npr--2020-02-05--Macy's Closing 125 Stores, Cutting 2,000 Jobs As Mall Stores Struggle

Macy 's is planning to close about 125 underperforming stores over the next three years , about a fifth of the company 's retail locations .
The department store did not specify which locations it would close , other than saying the stores are in `` lower-tier '' malls and include 30 stores in 19 states that are already in the process of closing .
Macy 's said in a statement that it is also cutting 2,000 jobs — about 9 % of its corporate workforce — and shuttering offices in Cincinnati and San Francisco to consolidate operations at its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also close its Tempe , Ariz. , customer contact center and consolidate operations in Mason , Ohio , and Clearwater , Fla .
But it plans to add tech and website workers to a future facility in Atlanta .
All this is part of a big transformation Macy 's hopes will help boost the company amid an exodus of shoppers from malls and traditional department stores , NPR 's Alina Selyukh reports .
And the rise of online sales over the past decade have hurt many of the nation 's largest and oldest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upgrade 100 stores in 2020 and open new , smaller boutique-style stores outside of malls , called Market by Macy 's .
Those stores will feature Macy 's merchandise , local goods , and food and drink options .
The first version is expected to open in Dallas this week .
It 's also adding about 60 more lower-priced stores , called Macy 's Backstage .
They are similar to Nordstrom Rack or Saks Off Fifth .
Macy 's estimates the changes will save $ 1.5 billion by the end of 2022 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Macy 's , Inc. and our brands , Macy 's , Bloomingdale 's and Bluemercury , fit into retail today , '' Macy 's Chairman and CEO Jeff Gennette said in Tuesday 's statement .
`` We will focus our resources on the healthy parts of our business , directly address the unhealthy parts of the business . ''
Gennette said Macy 's will also expand its loyalty program to reach new customers and step up personalized online product recommendations .
Macy 's says 2020 will be a transition year and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the store closures .

Macy's Closing 125 Stores, Cutting 2,000 Jobs As Mall Stores Struggle
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elaine Thompson/AP Elaine Thompson/AP
Macy's is planning to close about 125 underperforming stores over the next three years, about a fifth of the company's retail locations.
The department store did not specify which locations it would close, other than saying the stores are in "lower-tier" malls and include 30 stores in 19 states that are already in the process of closing.
Macy's said in a statement that it is also cutting 2,000 jobs — about 9% of its corporate workforce — and shuttering offices in Cincinnati and San Francisco to consolidate operations at its New York headquarters.
The company will also close its Tempe, Ariz., customer contact center and consolidate operations in Mason, Ohio, and Clearwater, Fla. But it plans to add tech and website workers to a future facility in Atlanta.
All this is part of a big transformation Macy's hopes will help boost the company amid an exodus of shoppers from malls and traditional department stores, NPR's Alina Selyukh reports. And the rise of online sales over the past decade have hurt many of the nation's largest and oldest department stores.
Macy's plans to upgrade 100 stores in 2020 and open new, smaller boutique-style stores outside of malls, called Market by Macy's. Those stores will feature Macy's merchandise, local goods, and food and drink options. The first version is expected to open in Dallas this week.
It's also adding about 60 more lower-priced stores, called Macy's Backstage. They are similar to Nordstrom Rack or Saks Off Fifth.
Macy's estimates the changes will save $1.5 billion by the end of 2022.
"We have a clear vision of where Macy's, Inc. and our brands, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury, fit into retail today," Macy's Chairman and CEO Jeff Gennette said in Tuesday's statement. "We will focus our resources on the healthy parts of our business, directly address the unhealthy parts of the business."
Gennette said Macy's will also expand its loyalty program to reach new customers and step up personalized online product recommendations.
Macy's says 2020 will be a transition year and that it expects net sales to decline because of the store closures.


npr--2020-02-05--U.S. Evacuees Make It Stateside As Coronavirus Strands Cruises In Asian Waters

U.S. Evacuees Make It Stateside As Coronavirus Strands Cruises In Asian Waters Hundreds of U.S. nationals are stateside once more , as two planeloads of people fleeing the coronavirus outbreak in China landed Wednesday in California .
The Department of Defense says the approximately 350 passengers aboard the chartered flights will be quarantined for two weeks on a pair of military bases in the state .
According to the Pentagon , the passengers are to be distributed between Travis Air Force Base in Northern California , where the planes initially touched down Wednesday morning , and Marine Corps Air Station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent the second major evacuation of U.S. nationals from Wuhan , China , the center of a deadly outbreak that has been declared a global health emergency .
Last week , U.S. officials airlifted nearly 200 Americans out of the region .
And do n't expect Wednesday 's flights to be the last .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says additional flights are expected to bear evacuees to bases in Texas and Nebraska , as well .
The successful extractions are similar to operations recently undertaken by health and defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been struggling to mitigate the disease 's rapid spread .
More than 24,600 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in more than two dozen countries , including the U.S. , though the overwhelming majority remain in mainland China .
As of Wednesday morning , nearly 500 patients have died of the respiratory virus , also known as 2019-nCoV .
Total confirmed cases of the coronavirus strain , first identified in Wuhan toward the end of last year , have more than tripled since last week — though that number is still vastly outpaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes up to 5 million cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths each year .
Still , the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus is what has global health officials especially worried .
`` This is a very serious public health threat , '' the CDC explained earlier this week .
`` The fact that this virus has caused severe illness and sustained person-to-person spread in China is concerning , but it 's unclear how the situation in the United States will unfold at this time . ''
The cruise ship Diamond Princess now sits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where its thousands of passengers and crew have been placed under quarantine .
A former passenger turned up in Hong Kong with a case of the virus , and Japanese health officials announced Wednesday that tests on the ship showed that at least 10 additional passengers and crew are sick with it .
Katsunobu Katō told reporters that about another 250 passengers have been tested and are still awaiting their results .
In Hong Kong , meanwhile , the former Diamond Princess passenger is just one of 21 confirmed cases as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has died .
And the city is dealing with a cruise problem of its own : The World Dream is in quarantine at Hong Kong 's Kai Tak cruise terminal after several people who had already disembarked tested positive for the virus .
Carrie Lam , chief executive of the semiautonomous region , announced that as of Saturday , all travelers from mainland China will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine — roughly the virus ' period of incubation .
`` The situation has entered another critical stage , '' Lam said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China Morning Post .
United Airlines announced Tuesday that it was suspending flights to Hong Kong over a 12-day period beginning Saturday .
The airline is also one of several major American carriers to suspend service between the U.S. and China , partly because of the U.S. State Department 's warnings against traveling to the country .
The quick-moving virus has not escaped the attention of President Trump , who mentioned efforts to contain the disease in his State of the Union address Tuesday night .
`` Protecting Americans ' health also means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China .
My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat . ''
He did not offer any further details about the efforts , though his administration announced plans last Friday to temporarily ban any travelers from China who are n't U.S. citizens , permanent residents or their immediate family members .

U.S. Evacuees Make It Stateside As Coronavirus Strands Cruises In Asian Waters
Updated at 7:23 p.m. ET
Hundreds of U.S. nationals are stateside once more, as two planeloads of people fleeing the coronavirus outbreak in China landed Wednesday in California. The Department of Defense says the approximately 350 passengers aboard the chartered flights will be quarantined for two weeks on a pair of military bases in the state.
According to the Pentagon, the passengers are to be distributed between Travis Air Force Base in Northern California, where the planes initially touched down Wednesday morning, and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego.
The flights represent the second major evacuation of U.S. nationals from Wuhan, China, the center of a deadly outbreak that has been declared a global health emergency. Last week, U.S. officials airlifted nearly 200 Americans out of the region.
And don't expect Wednesday's flights to be the last. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says additional flights are expected to bear evacuees to bases in Texas and Nebraska, as well.
The successful extractions are similar to operations recently undertaken by health and defense officials around the world, who have been struggling to mitigate the disease's rapid spread. More than 28,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in more than two dozen countries, including the U.S., though the overwhelming majority remain in mainland China.
As of Thursday morning, more than 500 patients have died of the respiratory virus, also known as 2019-nCoV. Total confirmed cases of the coronavirus strain, first identified in Wuhan toward the end of last year, have more than tripled since last week — though that number is still vastly outpaced by the seasonal flu, which typically causes up to 5 million cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths each year.
Still, the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus is what has global health officials especially worried.
"This is a very serious public health threat," the CDC explained earlier this week. "The fact that this virus has caused severe illness and sustained person-to-person spread in China is concerning, but it's unclear how the situation in the United States will unfold at this time."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images
The cruise ship Diamond Princess now sits at anchor off the coast of Japan, where its thousands of passengers and crew have been placed under quarantine. A former passenger turned up in Hong Kong with a case of the virus, and Japanese health officials announced Wednesday that tests on the ship showed that at least 10 additional passengers and crew are sick with it.
Katsunobu Katō told reporters that about another 250 passengers have been tested and are still awaiting their results.
In Hong Kong, meanwhile, the former Diamond Princess passenger is just one of 21 confirmed cases as of Wednesday morning. One person so far has died. And the city is dealing with a cruise problem of its own: The World Dream is in quarantine at Hong Kong's Kai Tak cruise terminal after several people who had already disembarked tested positive for the virus.
Carrie Lam, chief executive of the semiautonomous region, announced that as of Saturday, all travelers from mainland China will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine — roughly the virus' period of incubation.
"The situation has entered another critical stage," Lam said, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
United Airlines announced Tuesday that it was suspending flights to Hong Kong over a 12-day period beginning Saturday. The airline is also one of several major American carriers to suspend service between the U.S. and China, partly because of the U.S. State Department's warnings against traveling to the country.
The quick-moving virus has not escaped the attention of President Trump, who mentioned efforts to contain the disease in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
"Protecting Americans' health also means fighting infectious diseases," Trump said. "We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat."
He did not offer any further details about the efforts, though his administration announced plans last Friday to temporarily ban any travelers from China who aren't U.S. citizens, permanent residents or their immediate family members.


npr--2020-02-05--Rep. Jerry Nadler Says House Will Likely Subpoena John Bolton

Rep. Jerry Nadler Says House Will Likely Subpoena John Bolton House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler , D-N.Y. , says the House expects to continue its investigations into President Trump 's conduct , even after Wednesday 's expected acquittal of Trump in the Senate impeachment trial .
Speaking with reporters , Nadler says the House `` will likely '' subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton .
Bolton had said he would comply with a Senate subpoena during the impeachment trial , but the Senate voted against calling witnesses .
According to published reports , Bolton , in a book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president that he was withholding aid to Ukraine until the Ukrainian government began an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , Hunter .
Nadler did not have a timeline for when Bolton would be subpoenaed but noted that a subpoena could come from the Judiciary or other investigative committees .
Bolton was ousted as national security adviser last fall after clashing with the president on a number of foreign policy issues .
Nadler , asked if he was concerned about possible political repercussions of a continuing investigation , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think when you have a lawless president , you have to bring that to the fore and you have to spotlight that . ''

Rep. Jerry Nadler Says House Will Likely Subpoena John Bolton
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., says the House expects to continue its investigations into President Trump's conduct, even after Wednesday's expected acquittal of Trump in the Senate impeachment trial.
Speaking with reporters, Nadler says the House "will likely" subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton. Bolton had said he would comply with a Senate subpoena during the impeachment trial, but the Senate voted against calling witnesses. According to published reports, Bolton, in a book manuscript, describes being told by the president that he was withholding aid to Ukraine until the Ukrainian government began an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
Nadler did not have a timeline for when Bolton would be subpoenaed but noted that a subpoena could come from the Judiciary or other investigative committees.
Bolton was ousted as national security adviser last fall after clashing with the president on a number of foreign policy issues.
Nadler, asked if he was concerned about possible political repercussions of a continuing investigation, said: "First of all, I think when you have a lawless president, you have to bring that to the fore and you have to spotlight that."
NPR's Krishnadev Calamur contributed to this report


npr--2020-02-05--Senate Acquits Trump, With Romney As Sole Republican Voting Guilty

The Senate has voted to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — ending a months-long process of investigations and hearings and exposing a sharply divided Congress and country .
Acquittal on the first article was 52-48 , with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah becoming the only senator to cross party lines .
Trump was cleared of the second charge on a straight party-line vote of 53-47 .
Convicting and removing Trump from office would have required 67 votes .
The Trump campaign immediately issued a statement after the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totally vindicated . ''
Trump tweeted that he will make a public statement on Thursday at 12 p.m .
ET `` to discuss our Country 's VICTORY on the Impeachment Hoax ! ''
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , insisted that despite the vote , `` there can be no acquittal without a trial , and there is no trial without witnesses , documents and evidence . ''
The Senate voted last week against admitting witnesses .
Pelosi added that regardless of the outcome in the Senate , Trump has been `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third U.S. president to be impeached by the House of Representatives .
None has been removed from office by the Senate .
Ahead of the vote , Romney said he could not stand with his party over Trump 's actions with Ukraine , which he called `` grievously wrong . ''
`` The president is guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust , '' said Romney on the Senate floor .
`` What he did was not perfect .
No , it was a flagrant assault on our electoral rights , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one 's oath of office that I can imagine . ''
Romney was the only Republican to vote guilty , but he becomes the first senator to vote to remove a president of his own party from office .
Romney did vote against the second article of impeachment , for obstructing Congress .
Asked how long Romney would be in the Senate GOP 's doghouse , Majority Leader Mitch McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't have any doghouses here .
The most important vote is the next vote . ''
McConnell told reporters that impeachment has been `` a political loser '' for Democrats and `` a colossal political mistake . ''
While Romney was the lone Republican to vote against the president , Democrats were united in their opposition .
Three red-state Democrats who were considered possible supporters of acquittal — Sens .
Joe Manchin of West Virginia , Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Doug Jones of Alabama — all voted guilty on both articles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Trump 's Senate trial , capping a process that began with an impeachment inquiry in the House of Representatives and then led to the president 's impeachment and , ultimately , his acquittal .
The result was never in doubt .
Republicans hold a comfortable majority in the chamber , and the Democratic caucus would have needed 20 Republicans to break with their party 's leadership .
Most GOP senators are ardent supporters of the president .
Trump has called the entire process a `` witch hunt '' and did not acknowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Union address to Congress , a speech where the audience of congressional lawmakers was as divided on the issue of impeachment as the citizens they represent .
At issue is Trump 's July 25 phone call with Ukraine 's newly elected president , Volodymyr Zelenskiy .
Democrats say Trump tied the release of frozen military aid to Ukraine to an investigation of Joe Biden , the former vice president who is a Democratic presidential candidate .
That forms the basis of the first article of impeachment : abuse of power .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House impeachment inquiry into whether Trump 's action constituted a quid pro quo — a decision that formed the basis of the second article of impeachment against Trump : obstruction of Congress .
Sen. Susan Collins , the Maine Republican who was seen as a swing vote in the trial , said Tuesday that House managers did not meet the burden of showing that the president 's conduct was worth his removal from office .
She said that while it was `` wrong of [ Trump ] to ask a foreign government to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were gaps in the record about the phone call .
Collins also criticized the House managers ' rationale on Article 2 , obstruction of Congress , saying the Democrats chose `` speed over finality '' ; many Republicans argue that the House Democrats should have gone to court to subpoena Trump administration witnesses for testimony and documents .
Rep. Adam Schiff , the lead House manager , has said that legal route would have taken too long .
But the scrutiny of the Trump administration continues , Democrats vowed on Wednesday .
Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that Trump should be impeached again if he commits future transgressions .
`` The standard should be , 'Did the president commit high crimes and misdemeanors ? '
I think it 's conclusive the president did ... and if the president does it again in three months , they should impeach him again , '' Schumer said .
On the House side , Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler , D-N.Y. , said the House expects to continue its investigations into Trump 's conduct .
Nadler said the House `` will likely '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who Democrats had hoped would appear as a witness in the Senate trial .

Senate Acquits Trump, With Romney As Sole Republican Voting Guilty
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
Updated 5:43 p.m. ET
The Senate has voted to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — ending a months-long process of investigations and hearings and exposing a sharply divided Congress and country.
Acquittal on the first article was 52-48, with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah becoming the only senator to cross party lines. Trump was cleared of the second charge on a straight party-line vote of 53-47.
Convicting and removing Trump from office would have required 67 votes.
The Trump campaign immediately issued a statement after the vote, saying the president has been "totally vindicated." Trump tweeted that he will make a public statement on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET "to discuss our Country's VICTORY on the Impeachment Hoax!"
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., insisted that despite the vote, "there can be no acquittal without a trial, and there is no trial without witnesses, documents and evidence." The Senate voted last week against admitting witnesses.
Pelosi added that regardless of the outcome in the Senate, Trump has been "impeached forever."
Trump is only the third U.S. president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. None has been removed from office by the Senate.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Ahead of the vote, Romney said he could not stand with his party over Trump's actions with Ukraine, which he called "grievously wrong."
"The president is guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust," said Romney on the Senate floor. "What he did was not perfect. No, it was a flagrant assault on our electoral rights, our national security and our fundamental values," he said. "Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine."
Romney was the only Republican to vote guilty, but he becomes the first senator to vote to remove a president of his own party from office.
Watch his remarks.
Romney did vote against the second article of impeachment, for obstructing Congress.
Asked how long Romney would be in the Senate GOP's doghouse, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., responded, "We don't have any doghouses here. The most important vote is the next vote."
McConnell told reporters that impeachment has been "a political loser" for Democrats and "a colossal political mistake."
While Romney was the lone Republican to vote against the president, Democrats were united in their opposition. Three red-state Democrats who were considered possible supporters of acquittal — Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Doug Jones of Alabama — all voted guilty on both articles.
The action Wednesday closes the chapter on Trump's Senate trial, capping a process that began with an impeachment inquiry in the House of Representatives and then led to the president's impeachment and, ultimately, his acquittal.
The result was never in doubt. Republicans hold a comfortable majority in the chamber, and the Democratic caucus would have needed 20 Republicans to break with their party's leadership. Most GOP senators are ardent supporters of the president.
Trump has called the entire process a "witch hunt" and did not acknowledge it in Tuesday night's State of the Union address to Congress, a speech where the audience of congressional lawmakers was as divided on the issue of impeachment as the citizens they represent.
At issue is Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukraine's newly elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Democrats say Trump tied the release of frozen military aid to Ukraine to an investigation of Joe Biden, the former vice president who is a Democratic presidential candidate. That forms the basis of the first article of impeachment: abuse of power.
The White House declined to participate in the House impeachment inquiry into whether Trump's action constituted a quid pro quo — a decision that formed the basis of the second article of impeachment against Trump: obstruction of Congress.
Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who was seen as a swing vote in the trial, said Tuesday that House managers did not meet the burden of showing that the president's conduct was worth his removal from office.
She said that while it was "wrong of [Trump] to ask a foreign government to investigate a political rival," there were gaps in the record about the phone call.
Collins also criticized the House managers' rationale on Article 2, obstruction of Congress, saying the Democrats chose "speed over finality"; many Republicans argue that the House Democrats should have gone to court to subpoena Trump administration witnesses for testimony and documents.
Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead House manager, has said that legal route would have taken too long.
But the scrutiny of the Trump administration continues, Democrats vowed on Wednesday.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that Trump should be impeached again if he commits future transgressions.
"The standard should be, 'Did the president commit high crimes and misdemeanors?' I think it's conclusive the president did ... and if the president does it again in three months, they should impeach him again," Schumer said.
On the House side, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said the House expects to continue its investigations into Trump's conduct.
Nadler said the House "will likely" subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton, who Democrats had hoped would appear as a witness in the Senate trial.


npr--2020-02-05--Graduates Of Historically Black Colleges May Be Paying More For Loans: Watchdog Group

Graduates Of Historically Black Colleges May Be Paying More For Loans : Watchdog Group Financial firms may be discriminating against people based on where they went to college , a watchdog group says .
In particular , the group found that a lender named Upstart appears to be charging higher interest rates on student loans to graduates of historically black or predominantly Hispanic colleges .
A lot more people are getting loans these days from a new breed of lenders known as fintechs , or financial technology firms .
And some of these lenders factor in where loan applicants went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some alarm flags , '' said Kat Welbeck , the civil rights counsel at the nonprofit Student Borrower Protection Center .
So her group decided to run a test .
It chose a lender called Upstart , in part because it 's a fairly prominent fintech that says it considers educational data .
And the group was able to easily apply and get loan offers on its website .
The group applied for dozens of loans online — posing as a 24-year-old man .
It said he lives in New York , works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50,000 a year .
Each time the group applied for a loan , it kept a whole range of factors constant .
`` The only difference was where he went to school , '' Welbeck said .
It applied as if this fictional borrower went to NYU in New York , many other schools and Howard University — one of the country 's most famous historically black colleges and universities .
The group found that if the otherwise identical loan applicant went to NYU instead of Howard , there was a striking difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a five-year term , it found an applicant would pay about $ 3,500 more in interest and fees if they went to Howard .
`` There 's no other explanation that we can really come to terms with other than the fact that where this borrower went to school mattered in terms of how Upstart measured their creditworthiness , '' Welbeck said .
And it apparently mattered quite a bit .
The group also found you 'd pay more if you went to New Mexico State University-Las Cruces , which has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new report , called Educational Redlining , the group says lenders may be discriminating based on where loan applicants went to college .
For its part , Upstart , seems to welcome the vigilance .
`` We definitely appreciate the intent , '' Upstart CEO Dave Girouard told NPR .
A former senior executive at Google , he said he founded Upstart to use technology to make credit more available .
Girouard said the company looks way beyond your credit score — it examines more than 1,000 factors .
`` Our entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bed every morning is to improve access to affordable credit , '' Girouard said .
`` So we are absolutely supportive of the intent that credit should n't be biased or unfair in any way . ''
But Girouard said the test the nonprofit ran does n't prove that using education as one of those many factors leads to discrimination .
Using `` hypothetical , contrived applicants for a loan who are n't real people was both anecdotal and not reflective of the real world , '' he said .
And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulators , Upstart has tested for fairness and bias over `` millions of applicants . ''
Girouard added , `` Our approach to ensuring that our platform is n't biased against anybody is by doing testing regularly , at massive scale . ''
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently noted that Upstart has reported to the regulator that , compared to traditional lending models , the company `` approves 27 % more applicants than the traditional model , and yields 16 % lower average [ interest rates ] for approved loans . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this reported expansion of credit access reflected in the results provided occurs across all tested race , ethnicity , and sex segments . ''
Still , the Student Borrower Protection Center 's report raised the eyebrows of some legal experts .
Todd Baker , who teaches a course on fintech at Columbia University 's Law School , said the traditional credit score approach to lending has its own problems and biases .
And some fintech lenders ' alternative approaches can help .
`` Using alternative data can be highly beneficial , but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very vigilant that we do n't recreate some of the problematic practices of the past unintentionally , '' Baker said .
Christopher Odinet , a law professor at the University of Oklahoma , agreed .
He said that when it comes to using more alternative data points to improve the traditional credit scoring systems and make them more inclusive , `` I think there is absolutely a right way to do this . ''
Odinet said there 's a need for it , too , because there 's evidence of inequities in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much credit history as well as minority groups are served by the traditional approach that relies so much on credit scores .
A lot of this comes down to whether lenders , when they look at education-related data , are truly looking at the individual and not just lumping that person into a group in an unfair way , he said .
`` For instance , whether or not you worked through college might be indicative of your ability to handle various financial responsibilities , life responsibilities and make you a more creditworthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said that 's different than lumping everybody who , say , went to Howard University , into one group .
And he worries that when it comes to considering where you went to school , `` the use of education-based data in loan underwriting is inevitably going to cause a discriminatory effect . ''
Advocates are increasingly worried that casting such a wide net for data to make decisions introduces biases in new and different ways .
Welbeck said her group is pushing for better oversight and more transparency from fintech companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about Wells Fargo for offering better interest rates and loan terms for student borrowers at four-year colleges than those who attend two-year community colleges .
`` Even with identical credit profiles , community college borrowers would pay a higher price for credit than students at four-year institutions , '' the report said .
Wells Fargo said in a statement that it disagrees with the study 's characterizations .
`` Wells Fargo has a long standing commitment to providing access to financing for students attending community colleges , '' the bank said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take into account expected performance outcomes and are confident that our loan programs conform with fair lending expectations and principles . ''
Girouard , Upstart 's CEO , said his company would be willing to meet with the watchdog group to talk about its concerns .
`` We 're always willing to engage with anybody who wants to understand what we 're doing , '' he said .

Graduates Of Historically Black Colleges May Be Paying More For Loans: Watchdog Group
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Financial firms may be discriminating against people based on where they went to college, a watchdog group says. In particular, the group found that a lender named Upstart appears to be charging higher interest rates on student loans to graduates of historically black or predominantly Hispanic colleges.
A lot more people are getting loans these days from a new breed of lenders known as fintechs, or financial technology firms. And some of these lenders factor in where loan applicants went to college.
"It really raised some alarm flags," said Kat Welbeck, the civil rights counsel at the nonprofit Student Borrower Protection Center.
So her group decided to run a test. It chose a lender called Upstart, in part because it's a fairly prominent fintech that says it considers educational data. And the group was able to easily apply and get loan offers on its website.
The group applied for dozens of loans online — posing as a 24-year-old man. It said he lives in New York, works as a financial analyst and makes $50,000 a year. Each time the group applied for a loan, it kept a whole range of factors constant.
"The only difference was where he went to school," Welbeck said. It applied as if this fictional borrower went to NYU in New York, many other schools and Howard University — one of the country's most famous historically black colleges and universities.
The group found that if the otherwise identical loan applicant went to NYU instead of Howard, there was a striking difference. For a $30,000 personal loan with a five-year term, it found an applicant would pay about $3,500 more in interest and fees if they went to Howard.
"There's no other explanation that we can really come to terms with other than the fact that where this borrower went to school mattered in terms of how Upstart measured their creditworthiness," Welbeck said.
And it apparently mattered quite a bit. The group also found you'd pay more if you went to New Mexico State University-Las Cruces, which has a high percentage of Hispanic students.
In a new report, called Educational Redlining, the group says lenders may be discriminating based on where loan applicants went to college.
For its part, Upstart, seems to welcome the vigilance. "We definitely appreciate the intent," Upstart CEO Dave Girouard told NPR. A former senior executive at Google, he said he founded Upstart to use technology to make credit more available. Girouard said the company looks way beyond your credit score — it examines more than 1,000 factors.
"Our entire mission and the reason we get out of bed every morning is to improve access to affordable credit," Girouard said. "So we are absolutely supportive of the intent that credit shouldn't be biased or unfair in any way."
But Girouard said the test the nonprofit ran doesn't prove that using education as one of those many factors leads to discrimination. Using "hypothetical, contrived applicants for a loan who aren't real people was both anecdotal and not reflective of the real world," he said.
And he said, under the watchful eye of regulators, Upstart has tested for fairness and bias over "millions of applicants." Girouard added, "Our approach to ensuring that our platform isn't biased against anybody is by doing testing regularly, at massive scale."
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently noted that Upstart has reported to the regulator that, compared to traditional lending models, the company "approves 27% more applicants than the traditional model, and yields 16% lower average [interest rates] for approved loans."
The company told the CFPB that "this reported expansion of credit access reflected in the results provided occurs across all tested race, ethnicity, and sex segments."
Still, the Student Borrower Protection Center's report raised the eyebrows of some legal experts. Todd Baker, who teaches a course on fintech at Columbia University's Law School, said the traditional credit score approach to lending has its own problems and biases. And some fintech lenders' alternative approaches can help.
"Using alternative data can be highly beneficial, but also has dangers and we need to be very vigilant that we don't recreate some of the problematic practices of the past unintentionally," Baker said.
Christopher Odinet, a law professor at the University of Oklahoma, agreed. He said that when it comes to using more alternative data points to improve the traditional credit scoring systems and make them more inclusive, "I think there is absolutely a right way to do this."
Odinet said there's a need for it, too, because there's evidence of inequities in the way young people who don't have much credit history as well as minority groups are served by the traditional approach that relies so much on credit scores.
A lot of this comes down to whether lenders, when they look at education-related data, are truly looking at the individual and not just lumping that person into a group in an unfair way, he said.
"For instance, whether or not you worked through college might be indicative of your ability to handle various financial responsibilities, life responsibilities and make you a more creditworthy individual," Odinet said.
But he said that's different than lumping everybody who, say, went to Howard University, into one group. And he worries that when it comes to considering where you went to school, "the use of education-based data in loan underwriting is inevitably going to cause a discriminatory effect."
Advocates are increasingly worried that casting such a wide net for data to make decisions introduces biases in new and different ways. Welbeck said her group is pushing for better oversight and more transparency from fintech companies.
The nonprofit's report also raised questions about Wells Fargo for offering better interest rates and loan terms for student borrowers at four-year colleges than those who attend two-year community colleges.
"Even with identical credit profiles, community college borrowers would pay a higher price for credit than students at four-year institutions," the report said.
Wells Fargo said in a statement that it disagrees with the study's characterizations.
"Wells Fargo has a long standing commitment to providing access to financing for students attending community colleges," the bank said. "We follow responsible lending practices that take into account expected performance outcomes and are confident that our loan programs conform with fair lending expectations and principles."
Girouard, Upstart's CEO, said his company would be willing to meet with the watchdog group to talk about its concerns. "We're always willing to engage with anybody who wants to understand what we're doing," he said.


npr--2020-02-06--DOJ To Investigate Mississippi Prisons After Spate Of Inmate Deaths

DOJ To Investigate Mississippi Prisons After Spate Of Inmate Deaths After a string of inmate deaths in Mississippi that began late last year , the Justice Department announced Wednesday that it is opening a civil rights probe into the state 's penitentiary system .
The department 's civil rights division says it will examine conditions at four Mississippi prisons , including the state penitentiary at Parchman , the state 's oldest , where a prison riot broke out on Dec. 29 after an inmate was killed .
The all-male prison includes the state 's death row .
Since December 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died .
Officials say two of the deaths were apparent suicides by hanging , but that many of the others are thought to be gang-related killings .
The Mississippi Department of Corrections says 29 staff have also been assaulted over the same period .
`` The investigation will focus on whether the Mississippi Department of Corrections adequately protects prisoners from physical harm at the hands of other prisoners at the four prisons , as well as whether there is adequate suicide prevention , including adequate mental health care and appropriate use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DOJ statement said .
The Justice Department says its investigation will focus on conditions at the Mississippi State Penitentiary , the South Mississippi Correctional Institution , the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility and the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility , which is run by a private contractor paid by the state .
The violence in Mississippi prisons has drawn national attention , particularly because of the advocacy of entertainment figures such as hip-hop artist Mysonne and Jay-Z , whose company , Roc Nation is funding a lawsuit against the state demanding improved conditions .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility filed in 2013 , the American Civil Liberties Union , Southern Poverty Law Center and others charged that `` the Mississippi Department of Corrections has operated the prison in a continuous state of crisis , neglect , and abuse for years , causing extreme and preventable suffering for thousands of prisoners in violation of the Eighth Amendment 's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment . ''
Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates of any state .
Long hours and low pay for prison guards has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to a report by ProPublica , rather than counting inmates , as required , some guards falsify their counts .
`` The state has sharply cut its spending on prisons over the last few years , '' the ProPublica report published in August says .
`` Along the way , the number of guards at the three state-run prisons has plummeted , from 905 in July 2017 to 627 two years later , even as the number of inmates has remained the same .
Vacancies abound , largely because the pay is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mississippi Association of Gang Investigators told state lawmakers this week that gangs such as the Gangster Disciples , City Royals and Vice Lords are operating in the prisons and engaged in narcotics and other criminal activity .
`` It 's not popular to admit [ that ] you have a gang problem , '' Anthony said , according to Mississippi Public Broadcasting .
`` Nobody wants to hear it .
It scares people . ''
The Justice Department 's use of the Civil Rights Division to investigate state law enforcement practices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become rare under President Trump .
However , a spokesperson for Gov .
Tate Reeves welcomed the move .
`` We are grateful that President Trump 's administration has taken a focused interest in criminal justice reform and that they care enough about Mississippi to engage on this critical issue , '' the governor 's spokesperson , Renae Eze , said .
`` As we continue our own investigations , we look forward to cooperating with them and working together to right this ship . ''

DOJ To Investigate Mississippi Prisons After Spate Of Inmate Deaths
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP
After a string of inmate deaths in Mississippi that began late last year, the Justice Department announced Wednesday that it is opening a civil rights probe into the state's penitentiary system.
The department's civil rights division says it will examine conditions at four Mississippi prisons, including the state penitentiary at Parchman, the state's oldest, where a prison riot broke out on Dec. 29 after an inmate was killed. The all-male prison includes the state's death row.
Since December's riot, a total of 15 inmates have died. Officials say two of the deaths were apparent suicides by hanging, but that many of the others are thought to be gang-related killings. The Mississippi Department of Corrections says 29 staff members have also been assaulted over the same period.
"The investigation will focus on whether the Mississippi Department of Corrections adequately protects prisoners from physical harm at the hands of other prisoners at the four prisons, as well as whether there is adequate suicide prevention, including adequate mental health care and appropriate use of isolation, at Parchman," a DOJ statement said.
The Justice Department says its investigation will focus on conditions at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, the South Mississippi Correctional Institution, the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility and the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, which is run by a private contractor paid by the state.
The violence in Mississippi prisons has drawn national attention, particularly because of the advocacy of entertainment figures such as hip-hop artist Mysonne and Jay-Z, whose company, Roc Nation is funding a lawsuit against the state demanding improved conditions.
In a class-action lawsuit on behalf of prisoners at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility filed in 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union, Southern Poverty Law Center and others charged that "the Mississippi Department of Corrections has operated the prison in a continuous state of crisis, neglect, and abuse for years, causing extreme and preventable suffering for thousands of prisoners in violation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment."
Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates of any state. Long hours and low pay for prison guards has meant that many positions go unfilled. According to a report by ProPublica, rather than counting inmates, as required, some guards falsify their counts.
"The state has sharply cut its spending on prisons over the last few years," the ProPublica report published in August says. "Along the way, the number of guards at the three state-run prisons has plummeted, from 905 in July 2017 to 627 two years later, even as the number of inmates has remained the same. Vacancies abound, largely because the pay is so low."
Jimmy Anthony of the Mississippi Association of Gang Investigators told state lawmakers this week that gangs such as the Gangster Disciples, City Royals and Vice Lords are operating in the prisons and engaged in narcotics and other criminal activity.
"It's not popular to admit [that] you have a gang problem," Anthony said, according to Mississippi Public Broadcasting. "Nobody wants to hear it. It scares people."
The Justice Department's use of the Civil Rights Division to investigate state law enforcement practices, not uncommon during the Obama administration, has become rare under President Trump.
However, a spokesperson for Gov. Tate Reeves welcomed the move.
"We are grateful that President Trump's administration has taken a focused interest in criminal justice reform and that they care enough about Mississippi to engage on this critical issue," the governor's spokesperson, Renae Eze, said. "As we continue our own investigations, we look forward to cooperating with them and working together to right this ship."
NPR's Debbie Elliott contributed to this report.


npr--2020-02-06--Trump Set To Give 'Victory' Speech After Acquittal By The Senate

Trump Set To Give 'Victory ' Speech After Acquittal By The Senate President Trump is declaring victory on Thursday , a day after being acquitted by the Senate on two articles of impeachment .
He is scheduled to make public remarks at noon ET .
Watch his remarks live here when they begin .
After the vote , Trump immediately claimed that he had been `` totally vindicated , '' following a months-long investigation that the White House called a `` witch hunt '' and a `` hoax . ''
The administration has long insisted that the impeachment inquiry led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The House voted to impeach Trump in December 2019 , charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
At the center of the failed effort to remove the president was an attempt to get Ukraine to investigate Trump 's political rivals , including former Vice President Joe Biden .
Democrats allege that Trump withheld congressionally approved military assistance to Ukraine and a White House meeting as leverage for his own political gain .
The impeachment inquiry in the House and the subsequent Senate trial exposed ever-deepening political divisions .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utah became the only Republican to break ranks , voting to convict Trump on Article 1 , abuse of power .
The Democratic caucus stood united on both articles , and party leaders pledged to continue to pressure the Republican administration .

'I Did Nothing Wrong': Trump Defiant After Senate Acquittal
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Updated at 2:42 p.m. ET
President Trump declared victory on Thursday, a day after being acquitted by the Senate on two articles of impeachment, and lashed out at his political opponents in lengthy extemporaneous remarks.
"We went through hell, unfairly. I did nothing wrong," he said in a public statement from the White House.
"It was all bulls***," he said, tracing his impeachment woes back to investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump entered the East Room packed with Republican members of Congress, cabinet members, and other supporters as "Hail to the Chief" played. He triumphantly held up a copy of The Washington Post with the banner headline, "Trump Acquitted."
"It was evil, corrupt, it was dirty cops, there were leakers, liars — it should never have happened," he said.
Trump praised his legal team as "warriors" and thanked his congressional supporters, telling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., "You did a fantastic job."
toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images
"Now we have that gorgeous word. I never thought a word would sound so good. It's called: total acquittal," Trump said.
Trump apologized to his family, "for having them have to go through a phony, rotten deal by some very evil and sick people." He then embraced daughter Ivanka and first lady Melania.
In his stream-of-consciousness remarks, which lasted over an hour, Trump spoke of his critics with vitriol.
"Instead of wanting to heal our country and fix our country ... they want to destroy our country," he said.
He lashed out at some favorite targets, including former FBI Director James Comey, whom he called "a sleazebag," adding that if Trump hadn't fired him, "It's possible I wouldn't even be standing here."
He called other FBI leaders "top scum."
He singled out Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the only GOP senator who voted to convict Trump. He said Romney, a devout Mormon, "used religion as a crutch," and that "things can happen when you fail so badly when running for president," referring to Romney's loss to Barack Obama in the 2012 election.
He called lead House manager Adam Schiff, D-Calif., "a corrupt politician," and referred to an earlier appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast. There, he said he doesn't like "people who say 'I pray for you' when you know it's not so," referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
"I had Nancy Pelosi sitting four seats away, and I'm saying things that other people wouldn't have said, but I meant them," Trump said in his afternoon speech.
In her own remarks on Thursday morning, Pelosi said that Trump is "impeached forever," referring to the House impeachment vote in December on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
"No matter what he says or whatever headlines he wants to carry around, you are impeached forever. You are never getting rid of that scar," she said.
Pelosi said the president's comments about Romney and his faith were "without class."
"He can say whatever he wants, but I do pray for him, and I do so sincerely. He's talking about things he knows little about: faith and prayer," she said.
Another target of Trump's Thursday was Hunter Biden, whom Trump accused of profiting off his father, former Vice President Joe Biden.
"My kids could make a fortune," Trump declared, but said, "It's corrupt." Trump's oldest sons are currently running the Trump family business.
There has been no evidence that the Bidens acted improperly with regards to Ukraine. Read a fact-check of their activities here.
After the vote Wednesday, Trump immediately claimed that he had been "totally vindicated," following a months-long investigation that the White House called a "witch hunt" and a "hoax."
The administration has long insisted that the impeachment inquiry led by House Democrats was politically motivated.
At the center of the failed effort to remove the president was an attempt to get Ukraine to investigate Trump's political rivals, including Biden. Democrats allege that Trump withheld congressionally approved military assistance to Ukraine and a White House meeting as leverage for his own political gain.
The impeachment inquiry in the House and the subsequent Senate trial exposed ever-deepening political divisions.
In the end, Romney was the only Republican to break ranks.
The Democratic caucus stood united on both articles, including red-state Democrats whose votes were up in the air. Party leaders pledged to continue to pressure the Republican administration.
Schiff told NPR on Thursday that he would still like to hear from administration officials, including White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but noted, "We haven't made a decision about next steps in terms of investigation."


npr--2020-02-06--Hong Kong Mandates Quarantine For Mainland Arrivals; Coronavirus Cases Surpass 28,000

As the number of coronavirus cases in China jumped dramatically once again on Thursday — to more than 28,000 — other countries where the new strain of viral pneumonia has spread are stepping up efforts to limit the epidemic .
Health authorities in China on Thursday reported 28,060 confirmed cases there , with 564 people having died from the virus , officially known as 2019-nCoV , that was first identified in December .
Nearly 200 other cases have appeared outside of China and Hong Kong , with one additional death , in the Philippines .
In Hong Kong , authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandate that anyone entering the city from mainland China `` self-quarantine '' for the 14-day incubation period of the virus .
The decision is part of an effort to quell public fears of the virus ' spread in the semi-autonomous territory , which has seen at least 18 confirmed cases , according to the World Health Organization .
Hong Kong 's medical staff went on strike starting Monday , calling for the city 's chief executive , Carrie Lam , to completely cut off movement with mainland China in an effort to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has halved the number of flights from mainland China and closed down cross-border trains , but refused to formally seal the border .
Outside China , several newly confirmed cases have been traced to an international business meeting held in Singapore in mid-January .
Malaysia and South Korea have confirmed three cases related to the meeting at the Grand Hyatt Singapore hotel , where four new cases have been discovered , bringing the city-state 's total to 28 .
In the U.S. , a twelfth case was confirmed on Wednesday in Wisconsin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Wuhan , China — where the virus first emerged in December — arrived at Travis Air Force base near San Francisco on Wednesday morning carrying approximately 350 Americans .
The passengers will be quarantined at U.S. military facilities for 14 days .
About 200 Americans evacuated from Wuhan on an earlier flight remain in quarantine at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside , Calif. , until February 11 .
In 2003 , severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS ) , which also emerged in China , caught authorities there by surprise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease and then of under reporting infections and deaths .
The Chinese government initially got good marks from the international medical community for its handling of the latest crisis , with an editorial published in The Lancet last month that said Beijing had `` quickly isolated and sequenced the virus and shared these data internationally . ''
`` The lessons from the SARS epidemic—where China was insufficiently prepared to implement infection control practices—have been successfully learned , '' the editorial said , adding that China had met `` international standards '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about the government 's response are beginning to emerge .
In an interview aired on China 's state television last week , Zhou Xianwang , the mayor of Wuhan , acknowledged that authorities in the city `` lacked timeliness in disclosing information . ''
`` As a local government official , I can only disclose this information after I 've obtained approval to do so .
Many people do not understand that , '' he added .
Despite the steadily increasing numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases , the World Health Organization estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 2 % and that most of those infected will experience only mild , flu-like symptoms before recovering .
By comparison , SARS had a mortality rate of nearly 10 % .
Even so , officials are worried that the new virus could spread rapidly , as people who are either asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms infect others .
`` A relatively mild virus can cause a lot of damage if a lot of people get it , '' Michael Ryan , director of the WHO 's emergencies program , said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is the issue at the moment .
We do n't fully understand it . ''

Hong Kong Mandates Quarantine For Mainland Arrivals; Coronavirus Cases Surpass 31,000
Enlarge this image toggle caption Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
Updated at 8:37 p.m. ET
As the number of coronavirus cases in China jumped dramatically once again on Thursday — to more than 31,000 — other countries where the new strain of viral pneumonia has spread are stepping up efforts to limit the epidemic.
Health authorities in China on Friday reported 31,211 confirmed cases there, with 637 people having died from the virus, officially known as 2019-nCoV, that was first identified in December. Nearly 200 other cases have appeared outside of China and Hong Kong, with one additional death, in the Philippines.
In Hong Kong, authorities said that beginning this weekend they would mandate that anyone entering the city from mainland China "self-quarantine" for the 14-day incubation period of the virus. The decision is part of an effort to quell public fears of the virus' spread in the semiautonomous territory, which has seen at least 18 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization.
Hong Kong's medical staff went on strike starting Monday, calling for the city's chief executive, Carrie Lam, to completely cut off movement with mainland China in an effort to prevent further transmission of the virus.
Lam has halved the number of flights from mainland China and closed down cross-border trains, but refused to formally seal the border.
Outside China, several newly confirmed cases have been traced to an international business meeting held in Singapore in mid-January. Malaysia and South Korea have confirmed three cases related to the meeting at the Grand Hyatt Singapore hotel, where four new cases have been discovered, bringing the city-state's total to 28.
In the U.S., a 12th case was confirmed on Wednesday in Wisconsin.
Two flights chartered by the State Department from Wuhan, China — where the virus first emerged in December — arrived at Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco on Wednesday morning carrying approximately 350 Americans. The passengers will be quarantined at U.S. military facilities for 14 days.
About 200 Americans evacuated from Wuhan on an earlier flight remain in quarantine at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, Calif., until Feb. 11.
In 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which also emerged in China, caught authorities there by surprise and Beijing was heavily criticized for initially hiding the disease and then of underreporting infections and deaths.
The Chinese government initially got good marks from the international medical community for its handling of the latest crisis, with an editorial published in The Lancet last month that said Beijing had "quickly isolated and sequenced the virus and shared these data internationally."
"The lessons from the SARS epidemic — where China was insufficiently prepared to implement infection control practices — have been successfully learned," the editorial said, adding that China had met "international standards" of disease control and prevention.
But troubling questions about the government's response are beginning to emerge. In an interview aired on China's state television last week, Zhou Xianwang, the mayor of Wuhan, acknowledged that authorities in the city "lacked timeliness in disclosing information."
"As a local government official, I can only disclose this information after I've obtained approval to do so. Many people do not understand that," he added.
Despite the steadily increasing numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization estimates the mortality rate from the virus is about 2% and that most of those infected will experience only mild, flu-like symptoms before recovering.
By comparison, SARS had a mortality rate of nearly 10%. Even so, officials are worried that the new virus could spread rapidly, as people who are either asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms infect others.
"A relatively mild virus can cause a lot of damage if a lot of people get it," Michael Ryan, director of the WHO's emergencies program, said at a briefing on Wednesday. "And this is the issue at the moment. We don't fully understand it."


npr--2020-02-05--Who Owns Florida's Wisteria Island, A Developer Or The Government? Judge To Decide

Who Owns Florida 's Wisteria Island , A Developer Or The Government ?
Judge To Decide Wisteria Island , created by the U.S. Navy nearly a century ago , has been left untouched for decades , except by boaters and campers who make their homes there .
It 's a valuable piece of real estate that 's now at the center of a court battle between a developer and the federal government who both say they own it .
There are no bridges to Wisteria .
It 's less than a mile offshore and you need a boat to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an informal community who make their home on the island .
He 's been there 15 years and like many , he sleeps on his boat , but keeps a camp on the island .
Hartman says most work in Key West but ca n't afford to live there .
He 's sometimes called Wisteria Island 's mayor .
`` That was a joke , '' he says , `` because whenever I saw someone new here , I would tell them , 'Hey , you got to be careful with fire .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do n't bring rowdy people out here . '
'' The small island is sandy and rocky , just over 20 acres with native plants like mangroves and sea grapes .
Walking across it , Hartman points out the sites for visitors .
`` I 'd say there are probably like 15 individual little camps around that people stay at , '' he says .
Some have tents .
Other campsites are just clearings between trees shaded by tarps .
Hartman stops at one camp .
`` This is someone from town that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
`` There are some more permanent . ''
It 's a squatter 's community , but one that 's been here for decades , going back at least to the 1960s .
For most of that time , the family that owned the island left them alone , even sometimes giving boaters written permission to anchor there .
Arnaud Girard and his wife , Naja , lived on their boat , anchored off the island , for 18 years .
`` We raised all our kids on a boat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew up out there .
I mean basically , Wisteria Island was their playground . ''
About a decade ago , the Bernstein family , the island 's owners , began making plans to build a luxury resort there .
Concerned about what that would mean for Key West and the community on Wisteria Island , the Girards started to dig into its history .
It 's what 's known as a `` spoil island , '' created by the Navy with material dredged from the Key West harbor channel .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed to sell it to a powerful local politician .
It was later resold and eventually acquired by the Bernsteins .
Working with a local newspaper , the Girards went to a National Archives facility near Washington , D.C. , and asked to see everything they had on Wisteria Island .
`` They brought this cart with boxes and boxes and boxes of things .
And we 're like , 'Really ? '
And we sat there for days and days and we came back with a letter from the president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was a letter signed in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge , reserving the island for the Navy .
That letter , along with other documents uncovered by the Girards , helped convince the U.S. government that it — not the Bernstein family — is Wisteria Island 's rightful owner .
The government has asked a federal judge to certify its ownership in a lawsuit that 's set to go to trial this spring .
It 's a convoluted case , with legal briefs detailing history going back to 1845 .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an arcane piece of U.S. history — the 1953 Submerged Lands Act .
That law transferred from the federal government to the states ownership of the area within three miles of the coast .
But it reserved for the federal government `` all lands filled in , built up , or otherwise reclaimed by the United States for its own use . ''
Bruce Rogow is a lawyer representing FEB Corporation , which includes the Bernsteins and other investors .
He says that 's the key point in FEB 's claim — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Island .
`` They had to put this spoil somewhere , '' Rogow says .
`` And they put it on what turned out now to be Wisteria Island .
So they created the island .
But they did n't create it for their own use .
They created it as a depository to put the spoil . ''
For the Bernstein family , the government 's decision to reassert its claim came as a blow .
The property is worth tens of millions of dollars and the family has paid taxes on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Key West also has a lot riding on the case .
For Cliff Hartman and many others , the ragtag community on Wisteria Island is a last vestige of the way Key West used to be — unconventional but self-reliant .
`` Most of the people in town think this island is just a haven for pirates and scallywags , and sometimes it is .
But this is also one of the only places where kids can come play out in nature , '' Hartman says .
If the government is successful in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here are hoping Wisteria Island will be preserved as a natural area or a park .

Who Owns Florida's Wisteria Island, A Developer Or The Government? Judge To Decide
Enlarge this image toggle caption Greg Allen/NPR Greg Allen/NPR
Wisteria Island, created by the U.S. Navy nearly a century ago, has been left untouched for decades, except by boaters and campers who make their homes there. It's a valuable piece of real estate that's now at the center of a court battle between a developer and the federal government who both say they own it.
There are no bridges to Wisteria. It's less than a mile offshore and you need a boat to get there. Cliff Hartman is part of an informal community who make their home on the island. He has been there 15 years and, like many, he sleeps on his boat, but keeps a camp on the island. Hartman says most work in Key West but can't afford to live there. He's sometimes called Wisteria Island's mayor.
"That was a joke," he says, "because whenever I saw someone new here, I would tell them, 'Hey, you got to be careful with fire. Don't camp on the beach. Don't bring rowdy people out here.' "
The small island is sandy and rocky, just over 20 acres with native plants such as mangroves and sea grapes. Walking across it, Hartman points out the sites for visitors.
"I'd say there are probably like 15 individual little camps around that people stay at," he says.
Some have tents. Other campsites are just clearings between trees shaded by tarps. Hartman stops at one camp.
"This is someone from town that comes out here on the weekends," he says. "There are some more permanent."
It's a squatter's community, but one that's been here for decades, going back at least to the 1960s. For most of that time, the family that owned the island left them alone, even sometimes giving boaters written permission to anchor there. Arnaud Girard and his wife, Naja, lived on their boat, anchored off the island, for 18 years.
"We raised all our kids on a boat," Girard says. "They grew up out there. I mean basically, Wisteria Island was their playground."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Greg Allen/NPR Greg Allen/NPR
About a decade ago, the Bernstein family, the island's owners, began making plans to build a luxury resort there. Concerned about what that would mean for Key West and the community on Wisteria Island, the Girards started to dig into its history. It's what's known as a "spoil island," created by the Navy with material dredged from the Key West harbor channel. In the early 1950s, the state of Florida agreed to sell it to a powerful local politician. It was later resold and eventually acquired by the Bernsteins.
Working with a local newspaper, the Girards went to a National Archives facility near Washington, D.C., and asked to see everything they had on Wisteria Island.
"They brought this cart with boxes and boxes and boxes of things. And we're like, 'Really?' And we sat there for days and days and we came back with a letter from the president of the United States," Arnaud Girard says.
It was a letter signed in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge reserving the island for the Navy.
That letter, along with other documents uncovered by the Girards, helped convince the U.S. government that it — not the Bernstein family — is Wisteria Island's rightful owner. The government has asked a federal judge to certify its ownership in a lawsuit that's set to go to trial this spring.
It's a convoluted case, with legal briefs detailing history going back to 1845. A key part of the case deals with an arcane piece of U.S. history — the 1953 Submerged Lands Act. That law transferred from the federal government to the states ownership of the area within 3 miles of the coast. But it reserved for the federal government "all lands filled in, built up, or otherwise reclaimed by the United States for its own use."
Bruce Rogow is a lawyer representing FEB Corp., which includes the Bernsteins and other investors. He says that's the key point in FEB's claim — the Navy never had a use for Wisteria Island.
"They had to put this spoil somewhere," Rogow says. "And they put it on what turned out now to be Wisteria Island. So they created the island. But they didn't create it for their own use. They created it as a depository to put the spoil."
For the Bernstein family, the government's decision to reassert its claim came as a blow. The property is worth tens of millions of dollars and the family has paid taxes on it for more than 50 years.
Key West also has a lot riding on the case. For Cliff Hartman and many others, the ragtag community on Wisteria Island is a last vestige of the way Key West used to be — unconventional but self-reliant.
"Most of the people in town think this island is just a haven for pirates and scallywags, and sometimes it is. But this is also one of the only places where kids can come play out in nature," Hartman says.
If the government is successful in its lawsuit, Hartman and many others here are hoping Wisteria Island will be preserved as a natural area or a park.


npr--2020-02-05--Does The New Coronavirus Spread Silently?

Does The New Coronavirus Spread Silently ?
Public health officials attempting to contain the new coronavirus are trying to figure out how easily it spreads .
One key question is whether people who are infected but show no symptoms can infect other people .
`` If you have a lot of people who [ have mild disease or are ] asymptomatic and not seeking medical care for respiratory illness but are still contagious , you 're going to have a very difficult time , '' says Jeffrey Shaman , a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University .
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and MERS – only spread from people who were showing symptoms of disease .
But Shaman has looked at more common coronaviruses , in particular four other coronaviruses that usually do n't cause anything more serious than a cold .
He 's found many people shed those viruses even when they report no symptoms at all .
( His results are not peer-reviewed but are available as a preprint ) .
His study found the coronavirus in the nasal passages of people who did n't report any symptoms , `` and it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking and breathing and coughing and sneezing and wiping their nose , '' Shaman says .
`` Whether it 's ... a sufficient quantity to make somebody else infectious , we ca n't discern that from what we 've done . ''
Likewise , it 's hard to know what 's up with the novel coronavirus .
Scientists in Germany reported a case in the New England Journal of Medicine on Jan. 30 in which a visitor from China without symptoms passed the disease along to a colleague in Munich .
But , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was wrong .
The woman actually did have symptoms .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , had cited that case last week at a White House meeting in which health officials announced a quarantine for people returning from the disease 's hotspot in China .
He says the errant letter in the journal does n't alter his view .
Fauci says he 's been talking to trusted colleagues in China about this issue , and `` they told me without a doubt there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But he says to the extent it 's happening , it does n't explain the apparently explosive spread of this disease within China .
The history of respiratory disease is that `` asymptomatic transmission is not the main driver of [ any ] outbreak . ''
Even so , Maria van Kerkhove at the World Health Organization says this question is subject of intense scrutiny right now .
`` We know from a lot of experience in other diseases that people that claim to be asymptomatic , when you go back and interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of actually developing symptoms , '' she told reporters at a recent briefing .
`` So they were n't completely asymptomatic . ''
The bigger risk could well be from people who have symptoms , but whose illness is mild enough that they do n't stay home in bed .
The German man who caught the coronavirus from his Chinese colleague had a brief fever , but went back to work quickly – and spread his infection to other colleagues .
This pattern of infection is similar to that of the flu .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ really bad influenza than it is a SARS-like disease , '' Fauci says .
That would mean the risk of serious illness is low for most healthy individuals , but if the novel coronavirus spreads as widely as influenza does , it could still take a lot of lives .
You can contact NPR Science Correspondent Richard Harris at rharris @ npr.org .

Does The New Coronavirus Spread Silently?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Getty Images Getty Images
Public health officials attempting to contain the new coronavirus are trying to figure out how easily it spreads. One key question is whether people who are infected but show no symptoms can infect other people.
"If you have a lot of people who [have mild disease or are] asymptomatic and not seeking medical care for respiratory illness but are still contagious, you're going to have a very difficult time," says Jeffrey Shaman, a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University.
Two previous deadly outbreaks of coronavirus – SARS and MERS – only spread from people who were showing symptoms of disease.
But Shaman has looked at more common coronaviruses, in particular four other coronaviruses that usually don't cause anything more serious than a cold. He's found many people shed those viruses even when they report no symptoms at all. (His results are not peer-reviewed but are available as a preprint).
His study found the coronavirus in the nasal passages of people who didn't report any symptoms, "and it's going to leak out as they're speaking and breathing and coughing and sneezing and wiping their nose," Shaman says. "Whether it's ... a sufficient quantity to make somebody else infectious, we can't discern that from what we've done."
Likewise, it's hard to know what's up with the novel coronavirus. Scientists in Germany reported a case in the New England Journal of Medicine on Jan. 30 in which a visitor from China without symptoms passed the disease along to a colleague in Munich. But, as Science magazine first reported, that was wrong. The woman actually did have symptoms.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had cited that case last week at a White House meeting in which health officials announced a quarantine for people returning from the disease's hotspot in China. He says the errant letter in the journal doesn't alter his view.
Fauci says he's been talking to trusted colleagues in China about this issue, and "they told me without a doubt there is some degree of asymptomatic transmission."
But he says to the extent it's happening, it doesn't explain the apparently explosive spread of this disease within China.
The history of respiratory disease is that "asymptomatic transmission is not the main driver of [any] outbreak."
Even so, Maria van Kerkhove at the World Health Organization says this question is subject of intense scrutiny right now.
"We know from a lot of experience in other diseases that people that claim to be asymptomatic, when you go back and interview them they were in the early stages of actually developing symptoms," she told reporters at a recent briefing. "So they weren't completely asymptomatic."
The bigger risk could well be from people who have symptoms, but whose illness is mild enough that they don't stay home in bed. The German man who caught the coronavirus from his Chinese colleague had a brief fever, but went back to work quickly – and spread his infection to other colleagues.
This pattern of infection is similar to that of the flu. "It's looking more like a really bad influenza than it is a SARS-like disease," Fauci says.
That would mean the risk of serious illness is low for most healthy individuals, but if the novel coronavirus spreads as widely as influenza does, it could still take a lot of lives.
You can contact NPR Science Correspondent Richard Harris at rharris@npr.org.


npr--2020-02-05--'Not Guilty': Trump Acquitted On 2 Articles Of Impeachment As Historic Trial Closes

'Not Guilty ' : Trump Acquitted On 2 Articles Of Impeachment As Historic Trial Closes Senators voted on Wednesday afternoon to acquit President Trump on two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — after a historically unusual but typically contentious trial .
Forty-eight senators supported a verdict of guilty on Article I ; 52 voted not guilty .
Forty-seven senators supported a verdict of guilty on Article II ; 53 voted not guilty .
The Senate would have needed 67 votes to convict Trump on either article .
The result of the process had never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to impeach Trump in December .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , said months ago that he considered it `` inconceivable '' that a sufficient number of Republicans would break rank and support removing Trump from office .
One surprise on Wednesday , however , was that one Republican voted to convict and remove Trump on Article I : Utah Sen. Mitt Romney .
In a statement after the vote , White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said the president 's acquittal is a `` full vindication and exoneration '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president 's political opponents – all Democrats , and one failed Republican presidential candidate – voted for the manufactured impeachment articles . ''
Trump said on Twitter he would speak about the vote on Thursday .
Romney , never a close ally of Trump , said in a tearful speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday that he felt compelled by the oath he swore in Trump 's case to act on his conviction that the president 's actions were `` grievously wrong . ''
Although Romney said he expected to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed to be the first senator in history to vote to convict in the impeachment trial of a president of his own party .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and her members also knew going in that their strategy was likely to result in the status quo , but they concluded that Trump 's conduct in the Ukraine affair left them no recourse but to censure him in the most severe way they could .
The speaker warned after the vote that she believes Trump will continue to pose a danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Senate 's betrayal of the Constitution , the president remains an ongoing threat to American democracy , with his insistence that he is above the law and that he can corrupt the elections if he wants to , '' Pelosi said .
Trump froze military assistance for Ukraine last year at the same time he sought investigations that he thought might help him in the 2020 campaign .
Ultimately , Trump released the roughly $ 391 million in congressionally appropriated aid and got no commitments from the Ukrainians .
No harm , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his supporters — and certainly no conduct , they argued , that would justify voiding the votes of Trump supporters from 2016 and denying Americans the choice to support Trump in this year 's election .
White House counsel Pat Cipollone told senators that they should n't even consider it a close call .
`` All you need is the Constitution and your common sense , '' he said .
Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , leader of the impeachment managers who brought the articles charging Trump from the House , warned senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office , they not only were effectively approving his conduct but were surrendering their own power to hold any president accountable .
Trump not only abused his office in the Ukraine affair , Democrats argued , but effectively neutralized Congress ' ability to conduct oversight or impeach , because the White House did n't cooperate with witnesses or documents .
`` It would mean that the impeachment power is essentially a nullity , '' Schiff said .
`` It is unenforceable .
The president can delay it into nonexistence . ''
On to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president in American history to have been impeached and then tried in the Senate , after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1999 .
Like each of those before him , Trump survives to continue to govern .
Trump also is the unusual president to emerge from an impeachment and appeal to voters to return him to office for a second term .
It is n't clear what effect the proceedings may have on the intensifying 2020 race or voters .
It also is n't clear whether the extraordinary conflict in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done with business for the year .
Trump delivered the annual State of the Union address on Tuesday , and his administration is expected to release a more detailed budget proposal later this month , as presidents traditionally have .
Pelosi and Democrats , however , will retain their control over the House at least until the election .
Trump 's budget is a dead letter .
So how will both sides attempt to govern — or try to appear they are — at the same time they try to unseat each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the impeachment ?
It 's good to be in the majority For as unusual as impeachment is , the course it followed in contemporary Washington was a case study in the standard dynamics of a divided capital .
In the House , Republicans complained about what they called an irregular and unfair process controlled by the majority Democrats .
The White House resisted cooperation too , including with a letter from Cipollone that declared that the impeachment process was beneath contempt .
Then , before the articles even reached the Senate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which they knew would be controlled by Republicans .
Pelosi compounded the unusual nature of the proceedings by withholding the articles from the Senate after they were passed on Dec. 18 .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , Schiff and others called for new witness testimony before and during the Senate proceedings — particularly that of former national security adviser John Bolton .
Bolton toyed with official Washington by volunteering to appear before the Senate if subpoenaed .
The New York Times reported that the contents of his forthcoming book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those revelations set the stage for a partisan showdown .
For a time , Washington focused intensely on a handful of potential crossover Republicans who might have joined Democrats to call witnesses and prolong the impeachment , if not change its ultimate outcome .
Scrutiny fell on Romney and other Republicans , including Lamar Alexander of Tennessee , Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine .
Ultimately , Democrats could not bring over a sufficient number of GOP votes .
So the Senate resolved last Friday to proceed to the final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's allies welcomed the end to the impeachment saga but warned that Democrats have set a precedent that may threaten one of their own presidents someday .
`` Ladies and gentlemen , you will come to regret this whole process , '' warned Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. McConnell said that senators voting to acquit Trump were repudiating what he called a `` grave abuse of power '' by the House that would `` reduce the Framers ' designs to rubble . ''
`` We 've done our duty , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought to make clear before the conclusion of the case that she did n't believe Trump could be truly vindicated by the Senate .
Impeachment would stay with him , she said , and the trial itself was n't fair .
`` You can not be acquitted if you do n't have a trial , '' she said .
`` You do n't have a trial if you do n't have witnesses and documentation . ''

'Not Guilty': Trump Acquitted On 2 Articles Of Impeachment As Historic Trial Closes
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Updated at 5:43 p.m. ET
Senators voted on Wednesday afternoon to acquit President Trump on two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — after a historically unusual but typically contentious trial.
Forty-eight senators supported a verdict of guilty on Article I; 52 voted not guilty. Forty-seven senators supported a verdict of guilty on Article II; 53 voted not guilty. The Senate would have needed 67 votes to convict Trump on either article.
The result of the process had never been in question after the House voted to impeach Trump in December. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said months ago that he considered it "inconceivable" that a sufficient number of Republicans would break rank and support removing Trump from office.
One surprise on Wednesday, however, was that one Republican voted to convict and remove Trump on Article I: Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.
In a statement after the vote, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said the president's acquittal is a "full vindication and exoneration" of Trump.
Continued Grisham: "only the president's political opponents – all Democrats, and one failed Republican presidential candidate – voted for the manufactured impeachment articles."
Trump said on Twitter he would speak about the vote on Thursday.
Romney, never a close ally of Trump, said in a tearful speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday that he felt compelled by the oath he swore in Trump's case to act on his conviction that the president's actions were "grievously wrong."
Although Romney said he expected to be "vehemently denounced," he is believed to be the first senator in history to vote to convict in the impeachment trial of a president of his own party.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her members also knew going in that their strategy was likely to result in the status quo, but they concluded that Trump's conduct in the Ukraine affair left them no recourse but to censure him in the most severe way they could.
The speaker warned after the vote that she believes Trump will continue to pose a danger.
"Sadly, because of the Republican Senate's betrayal of the Constitution, the president remains an ongoing threat to American democracy, with his insistence that he is above the law and that he can corrupt the elections if he wants to," Pelosi said.
The Ukraine affair
Trump froze military assistance for Ukraine last year at the same time he sought investigations that he thought might help him in the 2020 campaign.
Ultimately, Trump released the roughly $391 million in congressionally appropriated aid and got no commitments from the Ukrainians.
No harm, no foul, said the president and his supporters — and certainly no conduct, they argued, that would justify voiding the votes of Trump supporters from 2016 and denying Americans the choice to support Trump in this year's election.
White House counsel Pat Cipollone told senators that they shouldn't even consider it a close call.
"All you need is the Constitution and your common sense," he said.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., leader of the impeachment managers who brought the articles charging Trump from the House, warned senators that if they let Trump keep his office, they not only were effectively approving his conduct but were surrendering their own power to hold any president accountable.
Trump not only abused his office in the Ukraine affair, Democrats argued, but effectively neutralized Congress' ability to conduct oversight or impeach, because the White House didn't cooperate with witnesses or documents.
"It would mean that the impeachment power is essentially a nullity," Schiff said. "It is unenforceable. The president can delay it into nonexistence."
On to the election
Trump is only the third president in American history to have been impeached and then tried in the Senate, after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1999. Like each of those before him, Trump survives to continue to govern.
Trump also is the unusual president to emerge from an impeachment and appeal to voters to return him to office for a second term.
It isn't clear what effect the proceedings may have on the intensifying 2020 race or voters. It also isn't clear whether the extraordinary conflict in Congress may mean that it is effectively done with business for the year.
Trump delivered the annual State of the Union address on Tuesday, and his administration is expected to release a more detailed budget proposal later this month, as presidents traditionally have.
Pelosi and Democrats, however, will retain their control over the House at least until the election. Trump's budget is a dead letter.
So how will both sides attempt to govern — or try to appear they are — at the same time they try to unseat each other, having just fought a bitter contest in the impeachment?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
It's good to be in the majority
For as unusual as impeachment is, the course it followed in contemporary Washington was a case study in the standard dynamics of a divided capital.
In the House, Republicans complained about what they called an irregular and unfair process controlled by the majority Democrats. The White House resisted cooperation too, including with a letter from Cipollone that declared that the impeachment process was beneath contempt.
Then, before the articles even reached the Senate, Democrats began complaining about the process there, which they knew would be controlled by Republicans.
Pelosi compounded the unusual nature of the proceedings by withholding the articles from the Senate after they were passed on Dec. 18.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Schiff and others called for new witness testimony before and during the Senate proceedings — particularly that of former national security adviser John Bolton.
Bolton toyed with official Washington by volunteering to appear before the Senate if subpoenaed. The New York Times reported that the contents of his forthcoming book further supported the allegations against Trump.
Those revelations set the stage for a partisan showdown. For a time, Washington focused intensely on a handful of potential crossover Republicans who might have joined Democrats to call witnesses and prolong the impeachment, if not change its ultimate outcome.
Scrutiny fell on Romney and other Republicans, including Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Ultimately, Democrats could not bring over a sufficient number of GOP votes.
So the Senate resolved last Friday to proceed to the final judgment it rendered this Wednesday. Trump's allies welcomed the end to the impeachment saga but warned that Democrats have set a precedent that may threaten one of their own presidents someday.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you will come to regret this whole process," warned Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
McConnell said that senators voting to acquit Trump were repudiating what he called a "grave abuse of power" by the House that would "reduce the Framers' designs to rubble."
"We've done our duty," he said.
Pelosi, for her part, sought to make clear before the conclusion of the case that she didn't believe Trump could be truly vindicated by the Senate. Impeachment would stay with him, she said, and the trial itself wasn't fair.
"You cannot be acquitted if you don't have a trial," she said. "You don't have a trial if you don't have witnesses and documentation."