npr--2020-03-08--Saudi Women Activists Again In Court To Fight For Right To Drive

Saudi Women Activists Again In Court To Fight For Right To Drive NPR 's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks to Lina al-Hathloul about her sister , Loujain , who has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for her women 's rights activism .
This week , a group of women 's activists in Saudi Arabia is due back in court .
Among them is Loujain al-Hathloul .
The group was imprisoned in 2018 while they were campaigning for a woman 's right to drive in the kingdom .
They 're still being held despite the fact that women were subsequently granted driving privileges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now by Lina al-Hathloul from Brussels , who is Loujain 's sister .
Welcome to the program .
LINA AL-HATHLOUL : Thank you very much for having me .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : I want to ask first , how 's your sister doing ?
Have you been able to hear from her ?
AL-HATHLOUL : Well , actually , I 'm not allowed to have any contact with her .
But my parents are - visit her regularly .
And they have phone calls , too .
And she 's very strong .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand what is happening really because everything is just messed up .
They restarted the trial .
And she does n't understand anything about the procedure .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : What are they saying that she 's done ?
AL-HATHLOUL : So the charges are basically her CV , to be honest .
So they 're charging her with all her activism .
They say that she has been in contact with foreign journalists .
She 's also charged with applying for a job at the U.N. , which is very absurd .
GARCIA-NAVARRO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since your sister was arrested , but her case had n't really been tried .
And there was a - sort of a 10-month hiatus , right ?
What 's going on ?
AL-HATHLOUL : Yes .
So she was arrested in May 2018 .
For 10 months , she did n't have any legal charges .
And since April till February 2020 , she was held in solitary confinement without a new date for the trial .
In February 2020 , they restarted the trial .
And now they 're just trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the G-20 is coming .
So they probably have to show the world that they 're doing something , that she 's not held for nothing .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : Does she have legal counsel ?
AL-HATHLOUL : My parents are representing her , yes .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : But as I understand it , your parents have no law background .
AL-HATHLOUL : They do n't have any law background , but she chose to have them instead of a lawyer because the first lawyer wanted her to deny all of the charges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And she said no .
What she wants is to say that , yes , she has done all of these acts , which is her activism , but she wants to show that nothing is illegal .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : Your sister is viewed internationally as a political prisoner by many organizations .
And your sister and other activists have said that they have been tortured in prison , that they were sexually assaulted .
Amnesty International has supported those allegations .
Do you know if anything has changed in their conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was arrested at the beginning , so in - since - from May 2018 to August 2018 , where she was held in an unofficial prison and where my parents did n't know where she was , actually .
And when she used to call them , she used to say that she 's in a hotel .
We found out at end of the day that this hotel is a torture facility where they put political prisoners and they torture them .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : We should say that the Saudi government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those allegations not to be true .
Since taking power , Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has lifted the ban on driving and allowing women to get passports .
This is something that your sister was advocating for .
The question for many people is , why is she still being held ?
AL-HATHLOUL : When she was arrested , the crown prince had an interview in October 2018 , where he was questioned about these female activists .
And he said that they 're not activists .
They are in jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are spies .
And he said , word by word , that they have videos .
Tomorrow , we 'll show you the videos .
That was in October 2018 .
A year later , he has an interview with `` 60 Minutes '' where they ask him exactly the same question regarding my sister and the other women 's case .
And he says that he has nothing to do with this and that the judiciary is independent .
So really , this change of narrative really assures me that what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they are stopping all these people , all these activists so that they make the people - the Saudi people - understand that change only comes top down .
And the people should not even try to make the changes .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : What I think I 'm hearing you say is that you believe that this is more a case of putting activism itself on trial so that it sends a message to other activists not to challenge the system .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : What would you like to see happen ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ release them all because with all this PR , they 're having to show that Saudi Arabia is opening up , that it 's changing , that they 're more liberal , that they 're more open .
I think that the best thing to do is to free all these people and to show that , yes , we are changing .
And we are freeing them because they did n't do anything wrong .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : That 's Lina al-Hathloul , sister of jailed Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul .
Thank you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AL-HATHLOUL : Thank you very much for having me .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : We reached out to the Saudi Arabian embassy for a response to this interview .
They have not yet replied .

Saudi Women Activists Again In Court To Fight For Right To Drive
NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks to Lina al-Hathloul about her sister, Loujain, who has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for her women's rights activism.
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:
This week, a group of women's activists in Saudi Arabia is due back in court. Among them is Loujain al-Hathloul. The group was imprisoned in 2018 while they were campaigning for a woman's right to drive in the kingdom. They're still being held despite the fact that women were subsequently granted driving privileges after those arrests.
We're joined now by Lina al-Hathloul from Brussels, who is Loujain's sister. Welcome to the program.
LINA AL-HATHLOUL: Thank you very much for having me.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: I want to ask first, how's your sister doing? Have you been able to hear from her?
AL-HATHLOUL: Well, actually, I'm not allowed to have any contact with her. But my parents are - visit her regularly. And they have phone calls, too. And she's very strong. But the problem is that she doesn't understand what is happening really because everything is just messed up. They restarted the trial. And she doesn't understand anything about the procedure.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What are they saying that she's done?
AL-HATHLOUL: So the charges are basically her CV, to be honest. So they're charging her with all her activism. They say that she has been in contact with foreign journalists. She's also charged with applying for a job at the U.N., which is very absurd.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's been nearly two years since your sister was arrested, but her case hadn't really been tried. And there was a - sort of a 10-month hiatus, right? What's going on?
AL-HATHLOUL: Yes. So she was arrested in May 2018. For 10 months, she didn't have any legal charges. And since April till February 2020, she was held in solitary confinement without a new date for the trial. In February 2020, they restarted the trial. And now they're just trying to gain time because - probably because the G-20 is coming. So they probably have to show the world that they're doing something, that she's not held for nothing.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Does she have legal counsel?
AL-HATHLOUL: My parents are representing her, yes.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: But as I understand it, your parents have no law background.
AL-HATHLOUL: They don't have any law background, but she chose to have them instead of a lawyer because the first lawyer wanted her to deny all of the charges and say that she didn't do anything. And she said no. What she wants is to say that, yes, she has done all of these acts, which is her activism, but she wants to show that nothing is illegal.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Your sister is viewed internationally as a political prisoner by many organizations. And your sister and other activists have said that they have been tortured in prison, that they were sexually assaulted. Amnesty International has supported those allegations. Do you know if anything has changed in their conditions?
AL-HATHLOUL: The torture happened when she was arrested at the beginning, so in - since - from May 2018 to August 2018, where she was held in an unofficial prison and where my parents didn't know where she was, actually. And when she used to call them, she used to say that she's in a hotel. We found out at end of the day that this hotel is a torture facility where they put political prisoners and they torture them.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: We should say that the Saudi government said the matter was investigated and found those allegations not to be true. Since taking power, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has lifted the ban on driving and allowing women to get passports. This is something that your sister was advocating for. The question for many people is, why is she still being held?
AL-HATHLOUL: When she was arrested, the crown prince had an interview in October 2018, where he was questioned about these female activists. And he said that they're not activists. They are in jail because they are foreign agents, that they are spies. And he said, word by word, that they have videos. Tomorrow, we'll show you the videos. That was in October 2018.
A year later, he has an interview with "60 Minutes" where they ask him exactly the same question regarding my sister and the other women's case. And he says that he has nothing to do with this and that the judiciary is independent. So really, this change of narrative really assures me that what I was thinking from the beginning is that they are stopping all these people, all these activists so that they make the people - the Saudi people - understand that change only comes top down. And the people should not even try to make the changes.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What I think I'm hearing you say is that you believe that this is more a case of putting activism itself on trial so that it sends a message to other activists not to challenge the system.
AL-HATHLOUL: Exactly.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What would you like to see happen?
AL-HATHLOUL: I really hope that they release them all because with all this PR, they're having to show that Saudi Arabia is opening up, that it's changing, that they're more liberal, that they're more open. I think that the best thing to do is to free all these people and to show that, yes, we are changing. And we are freeing them because they didn't do anything wrong.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: That's Lina al-Hathloul, sister of jailed Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul. Thank you very much for speaking with us.
AL-HATHLOUL: Thank you very much for having me.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: We reached out to the Saudi Arabian embassy for a response to this interview. They have not yet replied.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIKTOR KRAUSS' "EYES IN THE HEAT")
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-03-08--Disability And Fighting For The Right To Vote

Disability And Fighting For The Right To Vote Many Americans are not allowed to vote - felons in some states , for one .
And also , thousands of people with mental disabilities are banned from voting .
Many of them lost that right when they were placed under guardianship .
In order to get their voting rights back , they have had to appeal to a judge .
That 's what happened to Jack Vaile .
He has cerebral palsy .
He uses an iPad to communicate and an electric wheelchair to move around .
He 's also really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's story , we 've reached his father Lou Vaile in Oakland , Calif .
Welcome to the program .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : You needed to take charge of Jack 's finances when he turned 18 .
You became his conservator under state law .
What were you told then about Jack 's voting rights during that process ?
VAILE : Absolutely nothing .
The attorney that we worked with to get conservatorship did not mention his voting rights at all .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : So how did you find out that he was n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VAILE : We filed for conservatorship right around his 18th birthday in January of 2016 .
I received the official paperwork saying that conservatorship had been granted probably the first week of March .
I opened up the document and just , you know , was just glancing over it to see what it said .
And there was a box that is checked that says the conservatee can not communicate , with or without reasonable accommodations , a desire to participate in the voting process .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : What did your son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't going to be able to vote ?
I mean , what did that conversation look like ?
VAILE : OK , this is a devastating story .
We got this right around the primary time , and we had already filled out his ballot to vote .
And he was so excited .
He was all for Bernie at that time .
He had done a report on Bernie .
We had gone to hear Bernie speak .
And I did n't tell him .
I was too sickened .
So I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him we were going to go meet an attorney to talk about something .
And he was so angry .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : And so what did you do ?
I mean , how were you able to reinstate Jack 's right to vote ?
VAILE : Well , after I got over the devastation of what I had inadvertently done to my son , I reached out to Disability Rights California , which is located here in Oakland , and was put in contact with an attorney who actually has cerebral palsy himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help us out .
He asked me to bring Jack in so he could meet him .
And he reached out to the - it 's a public defender that 's assigned to represent someone in a conservatorship process .
He reached out to that attorney and informed him of the illegality of what had been done and got the public defender to go back to court and have Jack 's voting rights reinstated .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : It must have been very meaningful for him when he was finally able to vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't win the primary .
So ( laughter ) that probably took a little of the fun out of it or a little shine off of it .
But he still was very engaged in the process and , you know , watched the election results .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : Supporters of laws like this say that they prevent voter manipulation and fraud .
What do you think of that ?
VAILE : I ca n't imagine that the number of people with disabilities - that their votes would be fraudulently used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people are being disenfranchised is incredibly upsetting .
Just because someone has a disability that impacts them in a profound way does not mean they do n't have the capacity to understand what 's happening to them .
And they should have a voice in the process .
The most vulnerable people in our communities need to have a voice in politics more than others .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : What 's your advice to guardians and conservators who are trying to get that right back for the people under their care ?
VAILE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people that are n't even aware either that they have the right to vote or that they have had it taken away .
So I would love for education to happen for people with disabilities to be seen as full citizens in our country because we need to be taking care of the people that need the most from us .
GARCIA-NAVARRO : That 's Lou Vaile talking to us from Oakland , Calif. , about his son Jack .
Thank you very much .

Disability And Fighting For The Right To Vote
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:
Many Americans are not allowed to vote - felons in some states, for one. And also, thousands of people with mental disabilities are banned from voting. Many of them lost that right when they were placed under guardianship. In order to get their voting rights back, they have had to appeal to a judge.
That's what happened to Jack Vaile. He has cerebral palsy. He uses an iPad to communicate and an electric wheelchair to move around. He's also really into politics. To tell us Jack's story, we've reached his father Lou Vaile in Oakland, Calif.
Welcome to the program.
LOU VAILE: Thank you.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: You needed to take charge of Jack's finances when he turned 18. You became his conservator under state law. What were you told then about Jack's voting rights during that process?
VAILE: Absolutely nothing. The attorney that we worked with to get conservatorship did not mention his voting rights at all.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: So how did you find out that he wasn't going to be able to vote?
VAILE: We filed for conservatorship right around his 18th birthday in January of 2016. I received the official paperwork saying that conservatorship had been granted probably the first week of March. I opened up the document and just, you know, was just glancing over it to see what it said. And there was a box that is checked that says the conservatee cannot communicate, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What did your son say when he realized that he wasn't going to be able to vote? I mean, what did that conversation look like?
VAILE: OK, this is a devastating story. We got this right around the primary time, and we had already filled out his ballot to vote. And he was so excited. He was all for Bernie at that time. He had done a report on Bernie. We had gone to hear Bernie speak. And I didn't tell him. I was too sickened. So I didn't tell him until I told him we were going to go meet an attorney to talk about something. And he was so angry.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: And so what did you do? I mean, how were you able to reinstate Jack's right to vote?
VAILE: Well, after I got over the devastation of what I had inadvertently done to my son, I reached out to Disability Rights California, which is located here in Oakland, and was put in contact with an attorney who actually has cerebral palsy himself. And he said that he could help us out. He asked me to bring Jack in so he could meet him. And he reached out to the - it's a public defender that's assigned to represent someone in a conservatorship process. He reached out to that attorney and informed him of the illegality of what had been done and got the public defender to go back to court and have Jack's voting rights reinstated.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: It must have been very meaningful for him when he was finally able to vote.
VAILE: It was, except Bernie didn't win the primary. So (laughter) that probably took a little of the fun out of it or a little shine off of it. But he still was very engaged in the process and, you know, watched the election results.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Supporters of laws like this say that they prevent voter manipulation and fraud. What do you think of that?
VAILE: I can't imagine that the number of people with disabilities - that their votes would be fraudulently used to sway an election. But the fact that people are being disenfranchised is incredibly upsetting. Just because someone has a disability that impacts them in a profound way does not mean they don't have the capacity to understand what's happening to them. And they should have a voice in the process. The most vulnerable people in our communities need to have a voice in politics more than others.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What's your advice to guardians and conservators who are trying to get that right back for the people under their care?
VAILE: I think there are probably thousands of people that aren't even aware either that they have the right to vote or that they have had it taken away. So I would love for education to happen for people with disabilities to be seen as full citizens in our country because we need to be taking care of the people that need the most from us.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: That's Lou Vaile talking to us from Oakland, Calif., about his son Jack.
Thank you very much.
VAILE: Thank you.
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-03-09--Laundry Between Emails: Working From Home Goes Viral In The Time Of Coronavirus

Laundry Between Emails : Working From Home Goes Viral In The Time Of Coronavirus Early one morning last week , Cindy Ruiz joined the ranks of newly remote workers , now millions strong .
Dun & Bradstreet , the financial data firm where Ruiz works in sales , closed its office after reports of coronavirus cases near San Mateo , Calif. For many , the widespread embrace of remote work is a welcome change they 've always wanted .
They 're reacting on social media the way kids celebrate snow days : No commutes !
Flexible schedule !
Home-cooked lunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that camp .
Sure , she says , there are some perks , if you could call it that : `` I did do laundry . ''
Mostly , she says she misses things at the office — her special headset , big-screen computer , and most of all , her colleagues .
Also , working from home is a pain .
Her Wi-Fi is neither fast nor secure enough to access some critical websites — all of which reminds her why she left her last job , where she worked remotely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am a person that needs to be in the office , '' Ruiz says .
The coronavirus is putting remote work to a gigantic test , and at a totally unprecedented scale .
Throughout China , Italy , Japan and South Korea , workers have been on lockdown .
Last week , the same happened in Seattle .
Amazon , Facebook , Microsoft and Google all told employees there to remain home .
Twitter and payment company Square are also working remotely .
And human resource departments everywhere are making contingency plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's an experiment that 's also teaching companies a lot about how well they function when they 're not all together .
About a week ago , SquareFoot , a New York commercial real estate company , told its workers to work from home .
The last time that happened was a year ago , when the office Internet went down .
`` Two-thirds of employees were like , 'Oh , but my laptop 's at work , ' `` says Jonathan Wasserstrum , CEO of SquareFoot .
This time , he wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wasserstrum is no fan of remote work .
He says it 's impossible to read a room over a conference line .
Plus , about a third of SquareFoot 's staff are brokers — they tour buildings with clients .
`` If all of a sudden they said you ca n't have face-to-face meetings with people , it 'd be harder for us to do a bunch of those transactions , '' Wasserstrum says .
In fact , remote work is n't always possible .
Fewer than half could do so at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one Gallup survey .
Hourly workers do n't get paid if they do n't work , and those in retail , manufacturing , or health care usually must be physically present to work .
But it 's a huge recruitment tool , and a big perk for people like Tristan Guyette , a field manager for a nonprofit who loves working from home in Toledo , Ohio .
`` For me , it 's a lot easier to work in silence , '' Guyette says .
`` I also appreciate the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if I 'm not feeling super productive . ''
Guyette has a weak immune system , and can relate to the many remote workers around the world staying home for health reasons .
Webcams are good stand-ins for in-person meetings , Guyette says .
`` I also realize not everybody is built for this .
If you 're very extroverted — which is not me — you probably would not enjoy this as much as I do . ''
Guyette hopes the coronavirus will help promote remote work .
`` If employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're not paying to commute , they 're not adding to the carbon footprint , [ and ] they do n't have to buy or bring a lunch . ''
It 's not clear whether the coronavirus will change Wasserstrum 's mind about remote work .
His company ordered loads of hand sanitizer and told employees to come back to the office .
`` I do n't believe people are as productive at home , '' he says .
But he may rethink that .
He 's worried about his wife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commuting to her job on the subway .
`` We 'll see how much longer we keep sending her to do that , '' he says .

Laundry Between Emails: Working From Home Goes Viral In The Time Of Coronavirus
Enlarge this image Malte Mueller/Getty Images/fStop Malte Mueller/Getty Images/fStop
Early one morning last week, Cindy Ruiz joined the ranks of newly remote workers, now millions strong. The financial data firm where Ruiz works in sales closed its office after reports of coronavirus cases near San Mateo, Calif.
For many, the widespread embrace of remote work is a welcome change they've always wanted. They're reacting on social media the way kids celebrate snow days: No commutes! Flexible schedule! Home-cooked lunch!
Ruiz, however, is not in that camp. Sure, she says, there are some perks, if you could call it that: "I did do laundry."
Mostly, she says she misses things at the office — her special headset, big-screen computer, and most of all, her colleagues.
Also, working from home is a pain. Her Wi-Fi is neither fast nor secure enough to access some critical websites — all of which reminds her why she left her last job, where she worked remotely every day.
"You know, I am a person that needs to be in the office," Ruiz says.
The coronavirus is putting remote work to a gigantic test, and at a totally unprecedented scale. Throughout China, Italy, Japan and South Korea, workers have been on lockdown.
Last week, the same happened in Seattle. Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft and Google all told employees there to remain home.
Twitter and payment company Square are also working remotely. And human resource departments everywhere are making contingency plans that include keeping workers home.
It's an experiment that's also teaching companies a lot about how well they function when they're not all together.
About a week ago, SquareFoot, a New York commercial real estate company, told its workers to work from home. The last time that happened was a year ago, when the office Internet went down.
"Two-thirds of employees were like, 'Oh, but my laptop's at work,' " says Jonathan Wasserstrum, CEO of SquareFoot.
This time, he wants to be prepared. But personally, Wasserstrum is no fan of remote work. He says it's impossible to read a room over a conference line. Plus, about a third of SquareFoot's staff are brokers — they tour buildings with clients.
"If all of a sudden they said you can't have face-to-face meetings with people, it'd be harder for us to do a bunch of those transactions," Wasserstrum says.
In fact, remote work isn't always possible. Fewer than half could do so at least some of the time, according to one Gallup survey. Hourly workers don't get paid if they don't work, and those in retail, manufacturing, or health care usually must be physically present to work.
But it's a huge recruitment tool, and a big perk for people like Tristan Guyette, a field manager for a nonprofit who loves working from home in Toledo, Ohio.
"For me, it's a lot easier to work in silence," Guyette says. "I also appreciate the fact that I can migrate from room to room, if I'm not feeling super productive."
Guyette has a weak immune system and can relate to the many remote workers around the world staying home for health reasons.
Webcams are good stand-ins for in-person meetings, Guyette says. "I also realize not everybody is built for this. If you're very extroverted — which is not me — you probably would not enjoy this as much as I do."
Guyette hopes the coronavirus will help promote remote work. "If employees don't have to come in, they're not paying to commute, they're not adding to the carbon footprint, [and] they don't have to buy or bring a lunch."
It's not clear whether the coronavirus will change Wasserstrum's mind about remote work. His company ordered loads of hand sanitizer and told employees to come back to the office.
"I don't believe people are as productive at home," he says. But he may rethink that. He's worried about his wife, who is seven months pregnant and still commuting to her job on the subway.
"We'll see how much longer we keep sending her to do that," he says.


npr--2020-03-09--6 More States Vote Tuesday. Here's Your Guide To Michigan And The Rest

6 More States Vote Tuesday .
Here 's Your Guide To Michigan And The Rest The results out of Super Tuesday were unexpected .
Former Vice President Joe Biden rode a surge of momentum all the way to the delegate lead and is now in the driver 's seat for the Democratic presidential nomination .
But it has taken lots of twists and turns to get here .
The race is now a clear one-on-one contest between Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders after Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race but has won only two delegates . )
For Sanders to reclaim the momentum , all eyes are on Michigan on Tuesday .
It 's a state Sanders narrowly won in 2016 .
If he wins it this time , it could reshape the race yet again .
If he loses , there will be few opportunities for him to change the trajectory of this nominating contest , especially with states ahead that appear to favor Biden .
What we 're calling `` Big Tuesday '' offers 352 delegates among six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the delegates that were at stake on Super Tuesday .
Michigan is the biggest prize , with 125 delegates , followed by Washington ( 89 ) , Missouri ( 68 ) , Mississippi ( 36 ) , Idaho ( 20 ) and North Dakota ( 14 ) .
Michigan , Washington and Missouri — and their combined 282 delegates — make up 80 % of the delegates at stake Tuesday .
So what are the keys to each state ?
Here 's a state-by-state guide : Delegates at stake : 125 Polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Most polls close at 8 p.m .
ET , but four counties are in the Central time zone . )
Michigan figures to be a narrative-setting election .
Sanders pulled off the upset there in 2016 .
If he can do it again , it could , once again , change the momentum of this race .
To do that , he 's going to have to run up the score with young voters and whites without college degrees .
Young voters were about one-fifth of the electorate in the 2016 Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But so far in this primary campaign , young voters have been down as a share of the electorate .
Does that change with Sanders ' appeal to them this week ?
A significant share of Michigan 's Democratic primary electorate is made up of whites without college degrees — 36 % in 2016 .
Sanders won 57 % of them .
Black voters could be a significant factor as well .
In 2016 , they were 21 % of the electorate , and Hillary Clinton won more than two-thirds of them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , and he needs them to turn out for him again .
But perhaps the most important group that could swing the election is white women .
They were 37 % of the Michigan electorate in 2016 , and Sanders won them narrowly .
But on Super Tuesday overall , Biden won white women by double digits .
If that happens again in Michigan , it could be game over .
A poll conducted before Super Tuesday had Biden up by 6 points , but polls , as we 've seen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state 's importance , both campaigns have spent the most ad money there .
As of Thursday , Sanders ' campaign was slightly outspending Biden on air and online , $ 930,000 to $ 869,000 .
The biggest change from 2016 to 2020 in Washington is state Democrats ditched precinct caucuses for a primary .
Sanders ran up the score in 2016 , winning almost three-quarters of the delegates and every county there , but a primary will make things more competitive .
There has n't been much public polling , but one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck and neck .
There were no exit or entrance polls in 2016 , but Washington is about two-thirds white , has a slightly higher level of residents with bachelor 's degrees than the nation as a whole and has a higher-than-average Asian American population .
It 's also 13 % Latino and only 4 % black .
The largest share of the state 's vote comes from King County , where Seattle is located .
But the Puget Sound area has been one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus .
Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so turnout might not be as affected as it might otherwise be .
But the coronavirus is still a big X factor .
Health officials are warning people not to lick their ballots as they turn them in .
The Missouri primary was one of the closest of the 2016 Democratic nominating contest , as Sanders lost it by only about 1,500 votes .
Sanders won strong majorities of voters under 45 , white men and white college graduates .
But Clinton overwhelmingly won black voters and voters over 45 , and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's electorate trends older , and black voters ( 21 % ) and white women ( 40 % ) were significant shares of the electorate .
They may very well be a deciding factor again .
Much of the vote comes from St. Louis , Kansas City and surrounding counties , with smaller patches from the southwestern and southeastern parts of the state .
Clinton won the cities ; Sanders won most of the rural areas and the college town of Columbia .
Missouri has seen the second-most advertising of the Big Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had spent $ 524,000 and Biden $ 484,000 .
Biden is the favorite to scoop up a big share of the delegates , because the state 's electorate is expected to be overwhelmingly black .
In 2016 , it was 71 % African American .
Delegates at stake : 20 Polls close : 11 p.m .
ET .
( Polls close locally at 8 p.m. , but Idaho is split between time zones . )
This is the first year Idaho is holding a primary instead of caucuses .
Sanders won the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 and is expected to win the lion 's share of delegates again .
In 2016 , he netted 13 delegates there .
Sanders won with 64 % here in 2016 .
That result , though , netted him only eight delegates .

6 More States Vote Tuesday. Here's Your Guide To Michigan And The Rest
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
The results out of Super Tuesday were unexpected. Former Vice President Joe Biden rode a surge of momentum all the way to the delegate lead and is now in the driver's seat for the Democratic presidential nomination.
But it has taken lots of twists and turns to get here. The race is now a clear one-on-one contest between Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders after Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out. (Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is still in the race but has won only two delegates.)
For Sanders to reclaim the momentum, all eyes are on Michigan on Tuesday. It's a state Sanders narrowly won in 2016. If he wins it this time, it could reshape the race yet again. If he loses, there will be few opportunities for him to change the trajectory of this nominating contest, especially with states ahead that appear to favor Biden.
What we're calling "Big Tuesday" offers 352 delegates among six states. That's about a quarter of the delegates that were at stake on Super Tuesday. Michigan is the biggest prize, with 125 delegates, followed by Washington (89), Missouri (68), Mississippi (36), Idaho (20) and North Dakota (14). Michigan, Washington and Missouri — and their combined 282 delegates — make up 80% of the delegates at stake Tuesday.
So what are the keys to each state? Here's a state-by-state guide:
Michigan
Delegates at stake: 125
Polls close: 9 p.m. ET. (Most polls close at 8 p.m. ET, but four counties are in the Central time zone.)
Michigan figures to be a narrative-setting election. Sanders pulled off the upset there in 2016. If he can do it again, it could, once again, change the momentum of this race.
To do that, he's going to have to run up the score with young voters and whites without college degrees. Young voters were about one-fifth of the electorate in the 2016 Democratic primary, according to exit polls. But so far in this primary campaign, young voters have been down as a share of the electorate. Does that change with Sanders' appeal to them this week?
A significant share of Michigan's Democratic primary electorate is made up of whites without college degrees — 36% in 2016. Sanders won 57% of them.
Black voters could be a significant factor as well. In 2016, they were 21% of the electorate, and Hillary Clinton won more than two-thirds of them. Black voters have buoyed Biden to this point, and he needs them to turn out for him again.
But perhaps the most important group that could swing the election is white women. They were 37% of the Michigan electorate in 2016, and Sanders won them narrowly. But on Super Tuesday overall, Biden won white women by double digits.
If that happens again in Michigan, it could be game over.
A poll conducted before Super Tuesday had Biden up by 6 points, but polls, as we've seen, can change quickly. Also signaling the state's importance, both campaigns have spent the most ad money there. As of Thursday, Sanders' campaign was slightly outspending Biden on air and online, $930,000 to $869,000.
Washington
Delegates at stake: 89
Polls close: 11 p.m. ET
The biggest change from 2016 to 2020 in Washington is state Democrats ditched precinct caucuses for a primary. Sanders ran up the score in 2016, winning almost three-quarters of the delegates and every county there, but a primary will make things more competitive. There hasn't been much public polling, but one poll from last week had the race neck and neck.
There were no exit or entrance polls in 2016, but Washington is about two-thirds white, has a slightly higher level of residents with bachelor's degrees than the nation as a whole and has a higher-than-average Asian American population. It's also 13% Latino and only 4% black.
The largest share of the state's vote comes from King County, where Seattle is located. But the Puget Sound area has been one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus. Washington state is a mail-in ballot state, so turnout might not be as affected as it might otherwise be. But the coronavirus is still a big X factor. Health officials are warning people not to lick their ballots as they turn them in.
Missouri
Delegates at stake: 68
Polls close: 8 p.m. ET
The Missouri primary was one of the closest of the 2016 Democratic nominating contest, as Sanders lost it by only about 1,500 votes.
Sanders won strong majorities of voters under 45, white men and white college graduates. But Clinton overwhelmingly won black voters and voters over 45, and she won white women narrowly.
The state's electorate trends older, and black voters (21%) and white women (40%) were significant shares of the electorate. They may very well be a deciding factor again.
Much of the vote comes from St. Louis, Kansas City and surrounding counties, with smaller patches from the southwestern and southeastern parts of the state. Clinton won the cities; Sanders won most of the rural areas and the college town of Columbia.
Missouri has seen the second-most advertising of the Big Tuesday states. As of Thursday, Sanders had spent $524,000 and Biden $484,000.
Mississippi
Delegates at stake: 36
Polls close: 8 p.m. ET
Biden is the favorite to scoop up a big share of the delegates, because the state's electorate is expected to be overwhelmingly black. In 2016, it was 71% African American.
Idaho
Delegates at stake: 20
Polls close: 11 p.m. ET. (Polls close locally at 8 p.m., but Idaho is split between time zones.)
This is the first year Idaho is holding a primary instead of caucuses. Sanders won the state with almost 80% of the vote in 2016 and is expected to win the lion's share of delegates again. In 2016, he netted 13 delegates there.
North Dakota
Delegates at stake: 14
Polls close: 8 p.m. ET
Sanders won with 64% here in 2016. That result, though, netted him only eight delegates.
NPR news assistant Elena Moore contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-08--International Women's Day: Clashes, Coronavirus And Women Prepare To Strike

Organizers and marchers have been out marking International Women 's Day .
A holiday with its origins in the labor and socialist movements of the 20th century , the day now recognized by the United Nations occasions rallies and events from Caracas to Baghdad to spotlight issues facing women globally .
This year , rallies in Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan were met with violence while marchers in Turkey and Chile were confronted by police .
The COVID-19 outbreak forced cancellations while others boldly marched , defying fears of the epidemic .
Here 's a round-up of the news and pictures to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This year 's International Women 's Day comes on the eve of a planned `` women 's strike '' in Mexico Monday .
Spurred on by feminist activists , the strike comes in the wake of intensifying protests and demands for government actions against the often grisly murders of women in the country .
Government estimates say 10 Mexican women are killed daily with more than 3,800 killed last year alone .
Many of those cases involve sexual assault .
The strike calling on women to abstain from work and school for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press reports , reaching far beyond the Mexico 's activist circles .
Marta Patricia Ramírez , a housewife , told the wire service she organized a neighborhood event to discuss harassment .
Dentist Jesica Solis will keep her office closed .
Marta Pérez told the AP she wo n't lift a plate Monday and that her daughter will not go on social media .
The strike has also gotten the go-ahead from many large employers in Mexico .
Walmart says its 108,000 female workers are allowed to join the action .
Ford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and baked goods producer Bimbo are supporting the movement , The Washington Post adds .
The Post also reports that 21 million women are registered as workers in Mexico .
In the days leading up to the strike , women have been out in force with thousands attending events .
On Saturday a concert performed entirely by female artists packed Mexico City 's Zocalo , the metropolis 's main square .
Attendees chanted `` justice '' as a singers performed the anti-femicide anthem , `` Song Without Fear , '' the AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 3,000 names of victims across that same square .
Some 20,000 were expected to march in the Mexican capital Sunday .
Regions hit hardest by the spreading coronavirus outbreak felt its impact on International Women 's Day celebrations .
Both South Korea and China — the countries reporting the highest rates of infections — called off public events .
China used the day to highlight work of female medical staff fighting the coronavirus outbreak .
Elsewhere in Asia , The Bangkok Post reports marches went ahead in Indonesia , the Philippines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women demanded increased labor protections and greater rights .
While Italy , the European country with the greatest number of infections , was in partial lockdown Sunday , celebrations , rallies and marches continued on as planned across the continent , according to Voice of America .
Not every celebration of the day of women 's rights advocacy went peacefully .
In several countries , marchers were faced with opposition by both religious hardliners as well as local authorities .
In Islamabad , Pakistan , demonstrators at a rival rally of hardline Islamists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hurling objects , including shoes and stones , at women participating in the march .
Islamist attackers were particularly enraged by one slogan of the International Women 's Day ralliers , `` my body , my choice . ''
In Kyrgyzstan , women were also reportedly attacked by masked men , then detained by police while organizing a women 's day event in the capital Bishkek .
In Turkey , police blocked hundreds of women in Istanbul from entering the city 's Taksim Square .
The roads leading to the city 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` not classified as designated areas for assembly and demonstrations according to law , '' says a governor 's statement quoted by Reuters .
Reuters adds last year 's marchers in Turkey were met with tear gas by police attempting to break up their crowd .
In Chile , there were several reports of clashes with police and a handful of arrests .
In the capital Santiago , reports of crowd size conflicted , with organizers saying 2 million marchers flooded the streets while police said it was only 120,000 .
The march @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sometimes-violent anti-government protests over social inequality began in October and continue sporadically .
Marchers on Sunday decried abuses they said Chile 's security services carried out against women during those protests .
Elsewhere around the world , in photos

International Women's Day: Clashes, Coronavirus And Women Prepare To Strike
Enlarge this image toggle caption Esteban Felix/AP Esteban Felix/AP
Organizers and marchers have been out marking International Women's Day.
A holiday with its origins in the labor and socialist movements of the 20th century, the day now recognized by the United Nations occasions rallies and events from Caracas to Baghdad to spotlight issues facing women globally.
This year, rallies in Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan were met with violence while marchers in Turkey and Chile were confronted by police. The COVID-19 outbreak forced cancellations while others boldly marched, defying fears of the epidemic.
Here's a round-up of the news and pictures to come from International Women's Day 2020.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rebecca Blackwell/AP Rebecca Blackwell/AP
A women's strike in Mexico
This year's International Women's Day comes on the eve of a planned "women's strike" in Mexico Monday.
Spurred on by feminist activists, the strike comes in the wake of intensifying protests and demands for government actions against the often grisly murders of women in the country.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rebecca Blackwell/AP Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Government estimates say 10 Mexican women are killed daily with more than 3,800 killed last year alone. Many of those cases involve sexual assault. The strike calling on women to abstain from work and school for a day has gained traction, The Associated Press reports, reaching far beyond the Mexico's activist circles.
Marta Patricia Ramírez, a housewife, told the wire service she organized a neighborhood event to discuss harassment. Dentist Jesica Solis will keep her office closed. Marta Pérez told the AP she won't lift a plate Monday and that her daughter will not go on social media.
The strike has also gotten the go-ahead from many large employers in Mexico. Walmart says its 108,000 female workers are allowed to join the action. Ford, banking and media company Grupo Salinas, and baked goods producer Bimbo are supporting the movement, The Washington Post adds.
The Post also reports that 21 million women are registered as workers in Mexico.
In the days leading up to the strike, women have been out in force with thousands attending events. On Saturday a concert performed entirely by female artists packed Mexico City's Zocalo, the metropolis's main square. Attendees chanted "justice" as a singers performed the anti-femicide anthem, "Song Without Fear," the AP reports.
On Sunday, activists painted more than 3,000 names of victims across that same square.
Some 20,000 were expected to march in the Mexican capital Sunday.
Coronavirus: events canceled, others march despite fears
Regions hit hardest by the spreading coronavirus outbreak felt its impact on International Women's Day celebrations.
Both South Korea and China — the countries reporting the highest rates of infections — called off public events.
China used the day to highlight work of female medical staff fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
Elsewhere in Asia, The Bangkok Post reports marches went ahead in Indonesia, the Philippines as well as in Thailand, where women demanded increased labor protections and greater rights.
While Italy, the European country with the greatest number of infections, was in partial shutdown Sunday, celebrations, rallies and marches continued on as planned across the continent, according to Voice of America.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Thibault Camus/AP Thibault Camus/AP
Clashes at International Women's Day marches
Not every celebration of the day of women's rights advocacy went peacefully.
In several countries, marchers were faced with opposition by both religious hardliners as well as local authorities.
In Islamabad, Pakistan, demonstrators at a rival rally of hardline Islamists attempted to break through a police barrier, hurling objects, including shoes and stones, at women participating in the march.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images
Islamist attackers were particularly enraged by one slogan of the International Women's Day ralliers, "my body, my choice."
In Kyrgyzstan, women were also reportedly attacked by masked men, then detained by police while organizing a women's day event in the capital Bishkek.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Vladimir Voronin/AP Vladimir Voronin/AP
In Turkey, police blocked hundreds of women in Istanbul from entering the city's Taksim Square. The roads leading to the city's famed square were closed because they were "not classified as designated areas for assembly and demonstrations according to law," says a governor's statement quoted by Reuters.
Reuters adds last year's marchers in Turkey were met with tear gas by police attempting to break up their crowd.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Esteban Felix/AP Esteban Felix/AP
In Chile, there were several reports of clashes with police and a handful of arrests. In the capital Santiago, reports of crowd size conflicted, with organizers saying 2 million marchers flooded the streets while police said it was only 120,000.
The march happened amid ongoing tensions in Chile. Sometimes-violent anti-government protests over social inequality began in October and continue sporadically. Marchers on Sunday decried abuses they said Chile's security services carried out against women during those protests.
Elsewhere around the world, in photos
Enlarge this image toggle caption Iya Forbes/AP Iya Forbes/AP
Enlarge this image toggle caption Khalid Mohammed/AP Khalid Mohammed/AP
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ariana Cubillos/AP Ariana Cubillos/AP
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sergei Grits/AP Sergei Grits/AP
Enlarge this image toggle caption K.M. Chaudary/AP K.M. Chaudary/AP
NPR's Diaa Hadid and Philip Reeves contributed reporting.


npr--2020-03-08--Oil Prices, Stocks Plunge After Saudi Arabia Stuns World With Massive Discounts

Oil prices and stock indexes were in freefall Sunday after Saudi Arabia announced a stunning discount in oil prices — of $ 6 to $ 8 per barrel — to its customers in Asia , the United States and Europe .
Benchmark Brent crude oil futures dove 30 % — the steepest drop since the Gulf War in 1991 — in early trading Sunday night before recovering slightly to a drop of 24 % .
The benchmark Brent crude oil price fell below $ 34 per barrel .
The oil price shocks reverberated throughout financial markets .
Dow futures dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ P 500 futures hit their limits after tumbling 5 % , and the key 10-year Treasury note yield fell below 0.5 % , a record low .
Saudi Arabia , the world 's second-largest producer , this weekend said it will actually boost oil production instead of cutting it to stem falling prices , in a dramatic reversal in policy .
Late last week , Saudi Arabia , the rest of OPEC and Russia failed to agree on production cuts to combat falling prices due to fears that the coronavirus epidemic will halt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down more than 30 % this year before Sunday 's collapse .
U.S. consumers are likely to see lower prices at the gas pump , but American oil producers — who lead the world in output — could be hurt by the oil price slide .
Economies from China to Italy have ground to a halt as quarantines shut down factories and demand for products and services craters .
Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members sought to cut production to shore up oil prices .
But the once-powerful cartel can no longer move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Russia , which is not an OPEC member but has recently been coordinating with the organization .
Yet Russia has resisted calls for production cuts .
On Friday , the talks ended in failure .
OPEC and its allies announced no new reductions and did n't even commit to extending current cuts .
So , Saudi Arabia is doing an about face .
If it ca n't get the price back up , it 's going to drive the price way down .
It 's offering to cut the oil price for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barrel , to Europe by $ 8 and Asia by $ 6 .
Paired with Saudi Arabia 's ability to rapidly increase production — flooding the market with cheap crude — those unilateral price cuts will push the price of oil down for everyone .
Low oil prices are bad for Saudi Arabia 's budget — and the price of the Saudi oil company Aramco 's stock tumbled below its initial public offering price on Sunday .
But , because Saudi Arabia 's production costs are the lowest in the world , lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia seems to be the target of this price war .
But as Saudi Arabia tries to grab market share with bargain-basement prices , American oil and gas producers , including the fracking industry , will also feel pain .
And even with ample supply and low production costs , Saudi Arabia is not guaranteed to come out on top in a prolonged face-off with Russia – especially if fears of a pandemic keep planes grounded and cars in driveways no matter how cheap crude oil gets .
`` They 're cutting prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it 's not clear they 're going to have buyers for that oil , '' says Ellen Wald , an energy markets analyst and the author of Saudi , Inc. `` It 's entirely possible that they may not have the wherewithal and the will and the toughness to withstand a price war and a production war with Russia . ''
Still , lower fuel prices will offer some relief to the airline industry which is feeling the strains of the coronavirus crisis , with travel cancellations leading to flight cuts @

Oil Prices, Stocks Plunge After Saudi Arabia Stuns World With Massive Discounts
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nick Oxford/Reuters Nick Oxford/Reuters
Updated at 10:52 p.m. ET
Oil prices and stock indexes were in freefall Sunday after Saudi Arabia announced a stunning discount in oil prices — of $6 to $8 per barrel — to its customers in Asia, the United States and Europe.
Benchmark Brent crude oil futures dove 30% — the steepest drop since the Gulf War in 1991 — in early trading Sunday night before recovering slightly to a drop of 24%. The benchmark Brent crude oil price fell below $34 per barrel.
The oil price shocks reverberated throughout financial markets. Dow futures dropped more than 1,000 points, S&P 500 futures hit their limits after tumbling 5%, and the key 10-year Treasury note yield fell below 0.5%, a record low.
Saudi Arabia, the world's second-largest producer, this weekend said it will actually boost oil production instead of cutting it to stem falling prices, in a dramatic reversal in policy.
Late last week, Saudi Arabia, the rest of OPEC and Russia failed to agree on production cuts to combat falling prices because of fears that the coronavirus epidemic will halt world economic growth. Oil prices were down more than 30% this year before Sunday's collapse.
U.S. consumers are likely to see lower prices at the gas pump, but American oil producers — who lead the world in output — could be hurt by the oil price slide.
Economies from China to Italy have ground to a halt as quarantines shut down factories and demand for products and services craters.
Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members sought to cut production to shore up oil prices. But the once-powerful cartel can no longer move markets alone. It needs the support of Russia, which is not an OPEC member but has recently been coordinating with the organization.
Yet Russia has resisted calls for production cuts. On Friday, the talks ended in failure. OPEC and its allies announced no new reductions and didn't even commit to extending current cuts.
So, Saudi Arabia is doing an about-face. If it can't get the price back up, it's going to drive the price way down. It's offering to cut the oil price for the U.S. market by $7 per barrel, to Europe by $8 and Asia by $6. Paired with Saudi Arabia's ability to rapidly increase production — flooding the market with cheap crude — those unilateral price cuts will push the price of oil down for everyone.
Low oil prices are bad for Saudi Arabia's budget, and the price of the Saudi oil company Aramco's stock tumbled below its initial public offering price on Sunday. But, because Saudi Arabia's production costs are the lowest in the world, lower prices can hit other producers harder.
Russia seems to be the target of this price war. But as Saudi Arabia tries to grab market share with bargain-basement prices, American oil and gas producers, including the fracking industry, will also feel pain.
And even with ample supply and low production costs, Saudi Arabia is not guaranteed to come out on top in a prolonged face-off with Russia — especially if fears of a pandemic keep planes grounded and cars in driveways no matter how cheap crude oil gets.
"They're cutting prices, they're going to increase production. But it's not clear they're going to have buyers for that oil," says Ellen Wald, an energy markets analyst and the author of Saudi, Inc. "It's entirely possible that they may not have the wherewithal and the will and the toughness to withstand a price war and a production war with Russia."
Still, lower fuel prices will offer some relief to the airline industry, which is feeling the strains of the coronavirus crisis, with travel cancellations leading to flight cuts.


npr--2020-03-09--Italy Expands Quarantine Measures Nationwide To Stem Spread Of Coronavirus

The Italian government has announced extraordinary measures to contain the coronavirus .
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday declared the entire country a `` red zone , '' meaning people should stay home except for work and emergencies .
The move expands the emergency measures already in place in northern Italy , which is where most of the more than 9,000 confirmed cases are .
As of Monday , 463 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported through the country .
In a televised address , Conte said that the rising number of cases and people being hospitalized required introducing even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend .
By Sunday , nearly a quarter of Italy 's population had been placed on lockdown as the government moved to contain the respiratory virus in the north , including all of Lombardi and 14 provinces .
Conte 's speech was short on details but it served as a rallying cry for the nation to cooperate with officials and follow the restrictions in place .
He urged people to take precautions to safeguard their health and he introduced a new slogan for citizens to live by : `` I am staying home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Italy has pledged $ 8.5 billion to help the economy weather the emergency .
The Rome region has ordered quarantine for all those arriving who 've been in outbreak areas in the last two weeks .
Violaters face three months in prison .

Italy Expands Quarantine Measures Nationwide To Stem Spread Of Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Antonio Calanni/AP Antonio Calanni/AP
The Italian government has announced extraordinary measures to contain the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday declared the entire country a "red zone," meaning people should stay home except for work and emergencies.
The move expands the emergency measures already in place in northern Italy, which is where most of the more than 9,000 confirmed cases are.
As of Monday, 463 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported through the country.
In a televised address, Conte said that the rising number of cases and people being hospitalized required introducing even more drastic measures than those taken over the weekend.
By Sunday, the movements of nearly a quarter of Italy's population had been restricted as the government moved to contain the respiratory virus in the north, including all of Lombardy and 14 provinces.
Conte's speech was short on details, but it served as a rallying cry for the nation to cooperate with officials and follow the restrictions in place.
He urged people to take precautions to safeguard their health, and he introduced a new slogan for citizens to live by: "I am staying home. Italy is a protected zone."
Italy has pledged $8.5 billion to help the economy weather the emergency.
The Rome region has ordered quarantine for all those arriving who've been in outbreak areas in the past two weeks. Violators face three months in prison.


npr--2020-03-09--Mexican Women Stay Home To Protest Femicides In 'A Day Without Us'

Mexican Women Stay Home To Protest Femicides In ' A Day Without Us' What would happen if all the women in a country simply disappeared ?
Mexico got a preview Monday , when women across the country stayed home as part of a 24-hour strike to protest staggering levels of violence against women .
Calling it `` a day without us '' or `` a day without women , '' countless women skipped work , school and social functions , leaving classrooms half full , trains and buses empty and fewer cars on the streets .
About 10 women are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a name for the killing of women because of their gender : femicide .
Mexico has tracked femicides for the past eight years .
In February , the country 's attorney general said femicides have increased 137 % over the last five years , four times more than the general homicide rate .
`` This is a very important cause , it 's not a game , not a vacation day , '' said Ileana Lopez , an administrator at a pharmaceutical company who stayed home .
`` Women have to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The effects of the strike were evident on the street and on mass transit in Mexico City .
Women were largely absent from designated women-only pink cars on Mexico City 's subway .
A man who said he was a bus driver tweeted a photo of an empty bus behind him .
`` The city without women looks very sad , '' he wrote .
A journalist tweeted photos of train cars filled with men only , empty offices , mostly vacant parking lots , absent street vendors , closed stores in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of men .
Women make up about 40 % of the country 's workforce , according to Mexico 's Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce .
Their absence for one day could cost the country the equivalent of a billion dollars .
Many big companies , including Walmart , Sears and L'Oreal , gave female employees a paid day off .
The Mexican government did as well .
At universities , the dearth of female students was evident across social media .
The National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a caption to a picture of men in a classroom , the university said it was a `` space for reflection to advance gender equality . ''
In Colima , the José Martí Institute posted photos of half-empty classrooms , noting , `` This is how our classrooms would be every day '' if femicides continue .
The strike came one day after International Women 's Day on Sunday , when some 80,000 women marched in Mexico City to protest violence against women , in addition to other marches around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular have galvanized activists .
A 25-year-old Mexico City woman was stabbed , skinned and disemboweled last month , with photos then sprayed across a tabloid 's front page .
Two days after her body was found , a 7-year-old girl was abducted from her school .
Her body was found wrapped in a plastic bag in Mexico City 's outskirts .
Authorities reported 1,010 femicides in 2019 .
Women 's rights groups say that number is an undercount .
More than 3,800 women were killed in total last year .
Few cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of San Diego saying women 's murderers are treated with `` systemic impunity . ''
`` In Mexico it 's like we 're in a state of war , '' María de la Luz Estrada , coordinator of the National Citizen 's Observatory of Femicide , told The Associated Press .
`` We 're in a humanitarian crisis because of the quantity of women that have disappeared or been killed . ''

Mexican Women Stay Home To Protest Femicides In 'A Day Without Us'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marco Ugarte/AP Marco Ugarte/AP
What would happen if all the women in a country simply disappeared?
Mexico got a preview Monday, when women across the country stayed home as part of a 24-hour strike to protest staggering levels of violence against women.
Calling it "a day without us" or "a day without women," countless women skipped work, school and social functions, leaving classrooms half full, trains and buses empty and fewer cars on the streets.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marco Ugarte/AP Marco Ugarte/AP
About 10 women are killed in Mexico each day. There's a name for the killing of women because of their gender: femicide. Mexico has tracked femicides for the past eight years. In February, the country's attorney general said femicides have increased 137% over the last five years, four times more than the general homicide rate.
"This is a very important cause, it's not a game, not a vacation day," said Ileana Lopez, an administrator at a pharmaceutical company who stayed home. "Women have to fight for their rights every day."
The effects of the strike were evident on the street and on mass transit in Mexico City. Women were largely absent from designated women-only pink cars on Mexico City's subway.
A man who said he was a bus driver tweeted a photo of an empty bus behind him. "The city without women looks very sad," he wrote.
A journalist tweeted photos of train cars filled with men only, empty offices, mostly vacant parking lots, absent street vendors, closed stores in the mall and a Walmart with only a handful of men.
Women make up about 40% of the country's workforce, according to Mexico's Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce. Their absence for one day could cost the country the equivalent of a billion dollars.
Many big companies, including Walmart, Sears and L'Oreal, gave female employees a paid day off. The Mexican government did as well.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images
At universities, the dearth of female students was evident across social media. The National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City posted photos of male-only classrooms with empty chairs. In a caption to a picture of men in a classroom, the university said it was a "space for reflection to advance gender equality."
In Colima, the José Martí Institute posted photos of half-empty classrooms, noting, "This is how our classrooms would be every day" if femicides continue.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images
The strike came one day after International Women's Day on Sunday, when some 80,000 women marched in Mexico City to protest violence against women, in addition to other marches around the country.
Two recent brutal killings in particular have galvanized activists. A 25-year-old Mexico City woman was stabbed, skinned and disemboweled last month, with photos then sprayed across a tabloid's front page. Two days after her body was found, a 7-year-old girl was abducted from her school. Her body was found wrapped in a plastic bag in Mexico City's outskirts.
Authorities reported 1,010 femicides in 2019. Women's rights groups say that number is an undercount. More than 3,800 women were killed in total last year.
Few cases are ever punished, with researchers from the University of San Diego saying women's murderers are treated with "systemic impunity."
"In Mexico it's like we're in a state of war," María de la Luz Estrada, coordinator of the National Citizen's Observatory of Femicide, told The Associated Press. "We're in a humanitarian crisis because of the quantity of women that have disappeared or been killed."
NPR's Carrie Kahn contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-09--Reps. Matt Gaetz, Doug Collins Self-Quarantine After CPAC Coronavirus Exposure

Reps. Doug Collins and Matt Gaetz said Monday that they are self-quarantining after learning they came in contact with a person infected with coronavirus while attending a conservative conference in the Washington area last month .
It brings the number of congressional lawmakers who are self-quarantining over coronavirus concerns to five .
Both Collins and Gaetz have been in close contact with Trump in recent days .
Reporters traveling with the president saw Gaetz board Air Force One on Monday .
Neither have reported any symptoms , but said their decisions to self-quarantine were taken out of an abundance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the House Judiciary Committee , said on Twitter that he was notified by officials from last month 's Conservative Political Action Conference that they discovered a photo of him with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus .
`` While I feel completely healthy and I am not experiencing any symptoms , I have decided to self-quarantine at my home for the remainder of the 14-day period out of an abundance of caution , '' Collins said .
Gaetz , R-Fla. , said his decision to self-quarantine came after the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a CPAC attendee 11 days ago who tested positive for coronavirus .
Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas and Rep Paul Gosar , R-Ariz. , announced that they were taking the same step after becoming worried that they may have been in contact with an infected CPAC attendee .
All four representatives are planning on 14-day quarantines on the recommendation of the Capitol 's Office of Attending Physician .
According to the office , the unidentified individual is from New Jersey and was ill during CPAC , which ran from Feb. 26 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his symptoms worsened when he returned to New Jersey .
The patient was able to recall names of people he had been in contact with at CPAC , including the four members of Congress who have announced self-quarantines , according to the office .
The risk of becoming infected for the members of Congress remains low , the office said .
Before announcing his quarantine , Gaetz was aboard Air Force One with Trump earlier Monday .
Reporters traveling with the president saw Gaetz boarding the president 's plane via the front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen wearing a biohazard gas mask on Capitol Hill , a move criticized as a publicity stunt .
Gaetz defended the decision as a way of demonstrating his concern .
Rep. Louie Gohmert says he also learned over the weekend that he had potentially been exposed to the virus at CPAC , but will not self-quarantine .
He said the House physician referred him to a top physician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who cleared him to return to Washington .
`` I took the advice of the expert and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Matt Schlapp , the chairman of the American Conservative Union , says he is also under self-quarantine after interacting with the infected person at CPAC .
Schlapp introduced President Trump and shook his hand at the conference on Feb. 29 before the president delivered remarks .
`` The president of the United States , as we all know , is quite a hand washer , '' White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Fox News .
`` He uses hand sanitizer all the time .
So he 's not concerned about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress , Julia Brownley , D-Calif. , said on Monday that she , too , is self-quarantining upon learning that a person she spoke to in Washington last week tested positive for coronavirus .
`` Out of an abundance of absolute caution , my DC staff and I are self-monitoring and maintaining social distancing practices .
Neither I , nor my staff , are experiencing any symptoms at this time , '' Brownley said in a statement .
The coronavirus outbreak is also causing members of Congress to cancel events .
For instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced he has cancelled a planned town hall next week and will hold a coronavirus telephone town hall instead .
At a meeting on Monday with congressional leaders , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was reportedly asked about the prospect of lawmakers voting remotely , but Pelosi shot down the idea .
`` We 're here , and we 're working , '' said Pelosi , according to a source in the meeting .
There are no plans to change the congressional schedule , the source said .
The outbreak , which has spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far claimed the lives of more than two dozen Americans and roiled financial markets .
The Trump administration has summoned Wall Street executives to the White House for a meeting on Wednesday about the impacts of coronavirus on the economy , a person familiar with the meeting confirmed .
The meeting comes after the Dow plunged more than 2,000 points on Monday , its most dramatic drop since the financial crisis of 2008 .

Meadows, Other Members Of Congress Self-Quarantine After CPAC Coronavirus Exposure
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
Updated at 3:15 p.m. ET Tuesday
Reps. Mark Meadows, Doug Collins, and Matt Gaetz said Monday that they are self-quarantining after learning they came in contact with a person infected with coronavirus while attending a conservative conference in the Washington area last month.
Rep. Mark Meadows, who is the incoming White House chief of staff, is one of several members who attended last month's Conservative Political Action Conference. At least one attendee has tested positive for coronavirus. Meadows says he has no symptoms and tested negative. But, his spokesperson said, "out of an abundance of caution ... he'll remain at home until the 14 day period expires this Wednesday."
That brings the number of congressional lawmakers who are self-quarantining over coronavirus concerns to six.
Both Collins and Gaetz have been in close contact with Trump in recent days. Reporters traveling with the president saw Gaetz board Air Force One on Monday.
Neither have reported any symptoms, but said their decisions to self-quarantine were also taken out of an abundance of caution.
On Tuesday, Gaetz said he had tested negative for coronavirus.
"I will remain under self-quarantine at the advice of medical professionals," Gaetz said on Twitter.
Collins, R-Ga., ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said on Twitter that he was notified by officials from CPAC that they discovered a photo of him with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus.
"While I feel completely healthy and I am not experiencing any symptoms, I have decided to self-quarantine at my home for the remainder of the 14-day period out of an abundance of caution," Collins said.
Gaetz, R-Fla., said his decision to self-quarantine came after the same realization: that he came in contact with a CPAC attendee 11 days ago who tested positive for coronavirus.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Rep Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., who also attended CPAC, announced that they were taking the same step.
All five representatives are planning on 14-day quarantines on the recommendation of the Capitol's Office of Attending Physician.
According to the office, the unidentified individual is from New Jersey and was ill during CPAC, which ran from Feb. 26 to Feb. 29. The person was hospitalized and his symptoms worsened when he returned to New Jersey.
The patient was able to recall names of people he had been in contact with at CPAC, including the four members of Congress who have announced self-quarantines, according to the office.
The risk of becoming infected for the members of Congress remains low, the office said.
Before announcing his quarantine, Gaetz was aboard Air Force One with Trump earlier Monday.
Reporters traveling with the president saw Gaetz boarding the president's plane via the front steps.
In a press briefing on Monday, Vice President Mike Pence said he did not know whether Trump was tested for the coronavirus, but the White House later clarified that he has not.
"The President has not received COVID-19 testing because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms," White House Spokesperson Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. "President Trump remains in excellent health, and his physician will continue to closely monitor him."
Last week, Gaetz was seen wearing a biohazard gas mask on Capitol Hill, a move criticized as a publicity stunt. Gaetz defended the decision as a way of demonstrating his concern.
Rep. Louie Gohmert says he also learned over the weekend that he had potentially been exposed to the virus at CPAC, but will not self-quarantine. He said the House physician referred him to a top physician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who cleared him to return to Washington. "I took the advice of the expert and returned to work," he tweeted.
Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, says he is also under self-quarantine after interacting with the infected person at CPAC. Schlapp introduced President Trump and shook his hand at the conference on Feb. 29 before the president delivered remarks.
"The president of the United States, as we all know, is quite a hand washer," White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Fox News. "He uses hand sanitizer all the time. So he's not concerned about this at all."
Another member of Congress, Julia Brownley, D-Calif., said on Monday that she, too, is self-quarantining upon learning that a person she spoke to in Washington last week tested positive for coronavirus.
"Out of an abundance of absolute caution, my DC staff and I are self-monitoring and maintaining social distancing practices. Neither I, nor my staff, are experiencing any symptoms at this time," Brownley said in a statement.
The coronavirus outbreak is also causing members of Congress to cancel events. For instance, Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., announced he has cancelled a planned town hall next week and will hold a coronavirus telephone town hall instead.
At a meeting on Monday with congressional leaders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was reportedly asked about the prospect of lawmakers voting remotely, but Pelosi shot down the idea.
"We're here, and we're working," said Pelosi, according to a source in the meeting.
There are no plans to change the congressional schedule, the source said.
The outbreak, which has spread to more than 100 counties, has so far claimed the lives of more than two dozen Americans and roiled financial markets.
The Trump administration has summoned Wall Street executives to the White House for a meeting on Wednesday about the impacts of coronavirus on the economy, a person familiar with the meeting confirmed.
The meeting comes after the Dow plunged more than 2,000 points on Monday, its most dramatic drop since the financial crisis of 2008.
NPR's Susan Davis contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-09--Ethiopian Officials Say Faulty Boeing Software Played Role In Deadly 737 Max Crash

Ethiopian investigators said a flawed flight control system triggered by faulty sensor data , is at least partly to blame for last year 's crash of a 737 Max airplane operated by Ethiopian Airlines .
All 157 people on board were killed .
Authorities in Ethiopia also said training on the Max planes provided by Boeing `` was found to be inadequate '' adding that the flight control system , known as MCAS , was activated four times as pilots struggled mightily to regain control of the plane before the crash .
The findings of the interim report from Ethiopia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day before the anniversary of the crash of Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 .
A Boeing spokesperson said the company continues to extend `` heartfelt sympathies '' to the families of those killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash .
It also said it is awaiting formal recommendations from the final report .
`` Boeing continues to provide technical assistance in support of the investigation , at the request of and under the direction of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board , the Accredited Representative for the United States .
We look forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommendations that will be included in the final report from the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau , '' Boeing said in a statement .
That doomed flight , plus another one operated by Indonesia 's Lion Air that crashed in the Java Sea and killed all 189 passengers and crew in 2018 led to a worldwide grounding of Boeing 's 737 Max fleet .
That global grounding has been in effect for roughly a year .
The crashes eventually led to Boeing halting production of the planes causing ripple effects through the aerospace giant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes .
It is designed to lower the nose of the plane if sensors measure the AOA or `` angle of attack '' to be too high , which could cause it to stall .
But in both crashes , the information from the sensors was wrong .
In the Ethiopian Airlines flight , authorities found the plane 's left and right AOA sensors differed by 59 degrees .
The MCAS system took that erroneous information and activated – repeatedly pushing the plane 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in the air after takeoff .
The interim report found that at one point `` the pitch angle dropped from 0.5 degrees nose up to -7.8 degrees nose down '' and as a result the rate of decent increased from 100 feet per minute to more than 5,000 feet per minute .
The report adds that the pilots appeared to have recognized the problem and powered off the MCAS system .
They then attempted to manually regain control and trim of the aircraft in order to bring the nose back up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ system back on , though the report does not explain why .
That decision again forced the plane into a nose dive and the pilots were unable to recover .
The report indicates the plane was pointing down at a 40-degree angle and hurtling towards ground at a speed of more than 500 feet per second , when it crashed .
Ethiopian authorities do n't cite pilot error as a cause of the crash , but do say the pilots should have received training in a cockpit simulator on what to do in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boeing , returning the Max to service has been a top priority , though one that has not come easy .
Boeing anticipated a swift return , only to see that goal pushed back several times after regulators , particularly those in the U.S. , pushed for more fixes .
This includes reports that federal regulators will issue an order to have some electrical wire bundles relocated on the Max planes because they are too close to one another and could catch fire .
Since the grounding , Boeing discovered another potential hazard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rags and wrappers were left in fuel tanks during assembly of the planes .
Last month , Federal Aviation Administration officials said certain panels on the Max planes , including a metal layer that provides a shield for aircraft wiring , is prone to potential `` electromagnetic effects of lightning strikes or high intensity radiated fields . ''
Boeing stopped production of the aircraft , which had been its bestselling plane , in December .
Soon afterwards effects of the production slowdown began impacting businesses down the supply chain , including that of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was going to layoff nearly 3,000 employees .
Boeing said earlier this year the company estimates the FAA and other global regulators will move forward with `` ungrounding '' of the 737 Max by mid-2020 .

Ethiopian Officials Say Faulty Boeing Software Played Role In Deadly 737 Max Crash
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mulugeta Ayene/AP Mulugeta Ayene/AP
Ethiopian investigators said a flawed flight control system triggered by faulty sensor data, is at least partly to blame for last year's crash of a 737 Max airplane operated by Ethiopian Airlines. All 157 people on board were killed.
Authorities in Ethiopia also said training on the Max planes provided by Boeing "was found to be inadequate" adding that the flight control system, known as MCAS, was activated four times as pilots struggled mightily to regain control of the plane before the crash.
The findings of the interim report from Ethiopia's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau were released a day before the anniversary of the crash of Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight 302.
A Boeing spokesperson said the company continues to extend "heartfelt sympathies" to the families of those killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash. It also said it is awaiting formal recommendations from the final report.
"Boeing continues to provide technical assistance in support of the investigation, at the request of and under the direction of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the Accredited Representative for the United States. We look forward to reviewing the full details and formal recommendations that will be included in the final report from the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau," Boeing said in a statement.
That doomed flight, plus another one operated by Indonesia's Lion Air that crashed in the Java Sea and killed all 189 passengers and crew in 2018 led to a worldwide grounding of Boeing's 737 Max fleet. That global grounding has been in effect for roughly a year.
The crashes eventually led to Boeing halting production of the planes causing ripple effects through the aerospace giant's supply chain.
MCAS played a role in both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes. It is designed to lower the nose of the plane if sensors measure the AOA or "angle of attack" to be too high, which could cause it to stall.
But in both crashes, the information from the sensors was wrong.
In the Ethiopian Airlines flight, authorities found the plane's left and right AOA sensors differed by 59 degrees. The MCAS system took that erroneous information and activated – repeatedly pushing the plane's nose down during the six minutes it was in the air after takeoff.
The interim report found that at one point "the pitch angle dropped from 0.5 degrees nose up to -7.8 degrees nose down" and as a result the rate of decent increased from 100 feet per minute to more than 5,000 feet per minute.
The report adds that the pilots appeared to have recognized the problem and powered off the MCAS system. They then attempted to manually regain control and trim of the aircraft in order to bring the nose back up.
Eventually, the pilots turned the MCAS system back on, though the report does not explain why. That decision again forced the plane into a nose dive and the pilots were unable to recover.
The report indicates the plane was pointing down at a 40-degree angle and hurtling towards ground at a speed of more than 500 feet per second, when it crashed.
Ethiopian authorities don't cite pilot error as a cause of the crash, but do say the pilots should have received training in a cockpit simulator on what to do in a scenario when MCAS malfunctions.
For Boeing, returning the Max to service has been a top priority, though one that has not come easy. Boeing anticipated a swift return, only to see that goal pushed back several times after regulators, particularly those in the U.S., pushed for more fixes.
This includes reports that federal regulators will issue an order to have some electrical wire bundles relocated on the Max planes because they are too close to one another and could catch fire. Since the grounding, Boeing discovered another potential hazard: tools and other debris such as rags and wrappers were left in fuel tanks during assembly of the planes.
Last month, Federal Aviation Administration officials said certain panels on the Max planes, including a metal layer that provides a shield for aircraft wiring, is prone to potential "electromagnetic effects of lightning strikes or high intensity radiated fields."
Boeing stopped production of the aircraft, which had been its bestselling plane, in December. Soon afterwards effects of the production slowdown began impacting businesses down the supply chain, including that of Spirit AeroSystems, which announced in January it was going to layoff nearly 3,000 employees.
Boeing said earlier this year the company estimates the FAA and other global regulators will move forward with "ungrounding" of the 737 Max by mid-2020.


npr--2020-03-09--Trump: Payroll Tax Cuts And Hourly Worker Relief Possible In Coronavirus Response

Trump : Payroll Tax Cuts And Hourly Worker Relief Possible In Coronavirus Response President Trump said on Monday that the White House is planning on asking Congress to pass a payroll tax cut and relief for hourly wage earners in order to assist workers who may be feeling the financial pinch amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Trump said that top administration officials will be meeting with members of the House and Senate on Tuesday to discuss the possible payroll tax cuts and help for hourly workers .
`` Very substantial relief that 's a big number , '' Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be talking about hourly wage earners getting help so that they can be in a position so they are not going to ever miss a paycheck , '' he said .
Trump said the White House is also working with the Small Business Administration and industries including airlines , cruise ship businesses and hotel owners , which are all grappling with economic hardship as demand from consumers slumps and travelers cancel plans .
`` We are going to take care of and have been taking care of the American public and the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's announcement comes after the worst day for markets since 2008 , because of fears that the coronavirus will plunge the economy into recession .
Trump met on Monday with his task force managing the country 's response .
The Trump administration has also summoned Wall Street executives to the White House for a meeting on Wednesday about the impacts of the coronavirus on the economy , a person familiar with the meeting confirmed .
Watch remarks from Trump and other members of the coronavirus taskforce live here : This story will be @ @

Trump: Payroll Tax Cuts And Hourly Worker Relief Possible In Coronavirus Response
Enlarge this image toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 10:19 p.m. ET
President Trump said Monday that the White House is planning to ask Congress to pass a payroll tax cut and relief for hourly wage earners in order to assist workers who may be feeling the financial pinch amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Trump said that top administration officials will be meeting with Republican members of the House and Senate on Tuesday to discuss the possible payroll tax cuts and help for hourly workers.
"Very substantial relief that's a big number," Trump said. "We're also going to be talking about hourly wage earners getting help so that they can be in a position so they are not going to ever miss a paycheck," he said.
Trump said the White House is also working with the Small Business Administration and industries including airlines, cruise ship businesses and hotel owners, which are all grappling with economic hardship as demand from consumers slumps and travelers cancel plans.
"We are going to take care of and have been taking care of the American public and the American economy," Trump said.
Trump's announcement comes after the worst day for markets since 2008, because of growing fears that the coronavirus will plunge the economy into recession. Trump met on Monday with his task force managing the country's response.
Democratic leadership, however, made clear on Monday night that they are not on the same page as the Trump administration. They don't support a payroll tax cut and say Trump appears to be more concerned about the stock market than dealing with the underlying coronavirus outbreak.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said members of the Trump administration planning to meet with Senate Republicans on Tuesday "haven't checked with us, they haven't called us."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he doesn't think "a payroll tax is what we need right now ... what the economy needs right now is some stability and confidence that we're addressing the issue that is undermining the economy. The president's answer to almost everything is a tax cut."
The Trump administration has also summoned Wall Street executives to the White House for a meeting on Wednesday about the impacts of the coronavirus on the economy, a person familiar with the meeting confirmed.
Democrats, including Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, have called for legislative remedies including emergency paid sick leave to help workers who have to stay home due to the coronavirus outbreak.
On Monday, Vice President Pence did not rule out such a proposal, saying nobody should feel they should go to work if they are ill or fear losing their job or a paycheck for staying home as a result of the epidemic.
"The president has tasked the team with developing economic policies that will make it very, very clear that we're going to stand by those hardworking Americans, stand by those businesses large and small," Pence said.
Pence said more than 1 million coronavirus tests have been distributed and an additional 4 million are planning to be distributed.
Pence said he has not been tested for the respiratory disease.
Trump spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham issued a statement saying the president hasn't been tested "because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms."
"Per current CDC guidelines, medical professionals should base testing decisions on patient symptoms and exposure history," the statement said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz said on Monday that he was self-quarantining after learning he had been in contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus at a conservative conference last month. Before making the announcement, Gaetz had flown on Air Force One with Trump.
Asked whether the coronavirus shock will send the American economy into recession, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sounded confident that the U.S. economy is resilient enough to push through the financial jitters.
"There are parts of the economy that will be impacted, especially workers who need to be at home, hardworking people who are at home under quarantine or taking care of their family. We'll be working on a program to address that," he said. "We will also be working with small businesses."
Mnuchin said the roiling markets were driven mostly by the dive in oil prices set off by Saudi Arabia. The kingdom recently flooded the market with crude oil, seen as a strike at oil giant Russia, which would not agree to curtain oil production to bolster prices, as the coronavirus slows demand. Analysts worried the move could be the start of the oil price war.
Mnuchin downplayed the long-term economic effect of the coronavirus, even as leading economists say the picture remains uncertain.
"The economy will be in really good shape a year from now," Mnuchin said. "This is not like the financial crisis where we don't know the end in sight. This is about providing proper tools and liquidity to get through the next few months."
Claudia Grisales contributed to this report.