research labs , core facilities and libraries will be open to graduate students , faculty and staff .
The school 's testing center and quarantine and isolation facilities will be operational .
And varsity sports teams can continue to gather for approved activities , as long as they are subject to routine surveillance testing .
Jenkins urged students to follow health protocols and act responsibly , `` for your sake and the sake of our community and for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slightly farther north , Michigan State University is shifting to a fully remote model for its fall semester even before many students have returned to campus .
Classes are slated to begin on Sept. 2 .
The university is asking undergraduate students planning to live on campus to stay home , and encouraging off-campus students to consider doing the same `` if that is a safer place for you . ''
It expressed doubts about being able to keep students safe in the face of a pandemic that remains largely unchecked .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — particularly what we are seeing at other institutions as they re-populate their campus communities — it is unlikely we can prevent widespread transmission of COVID-19 between students if our undergraduates return to campus , '' officials wrote .
Schools and higher education institutions across the country are grappling with decisions about how to best reopen in the midst of a public health crisis , whether that means in-person , online or through a mix of both .
As of earlier this month , about 30 % of four-year colleges had announced plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scrapped plans for a partially in-person semester just one week after classes began .
Faculty Chair Mimi Chapman told NPR on Tuesday that she hoped other schools would learn from its experience .
`` If we ca n't bring those resources to bear in the way that we did with a more successful result , I think it should give every other large public university in the country pause before going forward , '' Chapman said .
The U.S. has surpassed 5.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Many of the states hardest hit this summer were in the South and West , though experts have warned that the Midwest — home to both Notre Dame and Michigan State — could be the next area to see a surge in cases .
Notre Dame was initially supposed to host the first presidential debate on Sept. 29 , but withdrew in late July citing `` constraints '' brought on by the coronavirus pandemic .

Michigan State And Notre Dame Suspend In-Person Learning Over COVID-19 Concerns
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Hickey/Getty Images Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Two Midwestern universities announced on Tuesday that they will be modifying their fall plans because of the coronavirus pandemic. The University of Notre Dame is moving all undergraduate instruction online for two weeks, and Michigan State University is going fully remote for the semester.
The Rev. John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame, announced that starting Wednesday, in-person classes will be suspended for undergraduates until Sept. 2 and for graduate and professional school students until Aug. 24.
The move was prompted by what Jenkins called "a steady increase in positive rates" among students in the days since classes resumed on Aug. 10.
"The virus is a formidable foe," Jenkins said. "For the past week, it has been winning. Let us as the Fighting Irish join together to contain it."
He said 146 students and one staff member have tested positive for the virus since Aug. 3. None has been hospitalized. He added that seniors living off-campus account for a large share of the cases, and most infections are coming from "off-campus gatherings where neither masks were worn nor physical distancing observed."
Over the weekend, university officials released an alert that the people infected at two off-campus parties have since infected their close contacts. They also released a plan to expand surveillance testing in the community.
"We should all be exercising every precaution possible to prevent the spread to a third ring," officials wrote.
To slow the spread, the university is asking off-campus students not to visit campus until further notice and telling those on campus to remain there except for emergencies. All student gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people.
Many campus resources will remain available even as classes shift online. Research labs, core facilities and libraries will be open to graduate students, faculty and staff. The school's testing center and quarantine and isolation facilities will be operational. And varsity sports teams can continue to gather for approved activities, as long as athletes and staff are subject to routine surveillance testing.
Jenkins urged students to follow health protocols and act responsibly, "for your sake and the sake of our community and for continuing our semester on campus."
Slightly farther north, Michigan State University is shifting to a fully remote model for its fall semester even before many students have returned to campus. Classes are slated to begin on Sept. 2.
The university is asking undergraduate students planning to live on campus to stay home and encouraging off-campus students to consider doing the same "if that is a safer place for you."
It expressed doubts about being able to keep students safe in the face of a pandemic that remains largely unchecked.
"Given the current status of the virus — particularly what we are seeing at other institutions as they re-populate their campus communities — it is unlikely we can prevent widespread transmission of COVID-19 between students if our undergraduates return to campus," officials wrote.
Schools and higher education institutions across the country are grappling with how to best reopen in the midst of a public health crisis, whether that means in-person classes, online or through a mix of both. As of earlier this month, about 30% of four-year colleges had announced plans to operate mostly or entirely online.
On Monday, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scrapped plans for a partially in-person semester just one week after classes began. Faculty Chair Mimi Chapman told NPR on Tuesday that she hoped other schools would learn from its experience.
"If we can't bring those resources to bear in the way that we did with a more successful result, I think it should give every other large public university in the country pause before going forward," Chapman said.
The U.S. has surpassed 5.4 million infections and 171,600 deaths from the virus. Many of the states hardest hit this summer were in the South and West, though experts have warned that the Midwest — home to both Notre Dame and Michigan State — could be the next area to see a surge in cases.
Notre Dame was initially supposed to host the first presidential debate on Sept. 29, but withdrew in late July citing "constraints" brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.


npr--2020-08-18--UNC Experience Should Be A Lesson To Other Universities, Says Faculty Chair

UNC Experience Should Be A Lesson To Other Universities , Says Faculty Chair The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made it one week into the fall semester before scrapping plans for in-person instruction .
It 's an experience that other large campuses should learn from , Mimi Chapman , chair of the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty , told NPR 's All Things Considered on Tuesday .
During that first week , 130 students and five employees tested positive for the coronavirus , with the positivity rate on campus surging from just under 3 % to nearly 14 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine , administrators said Monday .
Members of the university community had raised concerns earlier this summer about returning to in-person learning and on-campus housing , particularly after local health officials recommended the school begin the semester with five weeks entirely of online learning .
Calls for reconsideration intensified over the weekend when the university reported four coronavirus clusters in three days — in residences both on and off-campus .
`` We all saw this coming , '' student newspaper The Daily Tar Heel wrote in a scathing editorial .
The paper noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention guidance that `` placed the University 's housing plan in the 'highest-risk ' category . ''
Chapman described the situation on campus , and across the country , as `` very difficult . ''
`` We have n't had a clear national response to this crisis , so our campus is a microcosm of what goes on elsewhere , '' she said .
`` So this is not a surprise . ''
This interview has been edited for clarity and length .
What had originally convinced administrators that reopening with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan started developing in late spring and summer and early summer , you probably remember , many scientists believed that the disease would abate over the summer , that the virus would retreat .
And so the plan was really all about beating the second wave , so starting our term early and being through by Thanksgiving .
And we do know that public health behavioral measures make a difference .
So when people are masked , when they stay 6 feet apart , when they 're doing good hand hygiene , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question is , would 18- to 24-year-olds be good enough at doing that ?
And that 's where we started .
But this decision to bring students back on campus started when you had a much better idea of where the country would be .
So why did the administration go ahead with the plan ?
We are part of a large system — we 're one of 17 campuses — and so our decisions are not ours alone to make at Chapel Hill .
We have a board of governors that oversees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deviating from the road map , in the end , rested with them .
We started our semester with dorms at 60 % occupancy , so they were n't completely full even at that point .
There had been a recognition that we would need to de-densify to the extent possible , at that point , on a voluntary basis .
But we do have this situation where any change has to be negotiated with this system level group .
So it 's not only up to us at Chapel Hill what happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly ?
I 'm really sad that it unraveled so quickly .
There were an awful lot of students , if you walk around our campus , there were so many students that were doing a good job of wearing masks and doing what they needed to do , from what I could see .
[ But ] it is also clear , and we heard this from the earliest days , that there were a lot of off-campus activities , some of them related to the Greek system , that were flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now that classes are going online , are faculty members prepared to pivot immediately to remote learning ?
A lot of classes were remote anyway .
All of our large lecture classes , over 50 students , already [ had ] a remote option .
And then we knew , certainly , that there would be cases on campus .
And so we knew that there would be students that would have to quarantine , and so there would be probably a need for a remote option for them .
So most classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Certainly there are some classes that are better hands-on , but I think for the most part , we have a strong technology infrastructure on campus so we 're not completely unprepared for this .
I do think from an emotional standpoint , you know , it has just been sort of nonstop since spring break .
Nobody has gotten sort of the rest that they need over the summer , whether they are faculty or staff .
And so , we 're all , I think , looking for a breather there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switching to fully remote instruction was made [ Monday ] just hours before a 5 p.m. deadline for full tuition .
How does that give students and parents adequate time to reconsider if fully remote learning is not how they want to spend this semester ?
Well , that came up [ Monday ] at our faculty executive committee meeting , and the provost said that he would look into that deadline and making a change to it .
I certainly hope that he follows up on that in case there are students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You know , I have to say , though , the idea that remote learning is all bad , that is also a falsehood .
They 're just different modes of engagement .
But a great teacher can really make either of them work .
So I 'm not convinced that students should say , `` Oh , I 'm going to get some sort of subpar education '' because they have to be remote for a semester .
Is there a lesson learned here ?
UNC has some of the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] health communications folks in the country .
If we ca n't bring those resources to bear in the way that we did with a more successful result , I think it should give every other large public university in the country pause before going forward .
In that way , I hope that our experience will be a real service to the country and to other institutions like ours , in how they think about these things , how their governing bodies think about these things , and indeed , how perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these things .

UNC Experience Should Be A Lesson To Other Universities, Says Faculty Chair
Enlarge this image toggle caption Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made it one week into the fall semester before scrapping plans for in-person instruction.
It's an experience that other large campuses should learn from, Mimi Chapman, chair of the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, told NPR's All Things Considered on Tuesday.
During that first week, 130 students and five employees tested positive for the coronavirus, with the positivity rate on campus surging from just under 3% to nearly 14%. Hundreds of students are in isolation and quarantine, administrators said Monday.
Members of the university community had raised concerns earlier this summer about returning to in-person learning and on-campus housing, particularly after local health officials recommended the school begin the semester with five weeks entirely of online learning.
Calls for reconsideration intensified over the weekend when the university reported four coronavirus clusters in three days — in residences both on and off-campus.
"We all saw this coming," student newspaper The Daily Tar Heel wrote in a scathing editorial. The paper noted the university had ignored Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that "placed the University's housing plan in the 'highest-risk' category."
Chapman described the situation on campus, and across the country, as "very difficult."
"We haven't had a clear national response to this crisis, so our campus is a microcosm of what goes on elsewhere," she said. "So this is not a surprise."
Chapman spoke with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
What had originally convinced administrators that reopening with in-person classes was doable?
When the plan started developing in late spring and summer and early summer, you probably remember, many scientists believed that the disease would abate over the summer, that the virus would retreat.
And so the plan was really all about beating the second wave, so starting our term early and being through by Thanksgiving.
And we do know that public health behavioral measures make a difference. So when people are masked, when they stay 6 feet apart, when they're doing good hand hygiene, you can control these things. So the question is, would 18- to 24-year-olds be good enough at doing that? And that's where we started.
But this decision to bring students back on campus started when you had a much better idea of where the country would be. So why did the administration go ahead with the plan?
We are part of a large system — we're one of 17 campuses — and so our decisions are not ours alone to make at Chapel Hill. We have a board of governors that oversees our system. And so decisions about deviating from the road map, in the end, rested with them.
We started our semester with dorms at 60% occupancy, so they weren't completely full even at that point. There had been a recognition that we would need to de-densify to the extent possible, at that point, on a voluntary basis. But we do have this situation where any change has to be negotiated with this system level group. So it's not only up to us at Chapel Hill what happens.
Were you surprised it unraveled so quickly?
I'm really sad that it unraveled so quickly. There were an awful lot of students, if you walk around our campus, there were so many students that were doing a good job of wearing masks and doing what they needed to do, from what I could see. [But] it is also clear, and we heard this from the earliest days, that there were a lot of off-campus activities, some of them related to the Greek system, that were flying in the face of all recommendations.
Now that classes are going online, are faculty members prepared to pivot immediately to remote learning?
A lot of classes were remote anyway. All of our large lecture classes, over 50 students, already [had] a remote option. And then we knew, certainly, that there would be cases on campus. And so we knew that there would be students that would have to quarantine, and so there would be probably a need for a remote option for them. So most classes were operating with a hybrid option.
Certainly there are some classes that are better hands-on, but I think for the most part, we have a strong technology infrastructure on campus so we're not completely unprepared for this.
I do think from an emotional standpoint, you know, it has just been sort of nonstop since spring break. Nobody has gotten sort of the rest that they need over the summer, whether they are faculty or staff. And so, we're all, I think, looking for a breather there.
The announcement that the campus was switching to fully remote instruction was made [Monday] just hours before a 5 p.m. deadline for full tuition. How does that give students and parents adequate time to reconsider if fully remote learning is not how they want to spend this semester?
Well, that came up [Monday] at our faculty executive committee meeting, and the provost said that he would look into that deadline and making a change to it. I certainly hope that he follows up on that in case there are students that do want to make a change.
You know, I have to say, though, the idea that remote learning is all bad, that is also a falsehood. They're just different modes of engagement. But a great teacher can really make either of them work. So I'm not convinced that students should say, "Oh, I'm going to get some sort of subpar education" because they have to be remote for a semester.
Is there a lesson learned here?
UNC has some of the best public health, infectious disease [and] health communications folks in the country. If we can't bring those resources to bear in the way that we did with a more successful result, I think it should give every other large public university in the country pause before going forward. In that way, I hope that our experience will be a real service to the country and to other institutions like ours, in how they think about these things, how their governing bodies think about these things, and indeed, how perhaps the federal government needs to think about these things.


npr--2020-08-18--Members of Louisville City Council Draft A Measure Calling On Mayor To Resign

Members of Louisville City Council Draft A Measure Calling On Mayor To Resign A group of Republicans on the Louisville , Ky. , city council are calling for a vote of no-confidence in the city 's Democratic Mayor Greg Fischer , citing his `` actions and inactions '' as it relates to the city 's homicide rate and his handling of the Breonna Taylor case .
The Louisville Metro Council 's Republican Caucus unveiled a resolution on Monday , that if passed , would seek the mayor 's resignation .
It seems unlikely the legislation would pass given Democrats hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to member station WFPL in Louisville .
The station notes not a single Democrat has signed on to the measure .
The no-confidence measure calls for systemic changes within the Louisville Metro Police Department and says the mayor has not been transparent in the shooting deaths of two Black residents , Taylor and David McAtee .
McAtee , 53 , was killed in June when Louisville police officers and National Guard troops converged on a crowd and began shooting .
Investigators have determined the lethal shot came from a national guardsman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was killed in March by Louisville police officers executing a warrant at her home .
In the months since her death , her name , as well as George Floyd , Rayshard Brooks and others , have been chanted at national protests calling for an end to systemic racism and police brutality .
`` Mayor Greg Fischer has opposed the release of information related to the death of Ms. Breonna Taylor and Mr. David McAtee until forced to release the information by actions of the Metro Council through resolutions and ordinances passed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Republicans ' resolution says , `` The membership of the Louisville Metro Council believe new leadership in the Mayor 's Office is essential to bringing the change that is needed at [ Louisville Metro Police Department ] . ''
The three-page resolution also projects that the city will exceed the `` dubious record number of homicides set in 2016 , '' which totaled 118 .
For his part , Fischer said in a tweet it was `` sad and shameful '' the members of council were engaging in `` partisan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that officials in the mayor 's office have , so for , declined to testify in the council 's investigations into the handling of those shootings .
For example , Robert Schroeder , the interim chief for the Louisville Metro Police department and the city 's chief of public safety Amy Hess were scheduled to testify earlier this month .
But after the hearing got underway , both reportedly walked out , on advice from their lawyers .
Their attorneys cited a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU in July against several Louisville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to WDRB , a Fox-affiliate in Louisville .
Separately , Breonna Taylor 's mother last week held a news conference along with family attorneys Benjamin Crump and Lonita Baker renewing calls for charges to be brought against the three officers involved in her daughter 's shooting .
It was held a day after separate private meetings with both the mayor and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron about the investigation into Taylor 's death .
`` One hundred and fifty days , '' Tamika Palmer , Taylor 's mother , said during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hall .
`` Every day is still March the 13th , '' she said , referring to the day Taylor was killed .
To date , none of the three officers involved in Taylor 's shooting has been charged .
Officer Brett Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June .
Two other officers — Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove — are on administrative leave .

Members Of Louisville City Council Draft A Measure Calling On Mayor To Resign
Enlarge this image toggle caption Darron Cummings/AP Darron Cummings/AP
A group of Republicans on the Louisville, Ky., city council are calling for a vote of no-confidence in the city's Democratic Mayor Greg Fischer, citing his "actions and inactions" as it relates to the city's homicide rate and his handling of the Breonna Taylor case.
The Louisville Metro Council's Republican Caucus unveiled a resolution on Monday, that if passed, would seek the mayor's resignation.
It seems unlikely the legislation would pass given Democrats hold 19 of the council's 26 seats, according to member station WFPL in Louisville. The station notes not a single Democrat has signed on to the measure.
The no-confidence measure calls for systemic changes within the Louisville Metro Police Department and says the mayor has not been transparent in the shooting deaths of two Black residents, Taylor and David McAtee.
McAtee, 53, was killed in June when Louisville police officers and National Guard troops converged on a crowd and began shooting. Investigators have determined the lethal shot came from a national guardsman.
Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was killed in March by Louisville police officers executing a warrant at her home. In the months since her death, her name, as well as George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks and others, have been chanted at national protests calling for an end to systemic racism and police brutality.
"Mayor Greg Fischer has opposed the release of information related to the death of Ms. Breonna Taylor and Mr. David McAtee until forced to release the information by actions of the Metro Council through resolutions and ordinances passed in bi-partisan efforts;" the resolution states.
The Republicans' resolution says, "The membership of the Louisville Metro Council believe new leadership in the Mayor's Office is essential to bringing the change that is needed at [Louisville Metro Police Department]."
The three-page resolution also projects that the city will exceed the "dubious record number of homicides set in 2016," which totaled 118.
For his part, Fischer said in a tweet it was "sad and shameful" the members of council were engaging in "partisan and divisive political games."
WFPL reports that officials in the mayor's office have, so for, declined to testify in the council's investigations into the handling of those shootings.
For example, Robert Schroeder, the interim chief for the Louisville Metro Police department and the city's chief of public safety Amy Hess were scheduled to testify earlier this month.
But after the hearing got underway, both reportedly walked out, on advice from their lawyers. Their attorneys cited a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU in July against several Louisville officials, including Schroder and Fischer, according to WDRB, a Fox-affiliate in Louisville.
Separately, Breonna Taylor's mother last week held a news conference along with family attorneys Benjamin Crump and Lonita Baker renewing calls for charges to be brought against the three officers involved in her daughter's shooting.
It was held a day after separate private meetings with both the mayor and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron about the investigation into Taylor's death.
"One hundred and fifty days," Tamika Palmer, Taylor's mother, said during the media briefing in front of Louisville City Hall.
"Every day is still March the 13th," she said, referring to the day Taylor was killed.
To date, none of the three officers involved in Taylor's shooting has been charged.
Officer Brett Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June. Two other officers — Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove — are on administrative leave.


npr--2020-08-18--The Evolutionary History Of Penguins Is Far From Black And White

The Evolutionary History Of Penguins Is Far From Black And White Penguins are known for huddling on Antarctic ice , or marching across windswept expanses of the frozen continent .
But there are at least 18 species of penguins populating the Southern Hemisphere — and many do n't fit that frigid stereotype .
There are actually only two species of penguin that really love ice , says Grant Ballard , chief science officer of Point Blue Conservation Science in Petaluma , Calif. Other species , like the Galapagos penguin , perch on dark volcanic rock , and can endure blasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` You know , I 'm sure they do n't like that very much , '' he says .
`` It 's amazing to me the range of temperature adaptation [ penguins ] have . ''
New research published this week sheds light on what gave rise to the incredible diversity of today 's penguins .
Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , scientists say they 've pieced together genetic clues to reconstruct the 22-million-year-old evolutionary history of the seabirds .
`` We 've been able to resolve several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Rauri Bowie , one of the authors of the work .
`` In particular , where penguins originated . ''
There 's long been a debate about that , says Bowie , who is a professor at the University of California , Berkeley and a curator in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology .
Did they originate in Antarctica — where they 're numerous today — or closer to Australia and New Zealand , as other scientists have suggested ?
After analyzing the genomes of 18 species of modern-day penguins , Bowie says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ancestor of penguins indeed first appeared off the coast of Australia and New Zealand , and nearby South Pacific islands , some 22 million years ago .
That does n't explain their spread around throughout the world 's southern oceans , of course .
For that , the scientists say penguins hitched a ride on a current , circling the bottom of the world .
Penguins used this clockwise current to `` colonize the Antarctica region , '' says one of Bowie 's co-authors , Juliana Vianna , a professor who works in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Chile in Santiago .
Then , about 11 million years ago , that current revved up , and the researchers say penguins used it to slingshot themselves throughout the Southern Hemisphere to places like Africa and South America , where they still are found today .
Along the way , penguins picked up genetic adaptations to help them survive in new climes .
For example , Bowie says they identified changes in the way some penguins are able to use oxygen more efficiently , which may enable certain species to dive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He says other penguins picked up superior abilities to dilate and constrict their blood vessels , to allow for better temperature regulation .
And still other species evolved the ability to drink seawater .
Ballard , who was n't involved in the work , says the scientists did a nice job piecing together geology , oceanography and biology to explain the evolution and radiation of penguins .
`` I think they have a good story there , and it explains patterns that we are seeing today , '' he says .
Yet both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that climate change could be outpacing penguins ' ability to adapt .
`` This adaptation to being able to [ live ] in freezing cold waters or tropical waters occurred over a period of 20 million years , '' Bowie says .
Now , warming waters are shifting the distribution of species penguins rely upon for food , he explains , and in some cases , that 's resulted in a mass die-off of sub-Antarctic penguins .
`` It 's taken millions of years for penguins to be able to occupy these different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The oceans are warming at such a rate that we do n't think they 're going to be able to keep up with this warming phase . ''

The Evolutionary History Of Penguins Is Far From Black And White
Enlarge this image toggle caption Johan Ordonez/AFP via Getty Images Johan Ordonez/AFP via Getty Images
Penguins are known for huddling on Antarctic ice, or marching across windswept expanses of the frozen continent. But there are at least 18 species of penguins populating the Southern Hemisphere — and many don't fit that frigid stereotype.
There are actually only two species of penguin that really love ice, says Grant Ballard, chief science officer of Point Blue Conservation Science in Petaluma, Calif. Other species, like the Galapagos penguin, perch on dark volcanic rock, and can endure blasting hot air temperatures of 100 degrees.
"You know, I'm sure they don't like that very much," he says. "It's amazing to me the range of temperature adaptation [penguins] have."
New research published this week sheds light on what gave rise to the incredible diversity of today's penguins. Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists say they've pieced together genetic clues to reconstruct the 22-million-year-old evolutionary history of the seabirds.
"We've been able to resolve several long-standing questions about penguin evolution," says Rauri Bowie, one of the authors of the work. "In particular, where penguins originated."
There's long been a debate about that, says Bowie, who is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and a curator in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. Did they originate in Antarctica — where they're numerous today — or closer to Australia and New Zealand, as other scientists have suggested?
After analyzing the genomes of 18 species of modern-day penguins, Bowie says his team's results suggest the common ancestor of penguins indeed first appeared off the coast of Australia and New Zealand, and nearby South Pacific islands, some 22 million years ago.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aurora Fernández Durán /PNAS Aurora Fernández Durán /PNAS
That doesn't explain their spread around throughout the world's southern oceans, of course. For that, the scientists say penguins hitched a ride on a current, circling the bottom of the world.
Penguins used this clockwise current to "colonize the Antarctica region," says one of Bowie's co-authors, Juliana Vianna, a professor who works in population genetics and genomics at the Catholic University of Chile in Santiago.
Then, about 11 million years ago, that current revved up, and the researchers say penguins used it to slingshot themselves throughout the Southern Hemisphere to places like Africa and South America, where they still are found today.
Along the way, penguins picked up genetic adaptations to help them survive in new climes. For example, Bowie says they identified changes in the way some penguins are able to use oxygen more efficiently, which may enable certain species to dive deep, between gulps of air. He says other penguins picked up superior abilities to dilate and constrict their blood vessels, to allow for better temperature regulation. And still other species evolved the ability to drink seawater.
Ballard, who wasn't involved in the work, says the scientists did a nice job piecing together geology, oceanography and biology to explain the evolution and radiation of penguins.
"I think they have a good story there, and it explains patterns that we are seeing today," he says.
Yet both he and UC Berkeley's Bowie emphasize that climate change could be outpacing penguins' ability to adapt.
"This adaptation to being able to [live] in freezing cold waters or tropical waters occurred over a period of 20 million years," Bowie says.
Now, warming waters are shifting the distribution of species penguins rely upon for food, he explains, and in some cases, that's resulted in a mass die-off of sub-Antarctic penguins.
"It's taken millions of years for penguins to be able to occupy these different habitats," Bowie says. "The oceans are warming at such a rate that we don't think they're going to be able to keep up with this warming phase."