npr--2020-02-28--Physicist And Iconoclastic Thinker Freeman Dyson Dies At 96

Acclaimed physicist Freeman Dyson , who pondered the origins of life , interstellar travel and many other topics , died Friday at the age of 96 .
His daughter Mia Dyson told NPR that her father died after a short illness .
Freeman Dyson was known for groundbreaking work in physics and mathematics but his curiosity ranged far beyond those fields .
`` He never got a Ph.D. , '' says Robbert Dijkgraaf , director for the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton , N.J. , where Dyson worked .
`` He felt he was an eternal graduate student , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be interested in everything . ''
Dyson was born in Crowthorne , England , in 1923 .
He studied physics and mathematics at Trinity College in Cambridge , where he worked with physicists including Paul Dirac and Arthur Eddington .
During World War II , he was a civilian scientist with the Royal Air Force 's Bomber Command .
After the war , he came to the U.S. to study physics .
Together with physicist Richard Feynman , he was able to reconcile two competing theories of quantum electrodynamics , the study of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He was able to show that all these different points of view were one and the same thing , '' Dijkgraaf says .
`` He was a great unifier of physics . ''
The work is still considered fundamental to modern physics .
`` The current model of elementary particle physics is written in the language that Dyson helped develop , '' he says .
Dyson permanently joined the Institute for Advanced Study in 1953 .
From his perch there , he pursued many other topics of interest .
He helped to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be operated `` even in the hands of an idiot . ''
In 1958 , he joined Project Orion , a plan to power a spacecraft with controlled nuclear explosions .
The spaceship was never built , but Dyson later described it as `` the most exciting and in many ways happiest of my scientific life . ''
Dijkgraaf says Dyson was probably one of the few people on Earth that felt let down by the 1969 moon landings : `` This all looked very disappointing in Freeman 's eyes , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Saturn with nuclear-fueled rockets .
`` [ He ] was kind of envisioning jet planes , and in the end we took a bicycle . ''
For all his intellectual achievements , Dyson was regarded as kind and easily approachable .
`` I 've never heard him talk down to anyone , '' Mia Dyson says .
`` Whether you were a blue-collar worker or the U.N. ambassador , you got the same sort of reception from my dad . ''
( Though , she adds , he struggled to help his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was just so elementary that he did not know how to explain it . ''
) Yet he was also capable of provoking controversy with some of his ideas .
Later in life , he was particularly well known for his skepticism of climate change , both as a phenomenon , and as something humans should worry about .
`` All the evidence we have is that we 're having some effect on the climate , '' he said in a 2012 video .
`` It 's not clear whether it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear whether it will be a catastrophe or not . ''
The scientific community overwhelming disagreed with his assessment .
`` Freeman was a contrarian ; he had great fun taking the opposite view , '' Dijkgraaf says .
`` But contrarians are not always right . ''
`` I used to feel sad because he had a voice and people listened to him , '' Mia Dyson says .
`` If he would throw his weight behind efforts to mitigate climate change , he could have done so much good .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would say , ' I think I am doing good : If I play devil 's advocate , I 'll get people to think about the facts and see them for what they are . '
`` Freeman Dyson 's writings often tackled subjects that were more science fiction than science .
He wrote about Dyson spheres , which are hypothetical structures that could be built around entire stars , and the Dyson tree , a genetically engineered plant that might be able to cross the cosmos inside a comet .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science , history , music , that he did n't love , '' Mia Dyson says .
She adds that he remained spiritual throughout his life , though he rejected organized religion or anything that tried `` to contain his understanding of God and the infinite . ''
Dyson passed away in Princeton , N.J .
He is survived by his wife , Imme , his six children and 16 grandchildren .

Physicist And Iconoclastic Thinker Freeman Dyson Dies At 96
Enlarge this image toggle caption New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images
Acclaimed physicist Freeman Dyson, who pondered the origins of life, interstellar travel and many other topics, died Friday at the age of 96.
His daughter Mia Dyson told NPR that her father died after a short illness.
Freeman Dyson was known for groundbreaking work in physics and mathematics but his curiosity ranged far beyond those fields.
"He never got a Ph.D.," says Robbert Dijkgraaf, director for the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., where Dyson worked. "He felt he was an eternal graduate student, and so he had a license to be interested in everything."
Dyson was born in Crowthorne, England, in 1923. He studied physics and mathematics at Trinity College in Cambridge, where he worked with physicists including Paul Dirac and Arthur Eddington. During World War II, he was a civilian scientist with the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command.
After the war, he came to the U.S. to study physics. Together with physicist Richard Feynman, he was able to reconcile two competing theories of quantum electrodynamics, the study of how sub-atomic particles and light interact. "He was able to show that all these different points of view were one and the same thing," Dijkgraaf says. "He was a great unifier of physics."
The work is still considered fundamental to modern physics. "The current model of elementary particle physics is written in the language that Dyson helped develop," he says.
Dyson permanently joined the Institute for Advanced Study in 1953. From his perch there, he pursued many other topics of interest. He helped to design an inherently safe nuclear reactor that could be operated "even in the hands of an idiot." In 1958, he joined Project Orion, a plan to power a spacecraft with controlled nuclear explosions.
The spaceship was never built, but Dyson later described the project as "the most exciting and in many ways happiest of my scientific life." Dijkgraaf says Dyson was probably one of the few people on Earth who felt let down by the 1969 moon landings: "This all looked very disappointing in Freeman's eyes," he says. Dyson wanted to go to Saturn with nuclear-fueled rockets. "[He] was kind of envisioning jet planes, and in the end we took a bicycle."
For all his intellectual achievements, Dyson was regarded as kind and easily approachable. "I've never heard him talk down to anyone," Mia Dyson says. "Whether you were a blue-collar worker or the U.N. ambassador, you got the same sort of reception from my dad." (Though, she adds, he struggled to help his children with their math lessons: "It was just so elementary that he did not know how to explain it.")
Yet he was also capable of provoking controversy with some of his ideas. Later in life, he was particularly well known for his skepticism of climate change, both as a phenomenon, and as something humans should worry about. "All the evidence we have is that we're having some effect on the climate," he said in a 2012 video. "It's not clear whether it's good or bad. It's not clear whether it will be a catastrophe or not."
The scientific community overwhelming disagreed with his assessment. "Freeman was a contrarian; he had great fun taking the opposite view," Dijkgraaf says. "But contrarians are not always right."
"I used to feel sad because he had a voice and people listened to him," Mia Dyson says. "If he would throw his weight behind efforts to mitigate climate change, he could have done so much good. But when I put that to him, he would say, 'I think I am doing good: If I play devil's advocate, I'll get people to think about the facts and see them for what they are.' "
Freeman Dyson's writings often tackled subjects that were more science fiction than science. He wrote about Dyson spheres, which are hypothetical structures that could be built around entire stars, and the Dyson tree, a genetically engineered plant that might be able to cross the cosmos inside a comet.
"There was no field: art, science, history, music, that he didn't love," Mia Dyson says. She adds that he remained spiritual throughout his life, though he rejected organized religion or anything that tried "to contain his understanding of God and the infinite."
Dyson passed away in Princeton, N.J. He is survived by his wife, Imme, his six children and 16 grandchildren.


npr--2020-02-28--House Dems Say They're Looking Into Political Influence At Justice Department

House Dems Say They 're Looking Into Political Influence At Justice Department House Democrats on Friday asked the attorney general to turn over documents and to permit more than a dozen current and former employees to testify in connection with a probe of `` improper political interference '' at the Justice Department .
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler made the request in a four-page letter to Attorney General William Barr — the latest chapter in a tumultuous stretch for the Justice Department that has raised concerns on Capitol Hill and in the legal community about the possible politicization of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns was Barr 's decision to overrule career prosecutors to request a lighter sentence for President Trump 's longtime friend , Roger Stone , hours after the president tweeted that Stone was being treated unfairly .
The four Justice Department attorneys who prosecuted Stone then quit the case .
The cascade of events around Stone 's sentencing touched off fierce criticism of Barr 's leadership of the department .
More than 2,000 former DOJ employees have signed a letter calling on him to resign .
Even Barr himself asked Trump to stop commenting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president has not .
The top Republican on Nadler 's committee , Georgia Rep. Doug Collins , said the majority 's request of Barr was a political `` distraction '' from what he called the work Democrats are n't willing to try to accomplish .
The Justice Department declined to comment Friday on Nadler 's request .
Stone 's sentencing is one of four matters of concern that Nadler lists in his letter .
The other three relate to the case against the president 's first national security adviser , Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of inquiries into career law enforcement officials and investigations tied to Trump and the 2016 election ; and the department 's handling of the whistleblower complaint related to Ukraine that led to the president 's impeachment .
He also reiterates the panel 's concerns about possible political interference in decisions made by the department 's anti-trust division , including in the Time Warner-AT & T merger .
Nadler 's committee wants interviews with 15 current or former Justice Department employees , including the four prosecutors who withdrew from the Stone case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , quit the department entirely .
The letter asks for copies of documents and communications between the president or administration officials with the Justice Department related to the cited cases .
It also asks the department to provide a description of every example in the past 10 years in which senior department officials have overruled a sentencing recommendation out of a U.S. Attorney 's Office .
Nadler said he 's mindful of the sensitive nature of some of the requested materials , and added that the committee is willing to work with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He set a deadline of March 13 for the department to respond .
Barr is scheduled to testify before the committee on March 31 , and lawmakers had already made clear that they intend to push the attorney general for answers on these topics .
Barr has defended his handling of Stone 's sentencing recommendation , but did push back against the president over his frequent public statements about ongoing Justice Department cases .
The president 's comments , he said , make it `` impossible '' for Barr to do his @ @

House Dems Say They're Looking Into Political Influence At Justice Department
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carolyn Kaster/AP Carolyn Kaster/AP
House Democrats on Friday asked the attorney general to turn over documents and to permit more than a dozen current and former employees to testify in connection with a probe of "improper political interference" at the Justice Department.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler made the request in a four-page letter to Attorney General William Barr — the latest chapter in a tumultuous stretch for the Justice Department that has raised concerns on Capitol Hill and in the legal community about the possible politicization of the department.
The catalyst for those concerns was Barr's decision to overrule career prosecutors to request a lighter sentence for President Trump's longtime friend, Roger Stone, hours after the president tweeted that Stone was being treated unfairly.
The four Justice Department attorneys who prosecuted Stone then quit the case.
The cascade of events around Stone's sentencing touched off fierce criticism of Barr's leadership of the department. More than 2,000 former DOJ employees have signed a letter calling on him to resign.
Even Barr himself asked Trump to stop commenting about the work of the Justice Department. The president has not.
The top Republican on Nadler's committee, Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, said the majority's request of Barr was a political "distraction" from what he called the work Democrats aren't willing to try to accomplish.
The Justice Department declined to comment Friday on Nadler's request.
A number of concerns
Stone's sentencing is one of four matters of concern that Nadler lists in his letter.
The other three relate to the case against the president's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn; the department's opening a series of inquiries into career law enforcement officials and investigations tied to Trump and the 2016 election; and the department's handling of the whistleblower complaint related to Ukraine that led to the president's impeachment.
He also reiterates the panel's concerns about possible political interference in decisions made by the department's anti-trust division, including in the Time Warner-AT&T merger.
Nadler's committee wants interviews with 15 current or former Justice Department employees, including the four prosecutors who withdrew from the Stone case. One of those four, Jonathan Kravis, quit the department entirely.
The letter asks for copies of documents and communications between the president or administration officials with the Justice Department related to the cited cases.
It also asks the department to provide a description of every example in the past 10 years in which senior department officials have overruled a sentencing recommendation out of a U.S. Attorney's Office.
Nadler said he's mindful of the sensitive nature of some of the requested materials, and added that the committee is willing to work with the department on a compromise, if necessary. He set a deadline of March 13 for the department to respond.
Barr is scheduled to testify before the committee on March 31, and lawmakers had already made clear that they intend to push the attorney general for answers on these topics.
Barr has defended his handling of Stone's sentencing recommendation, but did push back against the president over his frequent public statements about ongoing Justice Department cases.
The president's comments, he said, make it "impossible" for Barr to do his job.


npr--2020-02-28--Long-Forgotten Secret Passageway Discovered In A Wall At U.K. Parliament

Within the wood paneling of a hallway in the British House of Commons , there was a small brass keyhole .
Members of Parliament and staff walked past the tiny hole each day .
The rare person who noticed the hole took it for an electrical cabinet .
Enter a team of historians planning the much-needed restoration of the Palace of Westminster , which is home to the House of Commons and the House of Lords .
The oldest part of the estate , Westminster Hall , dates to 1099 and is still in use .
The team was at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 uncatalogued documents relating to the palace when they found something interesting : plans for a doorway in the cloister behind Westminster Hall .
Back at the palace , they found that tiny keyhole in the wood paneling — just where the plan suggested it would be .
They had a key made so they could open the door – and they discovered a secret passageway 360 years old .
`` To say we were surprised is an understatement — we really thought it had been walled-up forever after the war , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in a statement .
They knew such a passage had once existed , but believed that it had been filled in after the palace was bombed during World War II .
Behind the door was a small room , with hinges for a door that would have been more than 11 feet high and that would have opened into Westminster Hall .
It turns out to be a passageway with a rich history .
Investigators studied the ceiling timbers in the room and determined that the trees had been harvested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doorway was created around 1660 , for the coronation banquet of Charles II , the king who ruled until 1685 .
Records indicate the route was used by part of the coronation procession as it passed from the former House of Lords into the hall where the king and queen were seated .
Afterward , the door was used for coronations , the Speaker 's procession and , more commonly , by members of Parliament to access the Commons chamber .
Historians say the entrance was used for centuries , by figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walpole ( now regarded as the first British Prime Minister ) and William Pitt the Younger .
In the passage , the team found more-recent artifacts : graffiti from 1851 .
A bricklayer who was restoring the palace years after an 1834 fire had written on the walls in pencil : `` This room was enclosed by Tom Porter who was very fond of Ould Ale . ''
Another bit of graffiti read : `` These masons were employed refacing these groines [ repairing the cloister ] ... August 11th 1851 Real Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' suggests that the masons were supporters of the Chartist movement for universal voting rights for men and to allow for members of Parliament who were n't property owners .
House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle paid a visit to the newly discovered passageway , one used by his predecessors over centuries .
`` To think that this walkway has been used by so many important people over the centuries is incredible , '' he said .
`` I am so proud of our staff for making this discovery and I really hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is : a part of our parliamentary history . ''
And evidence of more recent history was found in the passage , too : a working light bulb , likely installed in the 1950s .
That tiny keyhole in the wood paneling turned out to be a portal to Britain 's history — found again , after 70 years unnoticed .

Long-Forgotten Secret Passageway Discovered In A Wall At U.K. Parliament
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images
Within the wood paneling of a hallway in the British House of Commons, there was a small brass keyhole.
Members of Parliament and staff walked past the tiny hole each day. The rare person who noticed the hole took it for an electrical cabinet.
Enter a team of historians planning the much-needed restoration of the Palace of Westminster, which is home to the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The oldest part of the estate, Westminster Hall, dates to 1099 and is still in use.
The team was at the Historic England Archive poring over some 10,000 uncatalogued documents relating to the palace when they found something interesting: plans for a doorway in the cloister behind Westminster Hall.
Back at the palace, they found that tiny keyhole in the wood paneling — just where the plan suggested it would be. They had a key made so they could open the door – and they discovered a secret passageway 360 years old.
"To say we were surprised is an understatement — we really thought it had been walled-up forever after the war," Mark Collins, Parliament's estates historian, said in a statement. They knew such a passage had once existed, but believed that it had been filled in after the palace was bombed during World War II.
Behind the door was a small room, with hinges for a door that would have been more than 11 feet high and that would have opened into Westminster Hall.
It turns out to be a passageway with a rich history.
Investigators studied the ceiling timbers in the room and determined that the trees had been harvested in 1659. That corroborated accounts suggesting that the doorway was created around 1660, for the coronation banquet of Charles II, the king who ruled until 1685.
Records indicate the route was used by part of the coronation procession as it passed from the former House of Lords into the hall where the king and queen were seated. Afterward, the door was used for coronations, the Speaker's procession and, more commonly, by members of Parliament to access the Commons chamber.
Historians say the entrance was used for centuries, by figures including the diarist Samuel Pepys, Robert Walpole (now regarded as the first British Prime Minister) and William Pitt the Younger.
In the passage, the team found more-recent artifacts: graffiti from 1851.
A bricklayer who was restoring the palace years after an 1834 fire had written on the walls in pencil: "This room was enclosed by Tom Porter who was very fond of Ould Ale."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament
Another bit of graffiti read: "These masons were employed refacing these groines [repairing the cloister] ... August 11th 1851 Real Democrats."
The term "Real Democrats" suggests that the masons were supporters of the Chartist movement for universal voting rights for men and to allow for members of Parliament who weren't property owners.
House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle paid a visit to the newly discovered passageway, one used by his predecessors over centuries.
"To think that this walkway has been used by so many important people over the centuries is incredible," he said. "I am so proud of our staff for making this discovery and I really hope this space is celebrated for what it is: a part of our parliamentary history."
And evidence of more recent history was found in the passage, too: a working light bulb, likely installed in the 1950s.
That tiny keyhole in the wood paneling turned out to be a portal to Britain's history — found again, after 70 years unnoticed.


npr--2020-02-28--Champion Chinese Swimmer Sun Yang Gets 8-Year Ban For Doping Violation

China 's Sun Yang , one of the world 's premier swimmers , has been banned from competition for eight years for violating anti-doping rules , the international Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled .
The ban means the 28-year-old athlete will miss the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo — and it could very well end his career .
The Switzerland-based sports body said Friday that the three-time Olympic champion was guilty of a doping offense when he failed to cooperate with officials who tried to collect his blood for testing in 2018 .
Sun , who won gold in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Olympics , said he would `` definitely '' appeal the ban , according to Xinhua .
`` This is unfair .
I firmly believe in my innocence , '' he said , according to the Chinese news agency .
`` I will definitely appeal to let more people know the truth . ''
The 6-foot-7-inch Sun is the world record holder in the 1,500-meter freestyle , which he broke at the 2012 Olympics in London .
He is considered one of China 's most popular sports figures and is the first Chinese swimmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a polarizing figure in the sport .
Chinese swimming officials banned him for three months in 2014 after he tested positive for a banned stimulant .
In a statement released Friday , the Court of Arbitration for Sport said that `` the protocol adopted by the World Anti-Doping Agency for the conduct of doping controls , had not been properly followed '' by Sun .
`` The CAS Panel unanimously determined , to its comfortable satisfaction , that the Athlete violated Article 2.5 FINA DC ( Tampering with any part of Doping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The court held an open hearing on Sun 's case in November .
According to news reports of the hearing , anti-doping officials made a visit to Sun 's home to collect blood and urine samples in September 2018 .
It turned confrontational .
A vial of Sun 's blood was reportedly broken with a hammer .
The Olympic champion 's mother instructed a security guard to break the casing around the container so that it was unusable for testing , The Associated Press reports .
According to The Wall Street Journal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the container was not broken intentionally .
An initial investigation of what happened by FINA , the international swimming and diving body , found that Sun violated no anti-doping rules , China 's swimming association said in January 2019 .
Following that announcement , the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport , which issued the ban Friday .
The court added : `` the Athlete failed to establish that he had a compelling justification to destroy his sample collection containers and forego the doping control . ''
WADA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` WADA decided to appeal the original FINA ruling having carefully reviewed it and having concluded that there were a number of points that seemed to be incorrect under the Code , '' Oliver Niggli , the agency 's director general , said in a statement .
`` Today 's CAS ruling confirms those concerns and is a significant result . ''

Champion Chinese Swimmer Sun Yang Gets 8-Year Ban For Doping Violation
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Schiefelbein/AP Mark Schiefelbein/AP
China's Sun Yang, one of the world's premier swimmers, has been banned from competition for eight years for violating anti-doping rules, the international Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled. The ban means the 28-year-old athlete will miss the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo — and it could very well end his career.
The Switzerland-based sports body said Friday that the three-time Olympic champion was guilty of a doping offense when he failed to cooperate with officials who tried to collect his blood for testing in 2018.
Sun, who won gold in the 200-meter freestyle in the 2016 Rio Olympics, said he would "definitely" appeal the ban, according to Xinhua.
"This is unfair. I firmly believe in my innocence," he said, according to the Chinese news agency. "I will definitely appeal to let more people know the truth."
The 6-foot-7-inch Sun is the world record holder in the 1,500-meter freestyle, which he broke at the 2012 Olympics in London. He is considered one of China's most popular sports figures and is the first Chinese swimmer to win Olympic gold.
He's also a polarizing figure in the sport. Chinese swimming officials banned him for three months in 2014 after he tested positive for a banned stimulant.
In a statement released Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said that "the protocol adopted by the World Anti-Doping Agency for the conduct of doping controls, had not been properly followed" by Sun.
"The CAS Panel unanimously determined, to its comfortable satisfaction, that the Athlete violated Article 2.5 FINA DC (Tampering with any part of Doping Control)," it said.
The court held an open hearing on Sun's case in November.
According to news reports of the hearing, anti-doping officials made a visit to Sun's home to collect blood and urine samples in September 2018. It turned confrontational. A vial of Sun's blood was reportedly broken with a hammer.
The Olympic champion's mother instructed a security guard to break the casing around the container so that it was unusable for testing, The Associated Press reports.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Sun family told the court that the container was not broken intentionally.
An initial investigation of what happened by FINA, the international swimming and diving body, found that Sun violated no anti-doping rules, China's swimming association said in January 2019.
Following that announcement, the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which issued the ban Friday. The court added: "the Athlete failed to establish that he had a compelling justification to destroy his sample collection containers and forego the doping control."
WADA said it welcomes the court ruling.
"WADA decided to appeal the original FINA ruling having carefully reviewed it and having concluded that there were a number of points that seemed to be incorrect under the Code," Oliver Niggli, the agency's director general, said in a statement. "Today's CAS ruling confirms those concerns and is a significant result."


npr--2020-02-28--NATO Meets After Turkey Says Russian-Backed Force Killed 33 Troops In Syria

NATO Meets After Turkey Says Russian-Backed Force Killed 33 Troops In Syria NATO is condemning `` indiscriminate air strikes by the Syrian regime and Russia , '' Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said , after 33 Turkish soldiers died in an attack near Idlib on Thursday .
The bombing caused Turkey to request an urgent NATO security meeting that was held Friday .
The NATO meeting was held in solidarity with Turkey , which says the troops were killed in an area where Russian-backed Syrian forces are fighting anti-regime militants .
Russia denies playing a role in the strike , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Idlib province .
`` I call on them to stop their offensive , to respect international law and to back U.N. efforts for a peaceful solution , '' Stoltenberg said .
`` This dangerous situation must be de-escalated . ''
Stoltenberg did not lay out any changes NATO might make to its current security arrangement in the area .
But Turkey says its military struck 200 Syrian regime targets Friday in retaliation for the strikes .
`` This attack occurred even though the locations of our troops had been coordinated with Russian officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Hulusi Akar , according to Turkey 's state-run Anadolu Agency .
Listing the damage of the retaliatory attacks , Akar said , `` Turkish forces destroyed five Syrian regime choppers , 23 tanks , 10 armored vehicles , 23 howitzers , five ammunition trucks , a SA-17 , a SA-22 air defense system as well as three ammunition depots , two equipment depots , a headquarter and 309 regime troops . ''
Turkey requested the NATO meeting under Article 4 of the organization 's founding treaty .
The provision allows any ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opinion of any of them , their territorial integrity , political independence or security is threatened . ''
Russia 's Defense Ministry says its military did not conduct any airstrikes in the area where the Turkish soldiers were killed , NPR 's Lucian Kim reports from Moscow .
On Thursday , Russia 's foreign ministry acknowledged that the country 's air force is supporting the Syrian army 's `` Dawn over Idlib '' operation .
But the agency also said the offensive `` focuses exclusively on the terrorists who are holed up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday , in a conversation that the Kremlin says included a `` substantive exchange of views '' on Syria and an agreement to improve coordination between Russia 's and Turkey 's defense ministries .
`` The two leaders have a thorny relationship , '' Kim reports from Moscow .
`` Putin has sold Erdogan an advanced air defense system and last month opened a natural-gas pipeline from Russia .
But in 2015 , Russia nearly went to war after Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In Friday 's phone call , Putin and Erdogan agreed to look at the possibility of `` soon holding a meeting at the highest level , '' the Kremlin says .
Stoltenberg said Turkey 's NATO allies are `` constantly looking '' for ways to support Turkey , as a bloody and destabilizing civil war plays out in neighboring Syria .
He added that the group will continue to augment Turkey 's air defense , to prevent missile attacks from Syria .
`` There 's a Patriot missile battery in southern Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above , '' Teri Schultz reports for NPR 's Newscast .
`` Turkey has reportedly asked the U.S. directly to share more missile-defense capabilities . ''

NATO Meets After Turkey Says Russian-Backed Force Killed 33 Troops In Syria
Enlarge this image toggle caption Abdulaziz Ketaz/AFP via Getty Images Abdulaziz Ketaz/AFP via Getty Images
NATO is condemning "indiscriminate air strikes by the Syrian regime and Russia," Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, after 33 Turkish soldiers died in an attack near Idlib on Thursday. The bombing caused Turkey to request an urgent NATO security meeting that was held Friday.
The NATO meeting was held in solidarity with Turkey, which says the troops were killed in an area where Russian-backed Syrian forces are fighting anti-regime militants. Russia denies playing a role in the strike, which came after weeks of heightened violence in Idlib province.
"I call on them to stop their offensive, to respect international law and to back U.N. efforts for a peaceful solution," Stoltenberg said. "This dangerous situation must be de-escalated."
Stoltenberg did not lay out any changes NATO might make to its current security arrangement in the area. But Turkey says its military struck 200 Syrian regime targets Friday in retaliation for the strikes.
"This attack occurred even though the locations of our troops had been coordinated with Russian officials in the field," said Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency.
Listing the damage of the retaliatory attacks, Akar said, "Turkish forces destroyed five Syrian regime choppers, 23 tanks, 10 armored vehicles, 23 howitzers, five ammunition trucks, a SA-17, a SA-22 air defense system as well as three ammunition depots, two equipment depots, a headquarter and 309 regime troops."
Turkey requested the NATO meeting under Article 4 of the organization's founding treaty. The provision allows any ally to "request consultations whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened."
Russia's Defense Ministry says its military did not conduct any airstrikes in the area where the Turkish soldiers were killed, NPR's Lucian Kim reports from Moscow.
On Thursday, Russia's foreign ministry acknowledged that the country's air force is supporting the Syrian army's "Dawn over Idlib" operation. But the agency also said the offensive "focuses exclusively on the terrorists who are holed up in the deescalation zone."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday, in a conversation that the Kremlin says included a "substantive exchange of views" on Syria and an agreement to improve coordination between Russia's and Turkey's defense ministries.
"The two leaders have a thorny relationship," Kim reports from Moscow. "Putin has sold Erdogan an advanced air defense system and last month opened a natural-gas pipeline from Russia. But in 2015, Russia nearly went to war after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane."
In Friday's phone call, Putin and Erdogan agreed to look at the possibility of "soon holding a meeting at the highest level," the Kremlin says.
Stoltenberg said Turkey's NATO allies are "constantly looking" for ways to support Turkey, as a bloody and destabilizing civil war plays out in neighboring Syria. He added that the group will continue to augment Turkey's air defense, to prevent missile attacks from Syria.
"There's a Patriot missile battery in southern Turkey and AWACS flights keeping an eye from above," Teri Schultz reports for NPR's Newscast. "Turkey has reportedly asked the U.S. directly to share more missile-defense capabilities."


npr--2020-02-28--Short Wave Celebrates Black Excellence In Science

Diversity imparts strength and resilience .
That 's an underlying principle of evolution — and it 's equally true of the group of people who study science .
A wealth of research demonstrates that having diverse people involved in STEM fields produces better results .
But the latest data from the National Science Foundation shows that people of color are still underrepresented in science and engineering — as are women and people living with disabilities .
Advocates for diversity in STEM have a saying : You ca n't be what you ca n't see .
We need to do a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underrepresented scientists , so that the next generation can more easily imagine themselves joining the ranks of the scientific community .
To close out Black History Month , we wanted to take a moment to highlight just a few of the many incredible black scientists we 've featured so far on the show .
Their bios are below , along with links to the episodes they appear in .
On Short Wave we strive to make the diversity of our guests reflect the diversity of our audience .
If there 's a scientist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of who 's doing awesome science and you think we should feature them in an episode , drop us a line at shortwave @ npr.org .
Episode : This NASA Engineer Is Bringing Math And Science To Hip Hop Dajae Williams , a quality engineer at NASA 's Jet Propulsion Lab , did n't think she was good at math as a kid .
When she was transferred into a mostly white school as part of a desegregation program in third grade , she felt out of place academically and socially among students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all along , and she struggled to fit in .
That changed in seventh grade , when she was given an assignment to write a song about the quadratic formula .
Her hip hop take on the equation was a hit among classmates , and she realized she had a special talent for conveying complex topics in music — which she employed all the way through college-level mathematics courses at Missouri University of Science and Technology .
Williams says that all too often she is either the only woman , African-American , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and technology are occurring — and she 's on a mission to change that .
Episode : Space Junk : How Cluttered Is The Final Frontier ?
Moriba Jah is a leader in the field of space traffic management — people who work to coordinate the movement of all the satellites , spent rocket bodies , debris , and other objects in space .
He is an associate professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin , where he also leads the ASTRIA astronautics research program .
He was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the U.S. Air Force .
Watch his TED Talk here .
Follow him on twitter at @ moribajah Raychelle Burks is an analytical chemist who loves a good whodunit .
Her passion for forensic chemistry was ignited by a school field trip to Washington , D.C. , where she met an FBI field officer who opened her eyes to the power of applied science .
Burks earned a PhD in chemistry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a professor of chemistry at St. Edward 's University in Austin , Texas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramas , and she consults for TV shows to make their crime scene investigations more scientifically rigorous and true to life .
Follow her on Twitter at @ DrRubidium Dr. Jean Jacques-Muyembe was the first doctor to collect a sample of the Ebola virus , back in 1976 .
His contributions to the discovery of the virus and its treatment have been largely under-reported in historical accounts .
Today he works to ensure that contemporary African scientists receive credit for their work .
Dr. Muyembe received his medical degree in 1969 and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Medical Research in Belgium in 1973 .
He decided to return to his native Congo to practice medicine , rather than remain in Europe , so he could benefit `` the health of my people . ''
He currently leads the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa .
Follow him on Twitter at @ MTamfum Episode : The Science Of Scary : Why It 's So Fun To Be Freaked Out Ken Carter studies the psychology of thrill-seeking .
His most recent book is Buzz !
: Inside the Minds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has published in both academic and lay publications , translating psychology research into engaging everyday language .
His articles have been published in magazines such as Psychology Today and Women 's Health , and he has appeared on news programs such as NBC 's Today show .
He is a professor of psychology at Oxford College of Emory University .
Although he studies adrenaline seekers , Carter is more likely to jump into a comfy chair with a good book than out of a plane .
Follow him on Instagram and @ @ @ @

Short Wave Celebrates Black Excellence In Science
Enlarge this image Kristen Uroda for NPR Kristen Uroda for NPR
Diversity imparts strength and resilience. That's an underlying principle of evolution — and it's equally true of the group of people who study science. A wealth of research demonstrates that having diverse people involved in STEM fields produces better results. But the latest data from the National Science Foundation shows that people of color are still underrepresented in science and engineering — as are women and people living with disabilities.
Explore Short Wave New discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday. Short Wave is science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Subscribe to the podcast, and follow @NPRScience on Twitter. Enlarge this image toggle caption NPR NPR
Advocates for diversity in STEM have a saying: You can't be what you can't see. We need to do a better job of celebrating the accomplishments of underrepresented scientists, so that the next generation can more easily imagine themselves joining the ranks of the scientific community.
To close out Black History Month, we wanted to take a moment to highlight just a few of the many incredible black scientists we've featured so far on the show. Their bios are below, along with links to the episodes they appear in.
On Short Wave we strive to make the diversity of our guests reflect the diversity of our audience. If there's a scientist from an underrepresented group that you know of who's doing awesome science and you think we should feature them in an episode, drop us a line at shortwave@npr.org.
Dajae "Moe" Williams
Episode: This NASA Engineer Is Bringing Math And Science To Hip Hop
Dajae Williams, a quality engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, didn't think she was good at math as a kid. When she was transferred into a mostly white school as part of a desegregation program in third grade, she felt out of place academically and socially among students who had been attending a well-resourced school all along, and she struggled to fit in. That changed in seventh grade, when she was given an assignment to write a song about the quadratic formula. Her hip hop take on the equation was a hit among classmates, and she realized she had a special talent for conveying complex topics in music — which she employed all the way through college-level mathematics courses at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Williams says that all too often she is either the only woman, African-American, or LGBTQ person present in rooms where science and technology are occurring — and she's on a mission to change that.
Follow Williams on Twitter at @Dajae_Monae
Moriba Jah
Enlarge this image Bret Hartman/TED Bret Hartman/TED
Episode: Space Junk: How Cluttered Is The Final Frontier?
Moriba Jah is a leader in the field of space traffic management — people who work to coordinate the movement of all the satellites, spent rocket bodies, debris, and other objects in space. He is an associate professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also leads the ASTRIA astronautics research program. He was a 2019 TED Fellow and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Watch his TED Talk here. Follow him on twitter at @moribajah
Raychelle Burks
Enlarge this image Chelsea Purgahn/Chelsea Purgahn/St. Edward's University Chelsea Purgahn/Chelsea Purgahn/St. Edward's University
Episode: A Short Wave Guide To Good — And Bad — TV Forensics
Raychelle Burks is an analytical chemist who loves a good whodunit. Her passion for forensic chemistry was ignited by a school field trip to Washington, D.C., where she met an FBI field officer who opened her eyes to the power of applied science. Burks earned a PhD in chemistry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a professor of chemistry at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. She loves murder-mystery novels and forensic TV dramas, and she consults for TV shows to make their crime scene investigations more scientifically rigorous and true to life.
Follow her on Twitter at @DrRubidium
Jean-Jacques Muyembe
Enlarge this image Matthieu Alexandre/AFP via Getty Images Matthieu Alexandre/AFP via Getty Images
Episode: The Congolese Doctor Who Discovered Ebola
Dr. Jean Jacques-Muyembe was the first doctor to collect a sample of the Ebola virus, back in 1976. His contributions to the discovery of the virus and its treatment have been largely under-reported in historical accounts. Today he works to ensure that contemporary African scientists receive credit for their work. Dr. Muyembe received his medical degree in 1969 and his PhD in microbiology at the Rega Institute for Medical Research in Belgium in 1973. He decided to return to his native Congo to practice medicine, rather than remain in Europe, so he could benefit "the health of my people." He currently leads the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa.
Follow him on Twitter at @MTamfum
Ken Carter
Enlarge this image Kay Hinton/Emory University Kay Hinton/Emory University
Episode: The Science Of Scary: Why It's So Fun To Be Freaked Out
Ken Carter studies the psychology of thrill-seeking. His most recent book is Buzz!: Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Daredevils, and Adrenaline Junkies. He has published in both academic and lay publications, translating psychology research into engaging everyday language. His articles have been published in magazines such as Psychology Today and Women's Health, and he has appeared on news programs such as NBC's Today show. He is a professor of psychology at Oxford College of Emory University. Although he studies adrenaline seekers, Carter is more likely to jump into a comfy chair with a good book than out of a plane.
Follow him on Instagram and twitter at @DrKenCarter


npr--2020-02-28--Wall Street's Brutal Week Slashed Nearly 3,600 Points From Dow

Stocks took another steep dive Friday , deepening a multi-day rout fueled by fears about the coronavirus ' impact on the global economy .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 357 points on Friday , capping a week in which the blue chip index fell 3,583 points or 12.4 % .
The Dow is down 16.3 % from its recent peak on Feb. 12 .
The S & P 500 stock index lost 11.5 % for the week and is now down 14.6 % from the all-time high it reached only last week .
The Nasdaq inched into positive territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but is still down 10.5 % for the week and 14.6 % below its record high last Wednesday .
The drop in stocks this week has come with stunning speed , as investors grapple with evidence that the deadly coronavirus epidemic is spreading beyond China to other countries , including Italy , South Korea and Iran .
`` It 's unprecedented , really .
And certainly in my career , and even if you go back 70 years , we 've never had a correction -- that is a 10 % pullback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Paul Christopher , head of global market strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute .
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell sought to calm jittery investors , with reassurance that the central bank is prepared to cut rates if necessary .
`` The fundamentals of the U.S. economy remain strong , '' Powell said in a rare , written statement .
`` However , the coronavirus poses evolving risks to economic activity .
The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring developments and their implications for the economic outlook .
We will use our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy . ''
The Trump Administration argued that the plummet in stock prices was unlikely to affect the broader economy .
Larry Kudlow , director of the National Economic Council , called the downturn a `` short-term market plunge '' and said , `` I do n't think at this point it 's going to have much of an impact . ''
Kudlow said he had spoken to corporate CEOs and had not heard of serious supply-chain problems .
But investors appear anxious anyway , and the interest rate on U.S. government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times , lost more ground .
The 10-year Treasury bill dipped to a record low of 1.15 % .
`` Uncertainty regarding something as serious as this has a tendency to induce the kind of fear that in in the market 's view is 'sell [ first ] and ask questions later , ' '' said Quincy Krosby , chief market strategist at Prudential Financial .
With the S & P 500 index down 14.6 % , the market is officially in what Wall Street calls a market correction when stocks are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All three major stock indexes posted their largest ever point drops on Thursday .
Companies around the world are cutting production and canceling conferences to limit the outbreak 's spread .
JPMorgan Chase announced it is eliminating nonessential employee travel , while United Airlines said today it is reducing flights to Japan , Singapore and South Korea .
As businesses slow down , economists say the odds of a global recession have increased significantly .
`` With the coronavirus pandemic spreading throughout the world , falling corporate sales and its economic impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sung Won Sohn , professor of economics at Loyola Marymount University .

Wall Street's Brutal Week Slashed Nearly 3,600 Points From Dow
Enlarge this image toggle caption Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 5:40 p.m. ET
Stocks took another steep dive Friday, deepening a multi-day rout fueled by fears about the coronavirus' impact on the global economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 357 points on Friday, capping a week in which the blue chip index fell 3,583 points or 12.4%. The Dow is down 16.3% from its recent peak on Feb. 12.
The S&P 500 stock index lost 11.5% for the week and is now down 14.6% from the all-time high it reached only last week.
The Nasdaq inched into positive territory in the closing minutes of trading Friday, but is still down 10.5% for the week and 14.6% below its record high last Wednesday.
The drop in stocks this week has come with stunning speed, as investors grapple with evidence that the deadly coronavirus epidemic is spreading beyond China to other countries, including Italy, South Korea and Iran.
"It's unprecedented, really. And certainly in my career, and even if you go back 70 years, we've never had a correction--that is a 10% pullback from a high--develop so quickly," said Paul Christopher, head of global market strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell sought to calm jittery investors, with reassurance that the central bank is prepared to cut rates if necessary.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
"The fundamentals of the U.S. economy remain strong," Powell said in a rare, written statement. "However, the coronavirus poses evolving risks to economic activity. The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring developments and their implications for the economic outlook. We will use our tools and act as appropriate to support the economy."
The Trump Administration argued that the plummet in stock prices was unlikely to affect the broader economy.
Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, called the downturn a "short-term market plunge" and said, "I don't think at this point it's going to have much of an impact."
Kudlow said he had spoken to corporate CEOs and had not heard of serious supply-chain problems.
But investors appear anxious anyway, and the interest rate on U.S. government debt, which usually falls in turbulent times, lost more ground. The 10-year Treasury bill dipped to a record low of 1.15%.
"Uncertainty regarding something as serious as this has a tendency to induce the kind of fear that in in the market's view is 'sell [first] and ask questions later,'" said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial.
With the S&P 500 index down 14.6%, the market is officially in what Wall Street calls a market correction when stocks are at least 10% below a recent high.
All three major stock indexes posted their largest ever point drops on Thursday.
Companies around the world are cutting production and canceling conferences to limit the outbreak's spread. JPMorgan Chase announced it is eliminating nonessential employee travel, while United Airlines said today it is reducing flights to Japan, Singapore and South Korea.
As businesses slow down, economists say the odds of a global recession have increased significantly.
"With the coronavirus pandemic spreading throughout the world, falling corporate sales and its economic impact will depress economic growth," wrote Sung Won Sohn, professor of economics at Loyola Marymount University.


npr--2020-02-28--'I Will Win': What It Would Mean For Biden To Lose South Carolina

' I Will Win ' : What It Would Mean For Biden To Lose South Carolina Asked during this week 's debate in Charleston , S.C. , if he would drop out if he does n't win the primary there , former Vice President Joe Biden was blunt .
Asked again after the debate if he could carry on if he does n't win South Carolina , Biden was equally declarative .
`` I 'm gon na win South Carolina , '' Biden said , and then for those who might not have heard , he reiterated , `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' No one has more riding on South Carolina than Biden .
Biden led for nearly a year in national polls for the Democratic presidential nomination and by big margins in South Carolina .
After disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire , Biden collapsed nationally and margins tightened in South Carolina .
In the past week , Biden 's lead has rebounded in South Carolina , as fears of a potential Bernie Sanders nomination are hitting fever pitch among establishment Democrats .
In South Carolina , black voters are crucial , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performances of the cycle Tuesday night .
Then , the next morning , he got the endorsement of popular longtime South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn .
It was probably the best 24 hours Biden has had since voting began in the nominating contest and was a much-needed shot in the arm for his candidacy .
But the candidate who staked his claim in the race as the most electable has n't won anything yet — making South Carolina must-win for Biden .
The stakes are especially high for Biden , as he jockeys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because his campaign is running on fumes — trailing badly in ad spending and organization in those crucial Super Tuesday states that vote just three days after South Carolina .
Biden dismissed losses in Iowa and New Hampshire , the first two states in the Democratic nominating process , because they are overwhelmingly white states and do n't represent the entire country .
Never mind that Biden held leads in both states in an average of the polls , just days and weeks before both contests .
Never mind that Biden has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black voters , but also white , working-class voters .
But Biden lost white voters without a college degree in all three of the first states , finishing behind Sanders and former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Iowa and Nevada .
In New Hampshire , he finished behind Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , too , with the group .
Biden has won just an average of 13 % of whites without a degree , including 13 % of white men without a degree and 14 % of women , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number with women is especially surprising , considering that severely underperformed his standing in national polls before the contests began .
In the December NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll , Biden 's strongest support came from white women without a college degree — 34 % said Biden was their choice versus 17 % for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , 13 % for Sanders and 10 % for Buttigieg .
Here 's how the candidates have done with groups since voting began : Biden also said he would fare better when the electorate became more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first state with significant black and Latino populations , Sanders won Latinos overwhelmingly .
Sanders won half of Latinos ( 50 % ) , and Biden finished a distant second with them , more than 30 points behind ( 17 % ) .
If the Vermont senator runs up the score with Latinos again on Super Tuesday in California and Texas , there may be no catching him in the pledged-delegate race .
Biden did win black voters in Nevada , but only by a 38 % -to-28 % margin over Sanders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sizable 17 % .
Incidentally , the spread in the average of the polls in South Carolina is not that far off from those entrance polls in Nevada .
Biden holds a 34 % -to-22 % lead over Sanders with Steyer third with 14 % .
In 2016 , South Carolina was more than 60 % black .
Biden hopes a win in South Carolina will propel him to a good day on Super Tuesday , March 3 .
But that might be more difficult than it sounds .
Biden 's campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capitalize on any potential momentum out of South Carolina .
His campaign has spent just over $ 600,000 on television and digital advertising in Super Tuesday states , according to data from Advertising Analytics provided to NPR .
His campaign has only been on TV in six of the 14 states that vote on Super Tuesday — Tennessee , North Carolina , Virginia , Texas , Alabama and Arkansas .
Those happen to be the states with the highest percentages of black voters as shares of the Democratic electorates .
Black voters are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but with Sanders expanding his coalition , it 's going to take more than African American voters to get Biden over the finish line to be the nominee .
In California , Super Tuesday 's crown jewel of delegates , the Biden campaign has only spent roughly $ 4,000 on digital ads .
By comparison , Sanders has spent more than $ 15 million on Super Tuesday states , including $ 7 million in California and $ 4 million in Texas , the states with the two biggest delegate hauls on Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost half of all delegates at stake that day .
Bigger than Sanders , though , Biden is competing for moderate voters with former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , Buttigieg and Klobuchar .
Putting aside Bloomberg , whose level of personal spending has never been seen before in a presidential election , both Klobuchar and Buttigieg are far outspending Biden on the airwaves and on digital .
Klobuchar and a super PAC supporting her have spent more than $ 4 million .
Buttigieg has spent nearly $ 3 million .
• Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 78 million in California , $ 53 million in Texas and $ 15 million in North Carolina ) • Steyer : $ 41 million ( including $ 33 million in his home state of California and $ 5 million in Texas ) • Sanders : $ 15.5 million ( including $ 7 million in California and $ 3.8 million in Texas ) In addition to ad spending , Biden is lagging in organization .
According to NBC News , Biden has about 500 staffers on the ground in Super Tuesday states , compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders and at least 950 for Bloomberg .
All those obstacles make Biden an underdog for the nomination , which is why he needs South Carolina to have any hopes of staging a comeback .
He likely needs to win by a wide margin to be able to juice all the free media he can get — plus some outside help — ahead of the biggest day of the campaign yet , Super Tuesday .

'I Will Win': What It Would Mean For Biden To Lose South Carolina
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Asked during this week's debate in Charleston, S.C., if he would drop out if he doesn't win the primary there, former Vice President Joe Biden was blunt.
"I will win South Carolina," Biden said.
Asked again after the debate if he could carry on if he doesn't win South Carolina, Biden was equally declarative.
"I'm gonna win South Carolina," Biden said, and then for those who might not have heard, he reiterated, "I'm gonna win South Carolina."
No one has more riding on South Carolina than Biden. Biden led for nearly a year in national polls for the Democratic presidential nomination and by big margins in South Carolina. After disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, Biden collapsed nationally and margins tightened in South Carolina.
In the past week, Biden's lead has rebounded in South Carolina, as fears of a potential Bernie Sanders nomination are hitting fever pitch among establishment Democrats. In South Carolina, black voters are crucial, and Biden had one of his best debate performances of the cycle Tuesday night. Then, the next morning, he got the endorsement of popular longtime South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn.
It was probably the best 24 hours Biden has had since voting began in the nominating contest and was a much-needed shot in the arm for his candidacy. But the candidate who staked his claim in the race as the most electable hasn't won anything yet — making South Carolina must-win for Biden.
The stakes are especially high for Biden, as he jockeys to be the principal alternative to Sanders, because his campaign is running on fumes — trailing badly in ad spending and organization in those crucial Super Tuesday states that vote just three days after South Carolina.
A shrinking coalition
Biden dismissed losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states in the Democratic nominating process, because they are overwhelmingly white states and don't represent the entire country.
Never mind that Biden held leads in both states in an average of the polls, just days and weeks before both contests.
Never mind that Biden has touted his ability not to win just black voters, but also white, working-class voters.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Rayford/Getty Images Sean Rayford/Getty Images
But Biden lost white voters without a college degree in all three of the first states, finishing behind Sanders and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Iowa and Nevada. In New Hampshire, he finished behind Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, too, with the group.
Biden has won just an average of 13% of whites without a degree, including 13% of white men without a degree and 14% of women, according to entrance and exit polls. The number with women is especially surprising, considering that severely underperformed his standing in national polls before the contests began.
In the December NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, Biden's strongest support came from white women without a college degree — 34% said Biden was their choice versus 17% for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 13% for Sanders and 10% for Buttigieg.
Here's how the candidates have done with groups since voting began:
White, no college
Iowa (42% of electorate): Sanders 29%, Buttigieg 22%, Biden 17%, Warren 14%
(42% of electorate): Sanders 29%, Buttigieg 22%, Biden 17%, Warren 14% New Hampshire (42%): Sanders 30%, Buttigieg 25%, Klobuchar 15%, Biden 9%
(42%): Sanders 30%, Buttigieg 25%, Klobuchar 15%, Biden 9% Nevada (28%): Sanders 35%, Buttigieg 18%, Biden 14%, Warren 12%
White men, no college
Iowa (18%): Sanders 31%, Buttigieg 19%, Biden 17%, Warren 13%
(18%): Sanders 31%, Buttigieg 19%, Biden 17%, Warren 13% New Hampshire (18%): Sanders 36%, Buttigieg 22%, Klobuchar 12%, Biden 10%
(18%): Sanders 36%, Buttigieg 22%, Klobuchar 12%, Biden 10% Nevada (14%): Sanders 44%, Buttigieg 16%, Biden 13%, Warren 8%
White women, no college
Iowa (24%): Sanders 26%, Buttigieg 24%, Biden 17%, Warren 16%
(24%): Sanders 26%, Buttigieg 24%, Biden 17%, Warren 16% New Hampshire (24%): Buttigieg 28%, Sanders 26%, Klobuchar 18%, Biden 9%
(24%): Buttigieg 28%, Sanders 26%, Klobuchar 18%, Biden 9% Nevada (15%): Sanders 27%, Buttigieg 19%, Warren 16%, Biden 15%
Biden also said he would fare better when the electorate became more diverse, but in Nevada, the first state with significant black and Latino populations, Sanders won Latinos overwhelmingly. Sanders won half of Latinos (50%), and Biden finished a distant second with them, more than 30 points behind (17%).
If the Vermont senator runs up the score with Latinos again on Super Tuesday in California and Texas, there may be no catching him in the pledged-delegate race.
Biden did win black voters in Nevada, but only by a 38%-to-28% margin over Sanders. Wealthy businessman Tom Steyer finished third with a sizable 17%.
Incidentally, the spread in the average of the polls in South Carolina is not that far off from those entrance polls in Nevada. Biden holds a 34%-to-22% lead over Sanders with Steyer third with 14%.
In 2016, South Carolina was more than 60% black.
Super Tuesday woes
Biden hopes a win in South Carolina will propel him to a good day on Super Tuesday, March 3. But that might be more difficult than it sounds.
Biden's campaign is not in a position to fully capitalize on any potential momentum out of South Carolina. His campaign has spent just over $600,000 on television and digital advertising in Super Tuesday states, according to data from Advertising Analytics provided to NPR.
His campaign has only been on TV in six of the 14 states that vote on Super Tuesday — Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Alabama and Arkansas. Those happen to be the states with the highest percentages of black voters as shares of the Democratic electorates.
Black voters are undoubtedly important in a Democratic nominating contest, but with Sanders expanding his coalition, it's going to take more than African American voters to get Biden over the finish line to be the nominee.
In California, Super Tuesday's crown jewel of delegates, the Biden campaign has only spent roughly $4,000 on digital ads.
By comparison, Sanders has spent more than $15 million on Super Tuesday states, including $7 million in California and $4 million in Texas, the states with the two biggest delegate hauls on Super Tuesday. California and Texas account for almost half of all delegates at stake that day.
Bigger than Sanders, though, Biden is competing for moderate voters with former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Buttigieg and Klobuchar. Putting aside Bloomberg, whose level of personal spending has never been seen before in a presidential election, both Klobuchar and Buttigieg are far outspending Biden on the airwaves and on digital.
Klobuchar and a super PAC supporting her have spent more than $4 million. Buttigieg has spent nearly $3 million.
Top Super Tuesday ad spenders
Bloomberg: $218 million (including $78 million in California, $53 million in Texas and $15 million in North Carolina)
$218 million (including $78 million in California, $53 million in Texas and $15 million in North Carolina) Steyer: $41 million (including $33 million in his home state of California and $5 million in Texas)
$41 million (including $33 million in his home state of California and $5 million in Texas) Sanders: $15.5 million (including $7 million in California and $3.8 million in Texas)
$15.5 million (including $7 million in California and $3.8 million in Texas) Klobuchar and allies: $4.5 million (Klobuchar campaign $3.8 million, Kitchen Table Conversations PAC $679,000)
$4.5 million (Klobuchar campaign $3.8 million, Kitchen Table Conversations PAC $679,000) Warren and allies: $3.6 million (Persist PAC $2.4 million, Warren campaign $1.2 million)
$3.6 million (Persist PAC $2.4 million, Warren campaign $1.2 million) Buttigieg: $2.6 million
$2.6 million Biden: $625,000
$625,000 Andrew Yang: $412,000
$412,000 Tulsi Gabbard: $383,000
In addition to ad spending, Biden is lagging in organization. According to NBC News, Biden has about 500 staffers on the ground in Super Tuesday states, compared with 1,300 for Warren, 1,000 for Sanders and at least 950 for Bloomberg.
All those obstacles make Biden an underdog for the nomination, which is why he needs South Carolina to have any hopes of staging a comeback. He likely needs to win by a wide margin to be able to juice all the free media he can get — plus some outside help — ahead of the biggest day of the campaign yet, Super Tuesday.


npr--2020-03-01--LGBTQ Youth Fight For Equality In Sex Ed In South Carolina Classrooms

LGBTQ Youth Fight For Equality In Sex Ed In South Carolina Classrooms Eli Bundy , a 15-year-old sophomore at Charleston County School of the Arts in South Carolina , knows how it feels to be ignored in the classroom .
In South Carolina , it 's illegal for teachers to address queer relationships , unless they 're talking about sexually transmitted infections , also called STIs .
Eli , who identifies as queer , says they and their classmates have broached the subject of non-heterosexual relationships in health classes , but that their questions go unanswered .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told by their health teacher that they ca n't talk about their identity , '' Eli told NPR in a phone interview .
`` I think that just ... it really hurts a lot of teenagers .
And I think it 's definitely something that needs to change . ''
Eli leads their high school 's Gender and Sexuality Alliance ; one of three groups being represented by Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights in a federal lawsuit against South Carolina 's Superintendent of Education aiming to repeal the 32-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last Wednesday , argues that the law discriminates against LGBTQ students and violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. constitution .
`` This lawsuit would seek to remove the gag rule , '' Peter Renn , counsel at Lambda Legal told NPR during a phone interview .
`` Removing the law would enable local school districts to include LGBTQ students in the curriculum , but it would n't create any sort of affirmative obligation , '' he said .
South Carolina is one of a handful of states that restricts how teachers speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Louisiana , Mississippi , Oklahoma and Texas also have `` no promotion of homosexuality '' laws on the books , many of which were filed in the late '80s and early '90s , at the peak of the HIV/AIDS crisis .
Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed a lawsuit over a similar law in Arizona , which resulted in the state repealing the law in 2019 .
Utah also repealed a similar law in 2017 following a lawsuit filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights .
Eli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately fighting for education equality .
`` Well , it 's certainly very frustrating to be in a classroom with my friends , with my peers and to feel that me and my fellow LGBTQ classmates are not being given equal treatment and equal education in regards to health and sex ed , '' they said .
`` So not only is there the primary effect of not be [ ing ] given sex education , but then also the secondary effect of feeling rejected and not accepted in your school environment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their health teacher about pre-exposure prophylaxis ( PrEP ) drugs – medication that reduces the likelihood of contracting HIV through sex by more than 90 % .
Eli said their teacher told them they did n't know about the drug .
`` There are lots of people that get their education from the Internet or from their friends , which can sometimes be unreliable sources . ''
Eli said this results in an `` inequality of information . ''
Molly Spearman , South Carolina 's superintendent of Education , issued the following statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina , 76 % of LGBTQ students face verbal harassment based their sexual orientation and 88 % say they routinely hear homophobic slurs , according to a 2017 report from GLSEN , a group focused on LGBTQ inclusion in K-12 schools .
Renn from Lambda Legal said schools are meant `` to be an important part of the antidote to that problem , but discriminatory curriculum laws do the exact opposite . ''
`` They poison and breed an environment where harassment and discrimination can be allowed to thrive .
That is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of students as virtually unmentionable . ''

LGBTQ Youth Fight For Equality In Sex Ed In South Carolina Classrooms
Enlarge this image toggle caption Davis Turner/Getty Images Davis Turner/Getty Images
Eli Bundy, a 15-year-old sophomore at Charleston County School of the Arts in South Carolina, knows how it feels to be ignored in the classroom. In South Carolina, it's illegal for teachers to address queer relationships, unless they're talking about sexually transmitted infections, also called STIs.
Eli, who identifies as queer, says they and their classmates have broached the subject of non-heterosexual relationships in health classes, but that their questions go unanswered.
"I think that no student should have to be told by their health teacher that they can't talk about their identity," Eli told NPR in a phone interview. "I think that just ... it really hurts a lot of teenagers. And I think it's definitely something that needs to change."
Eli leads their high school's Gender and Sexuality Alliance; one of three groups being represented by Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights in a federal lawsuit against South Carolina's Superintendent of Education aiming to repeal the 32-year-old state law.
The complaint, enacted last Wednesday, argues that the law discriminates against LGBTQ students and violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. constitution.
"This lawsuit would seek to remove the gag rule," Peter Renn, counsel at Lambda Legal told NPR during a phone interview. "Removing the law would enable local school districts to include LGBTQ students in the curriculum, but it wouldn't create any sort of affirmative obligation," he said.
South Carolina is one of a handful of states that restricts how teachers speak about queer relationships in class. Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas also have "no promotion of homosexuality" laws on the books, many of which were filed in the late '80s and early '90s, at the peak of the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed a lawsuit over a similar law in Arizona, which resulted in the state repealing the law in 2019. Utah also repealed a similar law in 2017 following a lawsuit filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Eli told NPR that South Carolina students are ultimately fighting for education equality.
"Well, it's certainly very frustrating to be in a classroom with my friends, with my peers and to feel that me and my fellow LGBTQ classmates are not being given equal treatment and equal education in regards to health and sex ed," they said. "So not only is there the primary effect of not be[ing] given sex education, but then also the secondary effect of feeling rejected and not accepted in your school environment."
In one instance, Eli asked their health teacher about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs – medication that reduces the likelihood of contracting HIV through sex by more than 90%.
Eli said their teacher told them they didn't know about the drug. "There are lots of people that get their education from the Internet or from their friends, which can sometimes be unreliable sources." Eli said this results in an "inequality of information."
Molly Spearman, South Carolina's superintendent of Education, issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
"As State Superintendent, I am required to uphold the laws passed by the South Carolina General Assembly without discretion. My primary obligation, however is always to protect the rights and safety of our students and their families. "The lawsuit ... highlights an issue that the General Assembly has failed to address."
In South Carolina, 76% of LGBTQ students face verbal harassment based their sexual orientation and 88% say they routinely hear homophobic slurs, according to a 2017 report from GLSEN, a group focused on LGBTQ inclusion in K-12 schools.
Renn from Lambda Legal said schools are meant "to be an important part of the antidote to that problem, but discriminatory curriculum laws do the exact opposite."
"They poison and breed an environment where harassment and discrimination can be allowed to thrive. That is the natural consequence of treating a group of students as virtually unmentionable."


npr--2020-03-01--Israel's Groundhog Day: Hold Elections. Call Another Vote. Repeat

After two failed tries , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is campaigning aggressively to win another term on Monday .
It 'll be the country 's unprecedented third election in less than a year .
Netanyahu is Israel 's longest-serving prime minister ever , in office for more than a decade .
He has led the country as it turned politically further to the right during a period of economic growth .
He hardened Israel 's policies toward the Palestinians and became a leading ally of President Trump , who has sweetened Netanyahu 's reelection campaign with diplomatic gestures and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fighting to hang on under a cloud of corruption charges .
To solidify his grip on power , Netanyahu called April elections , in which he failed to win enough support in parliament to form a new government .
So he orchestrated a repeat vote — a stunning blitz to block the centrist candidate , retired Gen. Benny Gantz , from taking his job .
In the second elections , neither Netanyahu 's Likud party nor Gantz 's Blue and White coalition had enough votes to form a government , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now Israelis are being dragged into a third exasperating round of elections .
Why 's it so hard to form a government ?
Eight main parties or coalitions of parties are vying for votes in Israel 's legislative elections , and none is expected to win a majority of parliament 's 120 seats .
Whichever front-runner can form a majority coalition with other parties is the victor .
For years , Netanyahu has managed to stay in office by partnering with mostly right-wing and religious Jewish parties .
A slightly larger share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past year .
But one right-wing party , led by former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman , no longer supports Netanyahu , leaving the incumbent without a majority .
Netanyahu has acted as interim prime minister while election after election has been inconclusive .
Meanwhile , Gantz has n't been able to muster his own center-left majority in parliament .
Hence the political standoff .
Will the results be any different this time or is Israel destined for a fourth round of elections ?
Brace yourself for a possible fourth election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party is even saving campaign funds in case there is another vote .
Friday 's opinion polls , the last to be published before the election , suggest another stalemate between Netanyahu and Gantz .
None of the parties seem willing to budge from their ideological corner to tip the scales .
There are some new factors that could work against Netanyahu .
He has been indicted for alleged bribery and fraud , his corruption trial is scheduled to begin in two weeks , and the charges could cause some of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp .
Or justice officials could rule it would be improper for an indicted prime minister to form a new government .
Gantz , whose slogan is `` We Must Move Forward , '' claims Netanyahu would weaken democratic institutions if reelected , and promises to heal Israeli society after Netanyahu 's divisive years .
Other factors work in Netanyahu 's favor .
He has n't seen his support slip much .
He remains defiant against the justice system , touts his close ties with President Trump as in the previous votes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is tainted by the support of Arab parties .
He is running an effective reelection campaign , appealing to swing voters like Ethiopian Jewish immigrants and gathering Likud supporters ' telephone numbers for a massive get-out-the-vote drive .
His Likud party has a phone app aiming to draw potential voters who do n't normally go to the polls , though it inadvertently made some of their personal information vulnerable to hackers .
Turnout could be key .
Many Israelis are tired of the repeated elections and could stay home , which could affect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gantz 's supporters came to the polls in a bigger percentage than did Netanyahu 's .
Though the Trump administration 's proposal for peace heavily favors Israel and Netanyahu has touted it on the campaign trail to win over the right-wing , polls suggest it may not have tilted the vote .
The Trump proposal gives a green light for Israel to defy objections in the international community and annex Jewish settlements and other lands in the West Bank , occupied territory the Palestinians seek for their independent state .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , which told Israel to hold off on annexation for now , leading Netanyahu 's settler supporters to question if Netanyahu would ever pull it off .
Gantz 's party does not want to rush on annexation without international approval .
Most countries regard Israeli settlements and land annexation as violations of international law .
Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel may be motivated by Trump 's plan to show up to the polls Monday , weakening Netanyahu 's chances of winning .
The proposal suggests the `` triangle '' area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Arab Israeli citizens could be given to a future Palestinian state , angering some Arab voters who seek equality in Israel .
How are Palestinians affected by the vote ?
Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank do not have Israeli citizenship and do not get to vote in Monday 's elections .
Neither do Palestinians in Gaza .
But the outcome of the vote will directly affect their lives .
If Netanyahu wins and carries out his promise to annex West Bank lands , it would be an explosive move that Palestinian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coffin of a viable independent Palestinian state , distancing the sides from any compromise , perhaps leading to violence or increased calls for citizenship within Israel , a nightmare scenario for most Israelis .
Some Palestinians see little difference between the candidates and say Israeli discriminatory policies will continue .
But Palestinian officials close to President Mahmoud Abbas are said to favor Gantz , who may take a more conciliatory approach with Palestinian leaders .
And yet , Gantz has many former Netanyahu supporters on his party list who oppose concessions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has benefitted lately from Netanyahu , who is hawkish toward the Palestinians but nevertheless has allowed cash into Gaza and eased Israeli restrictions on Gazans in a deal to reduce violence .
Gantz criticizes that policy and promises a more forceful military takedown of Hamas in Gaza .

Israel's 'Groundhog Day': Hold Elections. Call Another Vote. Repeat
Enlarge this image toggle caption Oded Balilty/AP Oded Balilty/AP
Updated on March 2 at 10:21 a.m. ET
After two failed tries, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to win another term on Monday in the country's unprecedented third election in less than a year.
Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving prime minister, in office for more than a decade. He has led the country as it turned politically further to the right during a period of economic growth. He hardened Israel's policies toward Palestinians and became a leading ally of President Trump, who has sweetened Netanyahu's reelection campaign with diplomatic gestures and Oval Office photo ops. Now Netanyahu is fighting to hang on under a cloud of corruption charges.
To solidify his grip on power, Netanyahu called April elections in which he failed to win enough support in parliament to form a new government. So he orchestrated a repeat vote — a stunning blitz to block the centrist candidate, retired Gen. Benny Gantz, from taking his job.
Middle East Israeli Election: Voter Fatigue Could Determine Results Israel Elections Preview Listen · 3:56 3:56
In the second elections, neither Netanyahu's Likud party nor Gantz's Blue and White coalition had enough votes to form a government, and they couldn't agree on a power-sharing deal. Now Israelis are being dragged into a third exasperating round of elections.
Why's it so hard to form a government?
Eight main parties or coalitions of parties are vying for votes in Israel's legislative elections, and none is expected to win a majority of parliament's 120 seats. Whichever front-runner can form a majority coalition with other parties is the victor.
For years, Netanyahu has managed to stay in office by partnering with mostly right-wing and religious Jewish parties. A slightly larger share of Israelis voted for those parties in the past year. But one right-wing party, led by former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, no longer supports Netanyahu, leaving the incumbent without a majority. Netanyahu has acted as interim prime minister while the elections have been inconclusive.
Meanwhile, Gantz hasn't been able to muster his own center-left majority in parliament, hence the political standoff.
Will the results be any different this time or is Israel destined for a fourth round of elections?
Brace yourself for a possible fourth election. A Likud party campaign official tells NPR the party is even saving campaign funds in case there is another vote.
Friday's opinion polls, the last to be published before the election, suggest another stalemate between Netanyahu and Gantz. None of the parties seem willing to budge from their ideological corner to tip the scales.
There are some new factors that could work against Netanyahu. He has been indicted for alleged bribery and fraud, his corruption trial is scheduled to begin in two weeks and the charges could cause some of his right-wing allies to defect to Gantz's camp. Or justice officials could rule it would be improper for an indicted prime minister to form a new government. Gantz, whose slogan is "We Must Move Forward," claims Netanyahu would weaken democratic institutions if reelected and promises to heal Israeli society after Netanyahu's divisive years.
Other factors work in Netanyahu's favor. He hasn't seen his support slip much. He remains defiant against the justice system, touts his close ties with President Trump as in the previous votes and convinces his right-wing supporters his opponent is tainted by the support of Arab parties. He is running an effective reelection campaign, appealing to swing voters such as Ethiopian Jewish immigrants and gathering Likud supporters' telephone numbers for a massive get-out-the-vote drive. His Likud party has a phone app aiming to draw potential voters who don't normally go to the polls, though it inadvertently made some of their personal information vulnerable to hackers.
Turnout could be key. Many Israelis are tired of the repeated elections and could stay home, which could affect the vote. In the previous round, Gantz's supporters came to the polls in a bigger percentage than did Netanyahu's.
Will President Trump's Mideast peace plan affect the vote?
Though the Trump administration's proposal for peace heavily favors Israel, and Netanyahu has touted it on the campaign trail to win over the right-wing, polls suggest it may not have tilted the vote.
The Trump proposal gives a green light for Israel to defy objections in the international community and annex Jewish settlements and other lands in the West Bank, occupied territory the Palestinians seek for their independent state. But the move got complicated quickly for Netanyahu and the White House, which told Israel to hold off on annexation for now, leading Netanyahu's settler supporters to question if Netanyahu would ever pull it off.
Gantz's party does not want to rush on annexation without international approval. Most countries regard Israeli settlements and land annexation as violations of international law.
Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel may be motivated by Trump's plan to show up to the polls Monday, weakening Netanyahu's chances of winning. The proposal suggests the "triangle" area in northern Israel with a large concentration of Arab Israeli citizens could be given to a future Palestinian state, angering some Arab voters who seek equality in Israel.
How are Palestinians affected by the vote?
Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank do not have Israeli citizenship and do not get to vote in Monday's elections. Neither do Palestinians in Gaza. But the outcome of the vote will directly affect their lives.
If Netanyahu wins and carries out his promise to annex West Bank lands, it would be an explosive move that Palestinian leaders would see as a nail in the coffin of a viable independent Palestinian state, distancing the sides from any compromise, perhaps leading to violence or increased calls for citizenship within Israel, a nightmare scenario for most Israelis.
Some Palestinians see little difference between the candidates and say Israeli discriminatory policies will continue. But Palestinian officials close to President Mahmoud Abbas are said to favor Gantz, who may take a more conciliatory approach with Palestinian leaders. And yet, Gantz has many former Netanyahu supporters on his party list who oppose concessions to Palestinians.
Ironically, Hamas in Gaza has benefitted lately from Netanyahu, who is hawkish toward the Palestinians but nevertheless has allowed cash into Gaza and eased Israeli restrictions on Gazans in a deal to reduce violence. Gantz criticizes that policy and promises a more forceful military takedown of Hamas in Gaza.


npr--2020-03-01--Wash. Investigates More Possible Coronavirus Cases Amid Fears Of A Regional Outbreak

Wash. Investigates More Possible Coronavirus Cases Amid Fears Of A Regional Outbreak The first U.S. death related to COVID-19 has @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials are also investigating a reported case in a health worker and a possible @ @ @ @ @ .

Wash. Investigates More Possible Coronavirus Cases Amid Fears Of A Regional Outbreak
The first U.S. death related to COVID-19 has been reported in Washington state. Officials are also investigating a reported case in a health worker and a possible outbreak in a nursing facility.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Washington state health officials have announced that the state is running coronavirus tests on about 50 people linked to a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, raising fears of an advanced outbreak in the region. Yesterday's announcement also included news of the first known death in the U.S. attributed to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. As NPR's Martin Kaste reports from Seattle, the victim was a man in his late 50s who already had serious health problems.
MARTIN KASTE, BYLINE: This is the first coronavirus death in America, or maybe it's just the first one we've recognized.
FRANK RIEDO: What prompted us to start looking is the change in the testing criteria.
KASTE: Dr. Frank Riedo is with EvergreenHealth Hospital in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle. He says when the CDC recommended testing more categories of patients for the virus last week, his hospital sent in specimens for two of its critically ill patients. The results came back positive, including the test for the man who died.
RIEDO: What we're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. So we're seeing the most critically ill individuals. Usually, that means there is a significant percentage of individuals of less severe illness floating around out there.
KASTE: The focus right now is on a nursing home called Life Care, also in Kirkland. It has about a hundred residents. By Saturday, the state had determined that one of the residents and a staffer were ill with presumptive cases of COVID-19. Dozens more people who live or work there have respiratory symptoms and are being checked for the virus. A sign on the door banned visitors, even as Antonia Lopez came out shrugging off the situation.
ANTONIA LOPEZ: I think it's being blown out of proportion.
KASTE: She does blood draws at the nursing home. And she says she didn't notice any more people being sicker than usual.
LOPEZ: It's just new, so people are freaking out about it. But more people die from the flu every day.
KASTE: It is true that the flu kills more people right now. And most people with the coronavirus don't get severe symptoms. But COVID-19 is deadlier than flu, and it's especially risky for people with other health problems. Up the street, some of the neighbors are not feeling so complacent.
MIKE FRY: This is certainly hitting a little close to home.
KASTE: Mike and Vicky Fry are out for a walk. And they're shocked by all the TV trucks parked outside the nursing home. Vicky Fry wonders if there's something they should be doing to prepare.
VICKY FRY: Our son works for Costco. And he was saying the lines were out the door.
(SOUNDBITE OF PUSHING SHOPPING CART)
KASTE: And in fact, at the nearby Costco, that's exactly what's happening. Zora Shoa is stuffing supplies into every available nook of her car.
ZORA SHOA: I am prepping because I have three little kids at home. So I want to make sure I have enough stuff that I can keep longer.
KASTE: A Costco employee helping her to load the car, Mia Samaniego, says she's been seeing more and more of this in just the last couple of days.
MIA SAMANIEGO: People are mostly going for water, toilet paper, tissue paper, oatmeal - basically, food that's sustainable, can be used for a long period of time 'cause they're afraid that they're going to become quarantined and that they won't be able to leave the house to get these items.
KASTE: And on Saturday, Dr. Jeff Duchin with public health for Seattle and King County seemed to endorse the idea of a preparatory shopping trip.
JEFF DUCHIN: Have medications in your home so you don't have to go out and refill a prescription if you don't need to. Have some foods that you like to eat handy.
KASTE: Still, at this point, public health officials here are not yet talking about large-scale quarantines or even about canceling large public events, though they say that could become an option later. It depends on what patterns emerge as they ramp up coronavirus testing and try to get a better picture of just how big this outbreak is.
Martin Kaste, NPR News, Seattle.
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-03-01--The Latest On The Coronavirus Outbreak: At Least 1 Patient Dies In The U.S.

The Latest On The Coronavirus Outbreak : At Least 1 Patient Dies In The U.S .
The last few days @ @ @ @ @ to the spread of COVID-19 .
NPR 's health policy reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin breaks down @ @ @ @

The Latest On The Coronavirus Outbreak: At Least 1 Patient Dies In The U.S.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
It's been a dramatic few days of developments related to the coronavirus. Washington state announced several firsts yesterday - the first death of someone in the U.S. infected with the virus, the first health worker to be infected and the first potential outbreak. At a long-term care facility outside Seattle, more than 50 people are being tested for the coronavirus. The Trump administration has also ramped up its response. And here to bring us up to speed is NPR science reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin. Hi, Selena.
SELENA SIMMONS-DUFFIN, BYLINE: Hi, Leila.
FADEL: So President Trump held a press conference yesterday with members of the Coronavirus Task Force. What did we hear?
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: The president announced, first of all, that there had been the first U.S. death. Trump said the victim was a woman, but authorities later confirmed it was actually a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions. And he was in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle.
Vice President Pence also announced in that press conference new travel restrictions in areas that have seen recent outbreaks - Iran and parts of South Korea and Italy. President Trump also took a few questions. And some of them referred to the fact that he used the word hoax in connection to coronavirus on Friday. He tried to clarify he was referring to Democrats' criticism of the response, not the virus itself.
FADEL: So at the end of the week, there were reports of a few positive cases that appear to be community-spread in California, Oregon, meaning not connected to travel, to Asia or other affected areas but contracted right here in the U.S. And now there are several more confirmed in Washington state, potentially dozens more. What's going on?
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: So the big change was that public health officials started looking for cases differently. The medical director for infectious disease at the hospital, EvergreenHealth, explained how it happened at a press conference yesterday. He said that the guidelines about who should be tested changed last week. You no longer need a travel history or close contact with somebody with coronavirus. So EvergreenHealth looked at its patients and saw two with no travel history who are very sick with respiratory infections. With the new guidelines, they became candidates to test for coronavirus, and both tested positive. So one was the patient in his 50s, who sadly died. The other was a resident of this nursing home, Life Care Center in Kirkland. Local health officials realized that a health care worker from Life Care was sick, as well. She tested positive. And that's what led officials to look into this possible outbreak.
FADEL: So these might not be new cases then.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Right. Exactly. Remember, the symptoms look a lot like the flu, and it's flu season. And health officials say most cases are mild, so people might not be even going to the hospital for them. So now that the new guidelines for who to test has changed, and there are these new abilities for local labs around the country to do more testing, we will likely see many more positive cases. And it's hard to know at this point how many more are out there. A health official from Seattle, King County said in yesterday's press briefing these newly confirmed cases are likely, quote, "the tip of the iceberg." But it's important to remember overall, the risk to the American public is still very low. The important thing to do is the thoroughly washing your hands, keeping away from sick people, all of those measures that you can take to protect yourself and prevent the spread. The message is be vigilant, but don't panic.
FADEL: That's NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin. Thank you so much.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Thank you.
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.