npr--2020-10-06--How Are Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google Monopolies? House Report Counts The Ways

How Are Apple , Amazon , Facebook , Google Monopolies ?
House Report Counts The Ways In a sweeping report spanning 449 pages , House Democrats lay out a detailed case for stripping Apple , Amazon , Facebook and Google of the power than has made each of them dominant in their fields .
The four companies began as `` scrappy underdog startups '' but are now monopolies that must be restricted and regulated , the report from Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee 's antitrust panel says .
`` These four corporations increasingly serve as gatekeepers of commerce and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this gatekeeper power gives them enormous capacity to abuse that power , '' a lawyer for the subcommittee 's Democratic majority said in a briefing with reporters .
The lawmakers say Congress should overhaul the laws that have let the companies grow so powerful .
In particular , the report says , Congress should look at forcing `` structural separations '' of the companies and beefing up enforcement of existing antitrust laws .
The recommendations , if enacted , could radically change how these companies operate .
They could , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its marketplace , in direct competition with sellers who depend on the platform to reach customers .
Google could be banned from using the data the Android operating system collects on users and other apps to refine its products .
Facebook could , theoretically , be barred from acquiring another competitor , after concerns over how it bought rivals including Instagram and WhatsApp .
While the investigation was a bipartisan effort by the subcommittee , the final report has been met by partisan division over its recommendations .
The Democratic majority staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have publicly endorsed it so far .
Rep. Jim Jordan , R-Ohio , the ranking Republican on the Judiciary committee , was quick to dismiss the report .
`` Big tech is out to get conservatives , '' he said in a statement , repeating a frequent but unsupported claim by conservatives .
`` Unfortunately , the Democrats ' partisan report ignores this fundamental problem and potential solutions and instead advances radical proposals that would refashion antitrust law in the vision of the far left . ''
Rep. Ken Buck , R-Colo. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's power.
, saying he did not support the report 's recommendations .
But he said he agreed that Big Tech has grown too big and would work with the subcommittee 's Democratic leadership to find solutions .
`` An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—I would rather see targeted antitrust enforcement over onerous and burdensome regulation that kills industry innovation , '' Buck said in a statement .
Democrats say they expect the subcommittee to vote on the report after the House recess .
The report is the culmination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most valuable and influential companies in the world .
Regardless of its uncertain political future and broad recommendations , the report presents a new and fairly comprehensive public database of evidence and internal documents that shed light on long-standing criticisms of Big Tech .
One lawyer for the antitrust subcommittee said one of the most eye-opening discoveries was the fear expressed by Fortune 500 companies in dealing with the tech giants , feeling dependent on their whims .
The tech companies are facing other investigations by federal regulators , state attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report 's key claims about each company : The report says plainly that `` Amazon is the dominant online marketplace '' and that evidence `` demonstrates that Amazon functions as a gatekeeper for ecommerce . ''
Investigators detail Amazon 's difficult relationship with other sellers on the platform , which it says `` live in fear of the company '' and which Amazon refers to as `` internal competitors . ''
It describes sellers as `` exploited '' by the company 's dominance : not allowed to contact shoppers directly , often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other platforms , facing `` strong-arm tactics in negotiations '' and receiving either `` atrocious levels of customer service '' or better service for a fee .
The authors also write that Amazon profits off ideas and products developed by others , whether that 's sellers on its platform , startups it considers buying or even open-source cloud-software developers .
Amazon on Tuesday published a blog post , rebutting `` fallacies ... at the core of regulatory spit-balling on antitrust . ''
Without directly calling out the report , the post said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be less choice and higher prices .
Far from enhancing competition , these uninformed notions would instead reduce it . ''
The report says Apple exerts `` monopoly power '' in the mobile app store market by favoring its own apps and disadvantaging rivals .
That dominance hurts innovation and increases prices and choices for consumers , House investigators found .
Apple , along with Google in its Google Play store , leaves developers with little choice for reaching consumers , the report says , adding that the arrangement leaves developers at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Apple 's app guidelines .
The report found that the controversial 30 % commission levied by Apple and Google has resulted in price increases on consumers .
Investigators say that Apple generated billions of dollars in profit from the fees , despite costing about less than $ 100 million to operate .
In a statement , Apple said `` we vehemently disagree '' with the report 's conclusions .
Apple , the most valuable company in the world , says it does not have a dominant market position in any of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and innovation has always defined us at Apple , '' the company said .
`` We work tirelessly to deliver the best products to our customers , with safety and privacy at their core , and we will continue to do so . ''
The report quotes Facebook 's own chief executive , Mark Zuckerberg , and other top management describing the company 's strategy of buying its rivals .
In one internal communication , Zuckerberg said Facebook `` can likely always just buy any competitive startups . ''
Facebook used data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquire , copy , or kill these firms , '' the report says .
Facebook 's monopoly power `` is firmly entrenched and unlikely to be eroded by competitive pressure , '' investigators found .
The report said recent internal documents show that Facebook is now more worried about competition between its own products — like its photo-sharing app Instagram and its original namesake network — than outside rivals .
Investigators conclude that because it has so little competition , Facebook has `` deteriorated '' in quality , harming its users ' privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in misinformation . ''
Facebook said in a statement that it `` compete [ s ] with a wide variety of services with millions , even billions , of people using them . ''
It added that when it comes to Instagram and WhatsApp , `` a strongly competitive landscape existed at the time of both acquisitions and exists today .
Regulators thoroughly reviewed each deal and rightly did not see any reason to stop them at the time . ''
The report says Google enjoys a monopoly in search and search advertising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own data and deals it has struck around the world to be the default search engine in many browsers and devices .
`` No alternative search engine serves as a substitute , '' investigators said .
Google has maintained its dominant position by undermining search competitors and favoring its own content in search results , the report says .
The report also calls out how all the data Google collects on its users and competitors reinforces its dominance and allows it to make even more money from ads .
`` Through linking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an ecosystem of interlocking monopolies , '' it says .
Google said in a statement it disagreed with the report , which it said `` feature [ s ] outdated and inaccurate allegations from commercial rivals about search and other services . ''
The company said the proposed remedies `` would cause real harm to consumers , America 's technology leadership and the U.S. economy — all for no clear gain . ''
Editor 's note : Amazon , Apple , Google and Facebook are among NPR 's recent financial supporters .

How Are Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google Monopolies? House Report Counts The Ways
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 8:23 p.m. ET
In a sweeping report spanning 449 pages, House Democrats lay out a detailed case for stripping Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google of the power than has made each of them dominant in their fields.
The four companies began as "scrappy underdog startups" but are now monopolies that must be restricted and regulated, the report from Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel says.
"These four corporations increasingly serve as gatekeepers of commerce and communications in the digital age, and this gatekeeper power gives them enormous capacity to abuse that power," a lawyer for the subcommittee's Democratic majority said in a briefing with reporters.
The lawmakers say Congress should overhaul the laws that have let the companies grow so powerful. In particular, the report says, Congress should look at forcing "structural separations" of the companies and beefing up enforcement of existing antitrust laws.
The recommendations, if enacted, could radically change how these companies operate. They could, for example, restrict Amazon from selling its own products in its marketplace, in direct competition with sellers who depend on the platform to reach customers. Google could be banned from using the data the Android operating system collects on users and other apps to refine its products. Facebook could, theoretically, be barred from acquiring another competitor, after concerns over how it bought rivals including Instagram and WhatsApp.
While the investigation was a bipartisan effort by the subcommittee, the final report has been met by partisan division over its recommendations. The Democratic majority staff authored the report, and no Republicans have publicly endorsed it so far.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary committee, was quick to dismiss the report.
"Big tech is out to get conservatives," he said in a statement, repeating a frequent but unsupported claim by conservatives. "Unfortunately, the Democrats' partisan report ignores this fundamental problem and potential solutions and instead advances radical proposals that would refashion antitrust law in the vision of the far left."
Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., released his own suggestions for tacking tech's power., saying he did not support the report's recommendations. But he said he agreed that Big Tech has grown too big and would work with the subcommittee's Democratic leadership to find solutions.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—I would rather see targeted antitrust enforcement over onerous and burdensome regulation that kills industry innovation," Buck said in a statement.
Democrats say they expect the subcommittee to vote on the report after the House recess.
The report is the culmination of a 16-month long investigation into some of the most valuable and influential companies in the world. Regardless of its uncertain political future and broad recommendations, the report presents a new and fairly comprehensive public database of evidence and internal documents that shed light on long-standing criticisms of Big Tech.
One lawyer for the antitrust subcommittee said one of the most eye-opening discoveries was the fear expressed by Fortune 500 companies in dealing with the tech giants, feeling dependent on their whims.
The tech companies are facing other investigations by federal regulators, state attorneys general and European authorities.
Here are the report's key claims about each company:
Amazon
The report says plainly that "Amazon is the dominant online marketplace" and that evidence "demonstrates that Amazon functions as a gatekeeper for ecommerce."
Investigators detail Amazon's difficult relationship with other sellers on the platform, which it says "live in fear of the company" and which Amazon refers to as "internal competitors."
It describes sellers as "exploited" by the company's dominance: not allowed to contact shoppers directly, often limited in their ability to sell on other platforms, facing "strong-arm tactics in negotiations" and receiving either "atrocious levels of customer service" or better service for a fee.
The authors also write that Amazon profits off ideas and products developed by others, whether that's sellers on its platform, startups it considers buying or even open-source cloud-software developers.
Amazon on Tuesday published a blog post, rebutting "fallacies...at the core of regulatory spit-balling on antitrust." Without directly calling out the report, the post said: "For consumers, the result would be less choice and higher prices. Far from enhancing competition, these uninformed notions would instead reduce it."
Apple
The report says Apple exerts "monopoly power" in the mobile app store market by favoring its own apps and disadvantaging rivals.
That dominance hurts innovation and increases prices and choices for consumers, House investigators found.
Apple, along with Google in its Google Play store, leaves developers with little choice for reaching consumers, the report says, adding that the arrangement leaves developers at the whims of the "arbitrary" enforcement of Apple's app guidelines.
The report found that the controversial 30% commission levied by Apple and Google has resulted in price increases on consumers. Investigators say that Apple generated billions of dollars in profit from the fees, despite costing about less than $100 million to operate.
In a statement, Apple said "we vehemently disagree" with the report's conclusions.
Apple, the most valuable company in the world, says it does not have a dominant market position in any of its business lines.
"Competition drives innovation, and innovation has always defined us at Apple," the company said. "We work tirelessly to deliver the best products to our customers, with safety and privacy at their core, and we will continue to do so."
Facebook
The report quotes Facebook's own chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, and other top management describing the company's strategy of buying its rivals. In one internal communication, Zuckerberg said Facebook "can likely always just buy any competitive startups."
Facebook used data to identify possible rivals and "then acquire, copy, or kill these firms," the report says. Facebook's monopoly power "is firmly entrenched and unlikely to be eroded by competitive pressure," investigators found.
The report said recent internal documents show that Facebook is now more worried about competition between its own products — like its photo-sharing app Instagram and its original namesake network — than outside rivals.
Investigators conclude that because it has so little competition, Facebook has "deteriorated" in quality, harming its users' privacy and leading to a "dramatic rise in misinformation."
Facebook said in a statement that it "compete[s] with a wide variety of services with millions, even billions, of people using them." It added that when it comes to Instagram and WhatsApp, "a strongly competitive landscape existed at the time of both acquisitions and exists today. Regulators thoroughly reviewed each deal and rightly did not see any reason to stop them at the time."
Google
The report says Google enjoys a monopoly in search and search advertising, and its dominance is protected by its own data and deals it has struck around the world to be the default search engine in many browsers and devices. "No alternative search engine serves as a substitute," investigators said.
Google has maintained its dominant position by undermining search competitors and favoring its own content in search results, the report says.
The report also calls out how all the data Google collects on its users and competitors reinforces its dominance and allows it to make even more money from ads.
"Through linking these services together, Google increasingly functions as an ecosystem of interlocking monopolies," it says.
Google said in a statement it disagreed with the report, which it said "feature[s] outdated and inaccurate allegations from commercial rivals about search and other services." The company said the proposed remedies "would cause real harm to consumers, America's technology leadership and the U.S. economy — all for no clear gain."
Editor's note: Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook are among NPR's recent financial supporters.


npr--2020-10-06--D.C. Sees Surge In Coronavirus Testing Demand Amid White House Outbreak

As the scope of the White House coronavirus cluster comes into focus , D.C. residents are expressing frustration and concern about how the outbreak might affect the local community .
Local government officials are reporting a surge in demand for coronavirus testing .
`` It 's not just about the politicians that have tested positive , '' D.C. resident Megan Peterman , 39 , said Tuesday after she was tested at the Judiciary Square public testing site .
`` People work in the White House , and those people also shop at my grocery store and are out about town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' On Monday , John Falcicchio , D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser 's chief of staff , said the city had performed 3,962 coronavirus tests that day , an 81 % increase from the previous Monday .
`` While we do not have data on what compelled people to get tested today , it would be hard to imagine that the recent news did not drive more people to do so , '' Falcicchio said in an emailed statement .
`` We will continue to monitor the demand this week and urge residents if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test . ''
Wait times were long on Tuesday morning at Judiciary Square , the District 's largest public testing site .
Some people said it took more than an hour to get tested .
And while many said their immediate reasons for seeking a test were not related to the White House outbreak , the issue was n't far from their minds .
Jason Qu said the line was four times longer at this testing location than he 'd seen it in the past .
He thought the news from the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it 's put the issue of testing back on people 's radar , '' he said .
Others in line at the public testing site had been more directly affected .
A White House reporter , who wished to remain anonymous for job-related reasons , said she and her colleagues were frustrated by the lack of information and advice provided to people who work in the building about the outbreak .
`` They 've done nothing to take responsibility for what happened , and we 're all just kind of left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this super-spreader event . ''
Andrei , a Capitol Hill staffer who declined to give his last name because he was concerned about jeopardizing his employment , said he was frustrated that the extent of the spread of the coronavirus in Congress is not yet known .
`` I work in Congress , and I have friends who I know are rightfully concerned about the lack of information about who was infected , and whether their bosses might have been , '' he said .
Lauren Drew , who was also waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a member of the media and sometimes has to go to work at the White House , on Capitol Hill , or at Trump campaign rallies .
The couple have attempted to quarantine for 14 days and get tested when that happens .
`` I think about all the people who do have to go there for their job , the people who service the White House , and I am so worried for all of them , and so angry that they 've let this get so out of hand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemiologist Dr. Amanda Castel said most D.C. residents should n't worry about the White House outbreak .
But she noted that the extent of it is still unknown .
`` If people were n't practicing social distancing and wearing masks consistently , we may see that this evolves into what we would consider to be a super-spreader event . ''

D.C. Sees Surge In Coronavirus Testing Demand Amid White House Outbreak
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
As the scope of the White House coronavirus cluster comes into focus, D.C. residents are expressing frustration and concern about how the outbreak might affect the local community. Local government officials are reporting a surge in demand for coronavirus testing.
"It's not just about the politicians that have tested positive," D.C. resident Megan Peterman, 39, said Tuesday after she was tested at the Judiciary Square public testing site. "People work in the White House, and those people also shop at my grocery store and are out about town. It feels frankly really scary."
On Monday, John Falcicchio, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's chief of staff, said the city had performed 3,962 coronavirus tests that day, an 81% increase from the previous Monday.
"While we do not have data on what compelled people to get tested today, it would be hard to imagine that the recent news did not drive more people to do so," Falcicchio said in an emailed statement. "We will continue to monitor the demand this week and urge residents if they need a test to get a test."
Wait times were long on Tuesday morning at Judiciary Square, the District's largest public testing site. Some people said it took more than an hour to get tested. And while many said their immediate reasons for seeking a test were not related to the White House outbreak, the issue wasn't far from their minds.
Jason Qu said the line was four times longer at this testing location than he'd seen it in the past. He thought the news from the White House was likely a factor.
"I think it's put the issue of testing back on people's radar," he said.
Others in line at the public testing site had been more directly affected. A White House reporter, who wished to remain anonymous for job-related reasons, said she and her colleagues were frustrated by the lack of information and advice provided to people who work in the building about the outbreak.
"They've done nothing to take responsibility for what happened, and we're all just kind of left in the lurch, knowing we were at this super-spreader event."
Andrei, a Capitol Hill staffer who declined to give his last name because he was concerned about jeopardizing his employment, said he was frustrated that the extent of the spread of the coronavirus in Congress is not yet known.
"I work in Congress, and I have friends who I know are rightfully concerned about the lack of information about who was infected, and whether their bosses might have been," he said.
Lauren Drew, who was also waiting for a test, said her boyfriend was a member of the media and sometimes has to go to work at the White House, on Capitol Hill, or at Trump campaign rallies. The couple have attempted to quarantine for 14 days and get tested when that happens.
"I think about all the people who do have to go there for their job, the people who service the White House, and I am so worried for all of them, and so angry that they've let this get so out of hand," she said.
George Washington University epidemiologist Dr. Amanda Castel said most D.C. residents shouldn't worry about the White House outbreak. But she noted that the extent of it is still unknown.
"If people weren't practicing social distancing and wearing masks consistently, we may see that this evolves into what we would consider to be a super-spreader event."


npr--2020-10-06--Domestic Workers React With Anger After Trump Says 'Don't Be Afraid of Covid'

Domestic Workers React With Anger After Trump Says 'Do n't Be Afraid of Covid' Some domestic workers and others impacted by COVID-19 are reacting angrily to President Trump 's urging to `` get out there '' and `` Do n't be afraid of Covid .
Do n't let it dominate your life , '' soon after he left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday , where he was treated for COVID-19 .
They accuse the president of sounding not only reckless but callous about the more than 200,000 people in the U.S. who have died of COVID-19 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been infected with the virus .
`` Completely irresponsible , '' said Norma , a 46-year-old domestic worker , referring to President Trump 's comments .
`` He 's mocking us , the working poor , '' says the undocumented mother of three from Lakewood , N.J. She does not want her last name used due to her immigration status .
`` He ca n't tell us not to fear the virus — we 're living it . ''
Norma was infected with the virus in April , and her mother died from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm still mourning her , '' she says .
`` I 'm still suffering from fatigue , chills and often my hands feel numb , '' she said .
She had to stay home from work for more than 2 months after testing positive and she 's only working about 80 % now .
`` I do n't have the means to see a doctor or take vitamins .
I 'm behind on my rent and other bills . ''
There are more than 2 million domestic workers like Norma in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaning and taking care of children , older adults and people with disabilities , according to the Economic Policy Institute .
The vast majority of these workers are women , and over half are women of color .
`` The administration 's failure to act over the past six months have put the lives of millions of domestic workers across the country at risk , '' said Ai-jen Poo , executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance .
She added that the administration 's actions over the past week , flouting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House gathering on September 26 while refusing to wear a face mask , `` have put the lives of essential domestic workers in the White House at additional unnecessary risk . ''
`` The outbreak of coronavirus at our highest level of government highlights the urgent need to provide essential worker protections and comprehensive COVID relief for all of us , '' Poo said .
Jossie Flor Sapunar works with CASA in Action , an organization that mobilizes the vote in immigrant and people of color communities in the Mid-Atlantic region .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweets , they saw his privilege .
`` He has a personal helicopter , a fleet of doctors , the best health care , '' Sapunar said .
She noted that many of the people most exposed to the virus every day often do n't even have health care : `` Grocery store workers , gas station workers , health care workers , cleaning personnel , they do n't have that type of privilege . ''
`` He disregards the virus , disregards the science , '' Sapunar said of the president 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic has been reckless for the country , but also toward his staff who trust him .
The White House staff is largely Black and Latino , according to The Washington Post .
Dozens of full-time cooks , butlers , ushers , housekeepers , florists make sure the official residence runs smoothly .
White House residence staff have been required to wear face masks at all times since April , according to a statement released on Tuesday by the office of First Lady Melania Trump .
The statement also noted other precautionary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` hospital grade disinfection policies '' since March .
The reduced staff has been tested daily , is encouraged to work remotely and the White House medical staff have been charged with leading health workshops to answer staff concerns .
Still , Sapunar said Trump 's behavior reveals a power imbalance .
Not only has he repeatedly downplayed the risks , she said , but he has spread dangerous ideas like injecting yourself with bleach to prevent infection .
`` Right now , things are not fair and that makes folks angry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's why we are mobilizing people our hardest , because four years of Trump is four years of disaster for Black and immigrant communities . ''

Domestic Workers React With Anger After Trump Says 'Don't Be Afraid of Covid'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Some domestic workers and others impacted by COVID-19 are reacting angrily to President Trump's urging to "get out there" and "Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life," soon after he left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday, where he was treated for COVID-19.
They accuse the president of sounding not only reckless but callous about the more than 200,000 people in the U.S. who have died of COVID-19 and the more than 7 million who have been infected with the virus.
"Completely irresponsible," said Norma, a 46-year-old domestic worker, referring to President Trump's comments. "He's mocking us, the working poor," says the undocumented mother of three from Lakewood, N.J. She does not want her last name used due to her immigration status. "He can't tell us not to fear the virus — we're living it."
Norma was infected with the virus in April, and her mother died from it on July 10. "I'm still mourning her," she says.
"I'm still suffering from fatigue, chills and often my hands feel numb," she said. She had to stay home from work for more than 2 months after testing positive and she's only working about 80% now. "I don't have the means to see a doctor or take vitamins. I'm behind on my rent and other bills."
There are more than 2 million domestic workers like Norma in the U.S. – people who work in private homes cleaning and taking care of children, older adults and people with disabilities, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The vast majority of these workers are women, and over half are women of color.
"The administration's failure to act over the past six months have put the lives of millions of domestic workers across the country at risk," said Ai-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. She added that the administration's actions over the past week, flouting the CDC's coronavirus guidance at a White House gathering on September 26 while refusing to wear a face mask, "have put the lives of essential domestic workers in the White House at additional unnecessary risk."
"The outbreak of coronavirus at our highest level of government highlights the urgent need to provide essential worker protections and comprehensive COVID relief for all of us," Poo said.
Jossie Flor Sapunar works with CASA in Action, an organization that mobilizes the vote in immigrant and people of color communities in the Mid-Atlantic region. She said that when people saw Trump's tweets, they saw his privilege.
"He has a personal helicopter, a fleet of doctors, the best health care," Sapunar said. She noted that many of the people most exposed to the virus every day often don't even have health care: "Grocery store workers, gas station workers, health care workers, cleaning personnel, they don't have that type of privilege."
"He disregards the virus, disregards the science," Sapunar said of the president's actions. She said his response to the pandemic has been reckless for the country, but also toward his staff who trust him.
The White House staff is largely Black and Latino, according to The Washington Post. Dozens of full-time cooks, butlers, ushers, housekeepers, florists make sure the official residence runs smoothly.
White House residence staff have been required to wear face masks at all times since April, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the office of First Lady Melania Trump.
The statement also noted other precautionary measures taken in the residence, such as "hospital grade disinfection policies" since March. The reduced staff has been tested daily, is encouraged to work remotely and the White House medical staff have been charged with leading health workshops to answer staff concerns.
Still, Sapunar said Trump's behavior reveals a power imbalance. Not only has he repeatedly downplayed the risks, she said, but he has spread dangerous ideas like injecting yourself with bleach to prevent infection.
"Right now, things are not fair and that makes folks angry," she said. "That's why we are mobilizing people our hardest, because four years of Trump is four years of disaster for Black and immigrant communities."


npr--2020-10-06--Amidst Global Troubles, MacArthur 'Genius Grant' Winners 'Provoke And Inspire'

This year 's MacArthur Fellows — recipients of what 's commonly known as the Genius Grant — are engineers and writers , scientists and musicians , artists and scholars and filmmakers .
They 've mapped the universe and the human brain , created new worlds and picked apart what makes our own world tick .
Among the honorees is speculative fiction writer N.K .
Jemisin , who won back-to-back Hugo Awards for every book in her Broken Earth trilogy , about the struggle to remake a world wracked by exploitation and geological upheaval .
`` I am writing the stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I was younger , '' she said in a short video .
Also on the roster is dancer and choreographer Ralph Lemon , who 's at work on a piece called Saturnalia , which will grapple with grief , violence and power structures in today 's culture .
And singer and composer Cécile McLorin Salvant , who brings a global Black feminist sensibility ( and a nearly four-octave vocal range ) to her interpretations of both jazz standards and her own original works .
`` In the midst of civil unrest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and conflagrations , this group of 21 exceptionally creative individuals offers a moment for celebration , '' MacArthur Fellows managing director Cecilia Conrad said in a statement .
`` They are asking critical questions , developing innovative technologies and public policies , enriching our understanding of the human condition , and producing works of art that provoke and inspire us . ''
In honor of their talent and creativity , each Fellow gets an award of $ 625,000 , paid in quarterly installments over five years .
On its website , the Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' there are no expectations , and Fellows may do what they wish with the money .
Here are this year 's MacArthur Fellows , with links to our own coverage where applicable .
`` Developing robust methods of statistical inference to address key challenges in economics and social science . ''
`` Shaping discourse on highly topical issues at the confluence of race , gender , education , and digital technology for broad audiences . ''
`` Developing new technologies for converting renewable , organic materials into chemicals used in products such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` Devising maps of network connectivity in individual brains that advance our understanding of how distinct regions communicate and develop in both typical and atypical contexts . ''
`` Creating space for Indigenous artists , stories , and experiences in mainstream theater and countering misrepresentation of Native American perspectives in broader society . ''
`` Bringing attention to failing water and waste sanitation infrastructure in rural areas and its role in perpetuating health and socioeconomic disparities . ''
`` Investigating the ways in which labor , identity , and human rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` Pushing against the conventions of epic fantasy and science fiction genres while exploring deeply human questions about structural racism , environmental crises , and familial relationships . ''
`` Generating interdisciplinary modes of artistic expression for stories , emotions , memories , and identities that traditional media do not accommodate . ''
`` Examining the cellular processes that guide mammalian fertilization and opening new avenues for contraception and treatment of infertility . ''
`` Reforming laws and developing policy solutions addressing mechanisms by which Black and other disadvantaged American families have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and real estate wealth . ''
`` Revealing how narratives of racial difference that were constructed and applied to immigrant groups a century ago continue to shape national policy today . ''
`` Creating new conceptual spaces to accommodate emerging forms of Black aesthetics , cultural production , and social life . ''
`` Exploring culturally constructed notions of language , memory , and gender from a transnational perspective . ''
`` Using manifold powers of interpretation to infuse jazz standards and original compositions with a vibrant , global , Black , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding of how many-particle quantum systems behave and connecting phenomena observed in the laboratory to a range of other areas of physics . ''
`` Investigating synthesis of novel molecules with therapeutic properties and expediting discovery of new antibiotics . ''
`` Challenging long-held assumptions about the forces that shape urban poverty and violence and bringing to light the lived reality of those who experience it . ''
`` Creating intimate character studies that examine the impact of authoritarian governance , corruption , and lack of accountability on the lives of individuals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ adult literature to encompass more complex issues and reflect the lives of Black children , teenagers , and families . ''

Amidst Global Troubles, MacArthur 'Genius Grant' Winners 'Provoke And Inspire'
Enlarge this image The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
This year's MacArthur Fellows — recipients of what's commonly known as the Genius Grant — are engineers and writers, scientists and musicians, artists and scholars and filmmakers. They've mapped the universe and the human brain, created new worlds and picked apart what makes our own world tick.
Among the honorees is speculative fiction writer N.K. Jemisin, who won back-to-back Hugo Awards for every book in her Broken Earth trilogy, about the struggle to remake a world wracked by exploitation and geological upheaval. "I am writing the stories I wish someone had written for me when I was younger," she said in a short video.
Also on the roster is dancer and choreographer Ralph Lemon, who's at work on a piece called Saturnalia, which will grapple with grief, violence and power structures in today's culture. And singer and composer Cécile McLorin Salvant, who brings a global Black feminist sensibility (and a nearly four-octave vocal range) to her interpretations of both jazz standards and her own original works.
"In the midst of civil unrest, a global pandemic, natural disasters, and conflagrations, this group of 21 exceptionally creative individuals offers a moment for celebration," MacArthur Fellows managing director Cecilia Conrad said in a statement. "They are asking critical questions, developing innovative technologies and public policies, enriching our understanding of the human condition, and producing works of art that provoke and inspire us."
In honor of their talent and creativity, each Fellow gets an award of $625,000, paid in quarterly installments over five years. On its website, the Foundation describes the award as "no-strings-attached;" there are no expectations, and Fellows may do what they wish with the money.
Here are this year's MacArthur Fellows, with links to our own coverage where applicable.
(Note: The MacArthur Foundation is among NPR's financial supporters.)
Isaiah Andrews, 34, econometrician
"Developing robust methods of statistical inference to address key challenges in economics and social science."
Tressie McMillan Cottom, 43, sociologist, writer, and public scholar
"Shaping discourse on highly topical issues at the confluence of race, gender, education, and digital technology for broad audiences."
Paul Dauenhauer, 39, chemical engineer
"Developing new technologies for converting renewable, organic materials into chemicals used in products such as plastics, rubber, and detergents."
Nels Elde, 47, evolutionary geneticist
"Investigating the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary processes driving host-pathogen interactions."
Damien Fair, 44, cognitive neuroscientist
"Devising maps of network connectivity in individual brains that advance our understanding of how distinct regions communicate and develop in both typical and atypical contexts."
Larissa FastHorse, 49, playwright
"Creating space for Indigenous artists, stories, and experiences in mainstream theater and countering misrepresentation of Native American perspectives in broader society."
Catherine Coleman Flowers, 62, environmental health advocate
"Bringing attention to failing water and waste sanitation infrastructure in rural areas and its role in perpetuating health and socioeconomic disparities."
Mary L. Gray, 51, anthropologist and media scholar
"Investigating the ways in which labor, identity, and human rights are transformed by the digital economy."
N. K. Jemisin, 48, speculative fiction writer
"Pushing against the conventions of epic fantasy and science fiction genres while exploring deeply human questions about structural racism, environmental crises, and familial relationships."
Ralph Lemon, 68, artist
"Generating interdisciplinary modes of artistic expression for stories, emotions, memories, and identities that traditional media do not accommodate."
Polina V. Lishko, 46, cellular and developmental biologist
"Examining the cellular processes that guide mammalian fertilization and opening new avenues for contraception and treatment of infertility."
Thomas Wilson Mitchell, 55, property law scholar
"Reforming laws and developing policy solutions addressing mechanisms by which Black and other disadvantaged American families have been deprived of their land, homes, and real estate wealth."
Natalia Molina, 49, american historian
"Revealing how narratives of racial difference that were constructed and applied to immigrant groups a century ago continue to shape national policy today."
Fred Moten, 58, cultural theorist and poet
"Creating new conceptual spaces to accommodate emerging forms of Black aesthetics, cultural production, and social life."
Cristina Rivera Garza, 56, fiction writer
"Exploring culturally constructed notions of language, memory, and gender from a transnational perspective."
Cécile McLorin Salvant, 31, singer and composer
"Using manifold powers of interpretation to infuse jazz standards and original compositions with a vibrant, global, Black, feminist sensibility."
Monika Schleier-Smith, 37, experimental physicist
"Advancing our understanding of how many-particle quantum systems behave and connecting phenomena observed in the laboratory to a range of other areas of physics."
Mohammad R. Seyedsayamdost, 41, biological chemist
"Investigating synthesis of novel molecules with therapeutic properties and expediting discovery of new antibiotics."
Forrest Stuart, 38, sociologist
"Challenging long-held assumptions about the forces that shape urban poverty and violence and bringing to light the lived reality of those who experience it."
Nanfu Wang, 34, documentary filmmaker
"Creating intimate character studies that examine the impact of authoritarian governance, corruption, and lack of accountability on the lives of individuals."
Jacqueline Woodson, 57, writer
"Redefining children's and young adult literature to encompass more complex issues and reflect the lives of Black children, teenagers, and families."


npr--2020-10-06--Trump's Missed Opportunities To Personally Stop The Spread Of The Coronavirus

Trump 's Missed Opportunities To Personally Stop The Spread Of The Coronavirus Last Thursday afternoon , when Hope Hicks tested positive for the coronavirus , President Trump was aboard Marine One , on his way to a campaign fundraiser at his New Jersey golf club .
Hicks , a top Trump aide , had traveled with the president to a Minnesota fundraiser and rally the day before and reportedly felt ill on the plane ride back .
`` The CDC guidelines are pretty clear when you identify [ someone ] who is infected , '' says Howard Koh , former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration .
Anybody who had recently come in close contact with Hicks — defined as spending more than 15 minutes within 6 feet of her , in the previous two days — is to take precautions so they do n't spread the virus to others .
`` I assume the president was one of those persons , '' Koh says .
`` And according to the guidelines , the quarantine should have started at that point , for 14 days . ''
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey fundraiser , flew back to Washington and mingled with dozens of aides .
A few hours later , the president tweeted that he and first lady Melania Trump had also tested positive for coronavirus .
From the time Hicks began showing symptoms of COVID-19 , the Trump campaign and White House repeatedly made missteps that health experts say dangerously amplified the risks of spreading the virus to others .
The president 's failure to quarantine was a critical crossroads at which he and his team chose to flout rather than follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck to , even as test results showed the virus spreading through the White House .
The White House has declined to do contact tracing of a Rose Garden celebration held several days before Trump and other Republican attendees tested positive .
And the president has struggled to balance the public health recommendation to isolate with his desire to be seen publicly as Election Day approaches .
Much of the New Jersey fundraiser took place outdoors , which reduces the risk of transmission .
But Trump also reportedly met indoors , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 45 minutes .
While the donors sat indoors more than 6 feet apart , according to CNN , nobody wore masks — which increases the risks of the virus accumulating in the air and spreading to people more than 6 feet away .
`` If you 're indoors , basically , you 're all sharing the air in that room , '' said Kim Prather , an aerosols scientist at the University of California , San Diego , in a call with reporters this week , `` We always have to remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 're indoors . ''
New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy said via Twitter that health officials are working with the CDC to contact and monitor everyone who showed up to the fundraiser .
Attendees are being advised to quarantine and monitor themselves for symptoms for two weeks .
But some attendees do not plan to comply .
That 's another consequence of the president 's defiance of public health safeguards , says Lindsay Wiley , a health law professor at American University : `` It just sends such a strong signal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't important to pay attention to and are n't necessary to follow . ''
It 's risky , because the CDC 's public health guidance contains tried-and-true recipes for dealing with coronavirus outbreaks in the absence of vaccines and therapeutics .
Since no cures or prophylactics are available , the public health guidance focuses mainly on preventing the spread of coronavirus , through measures such as mask-wearing , improving fresh air flow indoors , testing likely cases and keeping people who may be infected away from others .
Once the president was diagnosed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he be isolated .
`` That means nobody around him for 10 days , '' the duration after symptom onset when he 's most likely to be contagious , says Dr. Ali Khan , dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center .
But the president , in between medical treatments at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , took a ride down the street in a sealed SUV , exposing his Secret Service bodyguards to coronavirus in the process .
`` [ Not isolating ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his office that is not afforded to pretty much any other American , '' Khan says .
When the president was diagnosed , anybody who had come in close contact with him — or any other recently confirmed cases — should also have quarantined for 14 days .
`` The only exception for that is , occasionally , essential workers , '' Khan says , adding that the exception was originally meant for health care workers at low risk of being infected , who would be wearing full protective gear around patients .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 16 industries , including law enforcement and agriculture .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany described herself as an `` essential worker '' and continued to speak with reporters while not wearing a mask .
McEnany said she had trusted that negative test results meant she was not carrying the virus .
Then , on Monday , McEnany announced that she , too , had tested positive for coronavirus .
`` It appears that the White House has declared themselves essential workers that are not subject to quarantine rules , '' Khan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's circle demonstrates that relying solely on routine testing is an imperfect strategy .
People are prone to false negative results in the early stages of infection , when they can still spread the disease , says Dr. William Lang , former director of the White House Medical Unit and deputy physician to the president in the George W. Bush administration .
`` Testing reduces risk , but it does not eliminate risk .
Wearing masks does not eliminate risk , it reduces risk , '' and the same goes for keeping a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You do n't rely on any one thing to satisfactorily reduce your risk of COVID-19 .
You 've got to do it all . ''
The president returned Monday evening to the White House from hospitalization at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , still in recovery from COVID-19 and well within the window of being contagious .
In a statement , White House spokesman Judd Deere said , `` Physical access to the president will be significantly limited and appropriate PPE will be worn when near him . ''
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morgenstern told NPR 's Mary Louise Kelly on Tuesday that masks are not currently mandated inside the White House .
And the White House still wo n't say the total number of coronavirus cases among White House personnel .
But the list of people in the president 's circle testing positive grows daily , and it 's not clear to observers that those exposed will quarantine .
Further , the president says he plans to proceed with a scheduled debate in Miami on Oct. 15 with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as the president 's symptoms resolve .

Trump's Missed Opportunities To Personally Stop The Spread Of The Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 5:15 p.m. ET
Last Thursday afternoon, when Hope Hicks tested positive for the coronavirus, President Trump was aboard Marine One, on his way to a campaign fundraiser at his New Jersey golf club.
Hicks, a top Trump aide, had traveled with the president to a Minnesota fundraiser and rally the day before and reportedly felt ill on the plane ride back. "The CDC guidelines are pretty clear when you identify [someone] who is infected," says Howard Koh, former assistant secretary of health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration.
Anybody who had recently come in close contact with Hicks — defined as spending more than 15 minutes within 6 feet of her, in the previous two days — is to take precautions so they don't spread the virus to others.
"I assume the president was one of those persons," Koh says. "And according to the guidelines, the quarantine should have started at that point, for 14 days."
Instead, Trump greeted over 200 supporters at the New Jersey fundraiser, flew back to Washington and mingled with dozens of aides. A few hours later, the president tweeted that he and first lady Melania Trump had also tested positive for coronavirus.
From the time Hicks began showing symptoms of COVID-19, the Trump campaign and White House repeatedly made missteps that health experts say dangerously amplified the risks of spreading the virus to others.
The president's failure to quarantine was a critical crossroads at which he and his team chose to flout rather than follow pandemic safeguards — a path they have stuck to, even as test results showed the virus spreading through the White House. The White House has declined to do contact tracing of a Rose Garden celebration held several days before Trump and other Republican attendees tested positive.
And the president has struggled to balance the public health recommendation to isolate with his desire to be seen publicly as Election Day approaches.
Much of the New Jersey fundraiser took place outdoors, which reduces the risk of transmission. But Trump also reportedly met indoors, with a select group of around 19 top donors for 45 minutes. While the donors sat indoors more than 6 feet apart, according to CNN, nobody wore masks — which increases the risks of the virus accumulating in the air and spreading to people more than 6 feet away.
"If you're indoors, basically, you're all sharing the air in that room," said Kim Prather, an aerosols scientist at the University of California, San Diego, in a call with reporters this week, "We always have to remember that some masks are absolutely essential when you're indoors."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said via Twitter that health officials are working with the CDC to contact and monitor everyone who showed up to the fundraiser. Attendees are being advised to quarantine and monitor themselves for symptoms for two weeks. But some attendees do not plan to comply.
That's another consequence of the president's defiance of public health safeguards, says Lindsay Wiley, a health law professor at American University: "It just sends such a strong signal to the general public that these recommendations aren't important to pay attention to and aren't necessary to follow."
It's risky, because the CDC's public health guidance contains tried-and-true recipes for dealing with coronavirus outbreaks in the absence of vaccines and therapeutics. Since no cures or prophylactics are available, the public health guidance focuses mainly on preventing the spread of coronavirus, through measures such as mask-wearing, improving fresh air flow indoors, testing likely cases and keeping people who may be infected away from others.
Once the president was diagnosed with coronavirus, public health guidelines dictated that he be isolated.
"That means nobody around him for 10 days," the duration after symptom onset when he's most likely to be contagious, says Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
But the president, in between medical treatments at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, took a ride down the street in a sealed SUV, exposing his Secret Service bodyguards to coronavirus in the process. "[Not isolating] is an advantage and a privilege of his office that is not afforded to pretty much any other American," Khan says.
When the president was diagnosed, anybody who had come in close contact with him — or any other recently confirmed cases — should also have quarantined for 14 days. "The only exception for that is, occasionally, essential workers," Khan says, adding that the exception was originally meant for health care workers at low risk of being infected, who would be wearing full protective gear around patients. The administration has since expanded the definition to 16 industries, including law enforcement and agriculture.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany described herself as an "essential worker" and continued to speak with reporters while not wearing a mask. McEnany said she had trusted that negative test results meant she was not carrying the virus. Then, on Monday, McEnany announced that she, too, had tested positive for coronavirus.
"It appears that the White House has declared themselves essential workers that are not subject to quarantine rules," Khan says.
The outbreak among the president's circle demonstrates that relying solely on routine testing is an imperfect strategy. People are prone to false negative results in the early stages of infection, when they can still spread the disease, says Dr. William Lang, former director of the White House Medical Unit and deputy physician to the president in the George W. Bush administration.
"Testing reduces risk, but it does not eliminate risk. Wearing masks does not eliminate risk, it reduces risk," and the same goes for keeping a 6-foot distance from others, says Lang. "You don't rely on any one thing to satisfactorily reduce your risk of COVID-19. You've got to do it all."
The president returned Monday evening to the White House from hospitalization at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, still in recovery from COVID-19 and well within the window of being contagious. In a statement, White House spokesman Judd Deere said, "Physical access to the president will be significantly limited and appropriate PPE will be worn when near him."
However, White House Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern told NPR's Mary Louise Kelly on Tuesday that masks are not currently mandated inside the White House. And the White House still won't say the total number of coronavirus cases among White House personnel.
But the list of people in the president's circle testing positive grows daily, and it's not clear to observers that those exposed will quarantine. Further, the president says he plans to proceed with a scheduled debate in Miami on Oct. 15 with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, which is fine by CDC guidelines, so long as the president's symptoms resolve.


npr--2020-10-06--Duckworth: Block Supreme Court Pick Who Thinks 'My Daughters Shouldn't Even Exist'

Duckworth : Block Supreme Court Pick Who Thinks 'My Daughters Should n't Even Exist' A Democratic U.S. senator who has spoken openly about motherhood and giving birth at age 50 is asking her Republican colleagues to reconsider their support for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in light of the judge 's ties to an organization that has publicly opposed some types of fertility treatments .
In a letter to her colleagues , Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois describes the role of in vitro fertilization , or IVF , in helping her conceive her two daughters , now 5 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought her newborn daughter , Maile , on the Senate floor after lobbying for a rules change .
In the letter , Duckworth describes Barrett as someone who `` appears to believe that my daughters should n't even exist '' and says , `` I write to each of you today , and especially to my Republican colleagues who cooed and cuddled Maile when she first visited the Capitol , in hopes that you will fully consider the very real impact your vote on this unprecedented nomination could have on those Americans hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The letter comes in response to reports that first appeared last week in The Guardian that Barrett and her husband , Jesse , had signed an ad in 2006 in the South Bend ( Ind . )
Tribune from an organization known then as St. Joseph County Right to Life .
That ad called for putting `` an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade '' – the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide .
It urged readers to `` defend the right to life from fertilization to natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of an organization called Right to Life Michiana , is based in South Bend , where Barrett has worked as a law professor at Notre Dame University .
In an interview with The Guardian , Executive Director Jackie Appleman said her organization supports criminal penalties for doctors who perform abortion , and for doctors who discard embryos as part of IVF treatments .
`` Whether embryos are implanted in the woman and then selectively reduced or it 's done in a petri dish and then discarded , you 're still ending a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do oppose that , '' Appleman told The Guardian .
She added that `` at this point we are not supportive of criminalizing the women . ''
Reached by phone by NPR , Appleman declined to comment but pointed to a National Review article in which officials from Right to Life Michiana say that Barrett and other signers of the letter may not have been aware of the full content of the ad before it was published .
The appearance of Barrett 's name in the ad has drawn criticism from abortion-rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she 'd likely vote to overturn Supreme Court precedent guaranteeing abortion rights .
But Duckworth 's warnings to her colleagues go further .
In an interview with NPR , Duckworth said she hopes Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will bring up the implications of Barrett 's views for fertility treatments and other types of reproductive health care , including contraception , during her upcoming confirmation hearings .
Duckworth said she wants her Republican colleagues to understand fully the implications of their vote .
`` I think many people do n't realize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fertilization of an egg would actually rule out IVF , '' she said .
Barrett 's defenders have pointed to comments she made during her 2017 confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her position as a federal appeals court judge in which she said that the law , not her personal views , would dictate how she rules in cases .

Duckworth: Block Supreme Court Pick Who Thinks 'My Daughters Shouldn't Even Exist'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Greg Nash/Pool via AP Greg Nash/Pool via AP
A Democratic U.S. senator who has spoken openly about motherhood and giving birth at age 50 is asking her Republican colleagues to reconsider their support for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in light of the judge's ties to an organization that has publicly opposed some types of fertility treatments.
In a letter to her colleagues, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois describes the role of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, in helping her conceive her two daughters, now 5 and 2. In 2018, Duckworth famously brought her newborn daughter, Maile, on the Senate floor after lobbying for a rules change.
In the letter, Duckworth describes Barrett as someone who "appears to believe that my daughters shouldn't even exist" and says, "I write to each of you today, and especially to my Republican colleagues who cooed and cuddled Maile when she first visited the Capitol, in hopes that you will fully consider the very real impact your vote on this unprecedented nomination could have on those Americans hoping to start families of their own."
The letter comes in response to reports that first appeared last week in The Guardian that Barrett and her husband, Jesse, had signed an ad in 2006 in the South Bend (Ind.) Tribune from an organization known then as St. Joseph County Right to Life.
toggle caption South Bend (Ind.) Tribune
toggle caption South Bend (Ind.) Tribune
That ad called for putting "an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade" – the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. It urged readers to "defend the right to life from fertilization to natural death."
The group, now part of an organization called Right to Life Michiana, is based in South Bend, where Barrett has worked as a law professor at Notre Dame University. In an interview with The Guardian, Executive Director Jackie Appleman said her organization supports criminal penalties for doctors who perform abortion, and for doctors who discard embryos as part of IVF treatments.
"Whether embryos are implanted in the woman and then selectively reduced or it's done in a petri dish and then discarded, you're still ending a new human life at that point and we do oppose that," Appleman told The Guardian.
She added that "at this point we are not supportive of criminalizing the women."
Reached by phone by NPR, Appleman declined to comment but pointed to a National Review article in which officials from Right to Life Michiana say that Barrett and other signers of the letter may not have been aware of the full content of the ad before it was published. The appearance of Barrett's name in the ad has drawn criticism from abortion-rights advocates who warn that, if confirmed, she'd likely vote to overturn Supreme Court precedent guaranteeing abortion rights.
But Duckworth's warnings to her colleagues go further. In an interview with NPR, Duckworth said she hopes Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will bring up the implications of Barrett's views for fertility treatments and other types of reproductive health care, including contraception, during her upcoming confirmation hearings.
Duckworth said she wants her Republican colleagues to understand fully the implications of their vote.
"I think many people don't realize that these positions where life begins at the fertilization of an egg would actually rule out IVF," she said.
Barrett's defenders have pointed to comments she made during her 2017 confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her position as a federal appeals court judge in which she said that the law, not her personal views, would dictate how she rules in cases.


npr--2020-10-06--In Election's Final Weeks, Biden Makes A Case For Unity Amid A Tumultuous Time

Joe Biden , who 's long critiqued President Trump as a voice of division and a uniquely dangerous threat to American values , appears to be sketching out a final , unifying message to voters with four weeks left in the 2020 presidential campaign .
Speaking Tuesday afternoon overlooking the battlefield where Union soldiers tilted the tide of the Civil War in Gettysburg , Pa. , the Democratic nominee tried to frame his call for unity within the arc of American history .
`` Today , once again , we are a house divided , '' Biden said , echoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But that , my friends , can no longer be . ''
He went on : `` As I look across America today , I 'm concerned .
The country is in a dangerous place .
Our trust in each other is ebbing .
Hope is elusive .
Too many Americans see our public life not as an arena for the mediation of our differences .
Rather , they see it as an occasion for total , unrelenting partisan warfare .
Instead of treating the other party as the opposition , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must end . ''
Biden went on to repeat a promise he makes in nearly every campaign speech : that if he wins , he 'll govern for all Americans , not just his base of supporters .
While Biden did n't mention Trump by name , the contrast was clear .
The remarks came as Trump 's polling continues to crater following a much-criticized debate performance and amid his decision to continue minimizing the threat of the coronavirus despite being hospitalized himself with COVID-19 .
Much of Biden 's speech was about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referenced broad policy goals he 's campaigning on , including a call for racial justice and police reforms as well as economic policies aimed at poor and middle-class Americans .
Since he launched his presidential campaign in April 2019 , Biden has repeatedly returned to the idea of a `` battle for the soul of America . ''
Tuesday 's speech was a clear effort to place his campaign 's closing arguments — both visually and in its tone — into that sort of lofty and high-minded narrative .
Gettysburg was , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battles of the Civil War , where the Union side in 1863 repelled a Southern invading force .
Along with a simultaneous Union victory at Vicksburg , Miss.
, the battle gave the Union and the Lincoln administration renewed momentum and set into motion the Union 's ultimate victory two years later .
In late 1863 , Lincoln reframed both the aims of the war and the fundamental goals of American democracy with his Gettysburg Address .
Biden 's speech comes on the same day that one of the most powerful voices in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michelle Obama , delivered her own closing argument with a 24-minute online video .
`` Right now , our country is in chaos because of a president who is n't up to the job , '' Obama said , before ticking off all the ways the pandemic has disrupted everyday life for millions of Americans , and how the Trump administration continues to downplay its severity .
`` It 's a simple choice , really : a chance for a fresh start , or four more years of this . ''
The past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump 's reelection chances .
Before the debate , The New York Times published Trump 's long-secret tax returns , showing that he paid little or no federal income taxes over nearly two decades .
And in the days after the debate , the president , the first lady and others in their orbit announced positive tests for the coronavirus .
Amid the chaos , Biden may see a chance to expand the electoral map .
Recent national polls from CNN and NBC News give Biden large double-digit leads and put him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hovers at or around 40 % .
Most polls in key swing states give Biden durable leads as well .
The campaign has now reserved nearly $ 6 million in ads in conservative Texas , according to multiple outlets in that state .
The Biden campaign has long focused on six key swing states : Michigan , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , North Carolina , Arizona and Florida .
But Democratic fundraising has gone into an even higher gear since the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , and Trump 's push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett in the final weeks before the election .
The seemingly endless supply of cash has allowed Biden to outspend Trump in most key swing states .
Now Biden can commit resources not only to Texas but Georgia , Ohio and Iowa as well — all states that , if Biden is winning , mean he 's likely already secured the 270 electoral votes needed to be president .
As Trump continues to sow doubt about the outcome of the election , many Democrats hope for a blowout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to protect themselves against the president 's efforts to question or overturn the results .
Event after event in recent weeks has made that outcome more of a real possibility .
The Biden campaign is eager enough to capitalize on that opportunity that it has , ironically , departed from its extremely cautious approach to campaigning during a window when the Democratic candidate may have been exposed to the coronavirus .
Biden stood about 15 feet from Trump for 90 minutes last week when Trump may have been contagious .
Biden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has taken three tests — all negative — since Trump announced he tested positive for the virus .
The campaign has promised to release the results of all coronavirus tests going forward .
Biden has continued to travel to Michigan , Florida and Pennsylvania — though , in a departure , he has at times worn a mask while delivering speeches .
The Biden campaign has adjusted to Trump 's illness in other ways , too .
In the immediate wake of the president 's hospitalization , Biden 's campaign pulled its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drew criticism from some Democratic allies .
Still , if Biden 's ad makers were to craft a new attack ad , it would probably look like what Trump did all on his own Monday night : Stride back into the White House , dramatically rip off his mask and then record a video minimizing a virus that has killed 210,000 Americans , suggesting it 's really no big deal .
Biden did n't directly comment on those actions in Monday night 's NBC News town hall appearance in Miami , but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He has some of the best health care in the world , '' Biden told moderator Lester Holt .
`` I 'm happy it was available to him .
It should be available to the president of the United States of America .
But the vast majority of Americans , the vast majority of people here in this audience , your cameraman , if , God forbid , something happened to them , they do n't have that access to that care . ''

In Election's Final Weeks, Biden Makes A Case For Unity Amid A Tumultuous Time
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 5:55 p.m. ET
Joe Biden, who's long critiqued President Trump as a voice of division and a uniquely dangerous threat to American values, appears to be sketching out a final, unifying message to voters with four weeks left in the 2020 presidential campaign.
Speaking Tuesday afternoon overlooking the battlefield where Union soldiers tilted the tide of the Civil War in Gettysburg, Pa., the Democratic nominee tried to frame his call for unity within the arc of American history.
"Today, once again, we are a house divided," Biden said, echoing the words of President Abraham Lincoln. "But that, my friends, can no longer be."
He went on: "As I look across America today, I'm concerned. The country is in a dangerous place. Our trust in each other is ebbing. Hope is elusive. Too many Americans see our public life not as an arena for the mediation of our differences. Rather, they see it as an occasion for total, unrelenting partisan warfare. Instead of treating the other party as the opposition, we treat them as the enemy. This must end."
Biden went on to repeat a promise he makes in nearly every campaign speech: that if he wins, he'll govern for all Americans, not just his base of supporters.
While Biden didn't mention Trump by name, the contrast was clear.
The remarks came as Trump's polling continues to crater following a much-criticized debate performance and amid his decision to continue minimizing the threat of the coronavirus despite being hospitalized himself with COVID-19.
Much of Biden's speech was about tone and discourse, but he also referenced broad policy goals he's campaigning on, including a call for racial justice and police reforms as well as economic policies aimed at poor and middle-class Americans.
Since he launched his presidential campaign in April 2019, Biden has repeatedly returned to the idea of a "battle for the soul of America." Tuesday's speech was a clear effort to place his campaign's closing arguments — both visually and in its tone — into that sort of lofty and high-minded narrative.
Gettysburg was, of course, one of the most important battles of the Civil War, where the Union side in 1863 repelled a Southern invading force. Along with a simultaneous Union victory at Vicksburg, Miss., the battle gave the Union and the Lincoln administration renewed momentum and set into motion the Union's ultimate victory two years later. In late 1863, Lincoln reframed both the aims of the war and the fundamental goals of American democracy with his Gettysburg Address.
Biden's speech comes on the same day that one of the most powerful voices in the Democratic Party, former first lady Michelle Obama, delivered her own closing argument with a 24-minute online video.
"Right now, our country is in chaos because of a president who isn't up to the job," Obama said, before ticking off all the ways the pandemic has disrupted everyday life for millions of Americans, and how the Trump administration continues to downplay its severity. "It's a simple choice, really: a chance for a fresh start, or four more years of this."
The past week and a half has been hellish for Trump's reelection chances.
Before the debate, The New York Times published Trump's long-secret tax returns, showing that he paid little or no federal income taxes over nearly two decades. And in the days after the debate, the president, the first lady and others in their orbit announced positive tests for the coronavirus.
Amid the chaos, Biden may see a chance to expand the electoral map.
Recent national polls from CNN and NBC News give Biden large double-digit leads and put him comfortably above 50%, while Trump hovers at or around 40%. Most polls in key swing states give Biden durable leads as well.
The campaign has now reserved nearly $6 million in ads in conservative Texas, according to multiple outlets in that state.
The Biden campaign has long focused on six key swing states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona and Florida. But Democratic fundraising has gone into an even higher gear since the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Trump's push to fill the liberal icon's seat with conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett in the final weeks before the election.
The seemingly endless supply of cash has allowed Biden to outspend Trump in most key swing states. Now Biden can commit resources not only to Texas but Georgia, Ohio and Iowa as well — all states that, if Biden is winning, mean he's likely already secured the 270 electoral votes needed to be president.
As Trump continues to sow doubt about the outcome of the election, many Democrats hope for a blowout victory, thinking it is the best way to protect themselves against the president's efforts to question or overturn the results.
Event after event in recent weeks has made that outcome more of a real possibility.
The Biden campaign is eager enough to capitalize on that opportunity that it has, ironically, departed from its extremely cautious approach to campaigning during a window when the Democratic candidate may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
Biden stood about 15 feet from Trump for 90 minutes last week when Trump may have been contagious. Biden said he's confident he wasn't exposed and has taken three tests — all negative — since Trump announced he tested positive for the virus. The campaign has promised to release the results of all coronavirus tests going forward.
Biden has continued to travel to Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania — though, in a departure, he has at times worn a mask while delivering speeches.
The Biden campaign has adjusted to Trump's illness in other ways, too. In the immediate wake of the president's hospitalization, Biden's campaign pulled its negative ads from television. That move drew criticism from some Democratic allies.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday evening, Biden said "we shouldn't have a debate" next week if Trump is still infected with the coronavirus. "I'm not sure what President Trump is all about now. I don't know what his status is. I'm looking forward to being able to debate him, but I just hope all the protocols are followed."
Asked if he would feel safe debating Trump, Biden said, "I think if he still has COVID, we shouldn't have a debate."
Still, if Biden's ad makers were to craft a new attack ad, it would probably look like what Trump did all on his own Monday night: Stride back into the White House, dramatically rip off his mask and then record a video minimizing a virus that has killed 210,000 Americans, suggesting it's really no big deal.
Biden didn't directly comment on those actions in Monday night's NBC News town hall appearance in Miami, but he did repeatedly nod in their direction.
"He has some of the best health care in the world," Biden told moderator Lester Holt. "I'm happy it was available to him. It should be available to the president of the United States of America. But the vast majority of Americans, the vast majority of people here in this audience, your cameraman, if, God forbid, something happened to them, they don't have that access to that care."


npr--2020-10-06--Fed's Jerome Powell Calls For More Economic Aid, Warning 'Weakness Feeds On Weakness'

Fed 's Jerome Powell Calls For More Economic Aid , Warning 'Weakness Feeds On Weakness' Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell urged Congress to provide another round of pandemic relief Tuesday , saying it 's better to do too much than too little .
However , hours later , President Trump dashed hopes for any quick deal with lawmakers , saying he 'd called a halt to negotiations until after the November election .
In an earlier speech Tuesday , Powell had noted the economy was bouncing back more quickly from the pandemic recession than many forecasters expected .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete – echoing comments he made to NPR during an interview last month .
`` Even if policy actions ultimately prove to be greater than needed , they will not go to waste , '' Powell said in a speech Tuesday to the National Association for Business Economics .
`` The recovery will be stronger and move faster if monetary policy and fiscal policy continue to work side by side to provide support to the economy until it is clearly out of the woods . ''
He also warned the group that without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a downward spiral `` as weakness feeds on weakness . ''
`` A long period of unnecessarily slow progress could continue to exacerbate existing disparities in our economy , '' Powell said .
`` That would be tragic , especially in light of our country 's progress on these issues in the years leading up to the pandemic . ''
Congress passed several relief bills earlier in the pandemic , including the $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act , which provided for additional unemployment benefits of up to $ 600 a week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aid provided by Congress has expired .
Over the weekend , Trump seemed eager for additional relief , tweeting , `` OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS . ''
But by Tuesday afternoon , the president had changed course , rejecting Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 's call for an additional $ 2.4 trillion in aid .
`` I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when , immediately after I win , we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president 's move sent the stock market tumbling .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S & P 500 index , which had been up before Trump 's tweet , both closed in the red , with the Dow losing 375 points or 1.3 % and the S & P down 1.4 % .
Powell credited the `` extraordinary '' relief measures passed early in the pandemic with helping to avoid a deeper recession and setting the stage for a partial rebound .
But recent indicators have shown the economic recovery is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread .
The labor market also remains under stress : Almost half the 22 million jobs lost in the spring have not been replaced .
Powell said Tuesday it may be some time before people whose jobs require a lot of in-person contact can safely return to work .
`` While the combined effects of fiscal and monetary policy have aided the solid recovery of the labor market so far , there is still a long way to go , '' the Fed chairman said .
`` The right thing to do and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to support those people as they return to their old jobs or find new jobs in different sectors of the economy , '' Powell added .
Unemployment , which peaked at 14.7 % in April , fell to 7.9 % last month .
But Powell cautioned the jobless rate would be closer to 11 % were it not for misclassification of idle workers and for people leaving the workforce .
Powell noted that job losses in the service sector have fallen particularly hard on women and minorities .
And women with children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home schooling .
As the new school year began last month , four times as many women dropped out of the workforce as men .
`` The longer it goes on , the more likely there is some lasting damage , '' Powell said .
`` For many people , and it 's a lot of women , it 's winding up being in the home with young children who really should be in school and you would much prefer to be working .
So it 's a real issue . ''

Fed's Jerome Powell Calls For More Economic Aid, Warning 'Weakness Feeds On Weakness'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Dietsch/AP Kevin Dietsch/AP
Updated at 4:08 p.m. ET
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell urged Congress to provide another round of pandemic relief Tuesday, saying it's better to do too much than too little.
However, hours later, President Trump dashed hopes for any quick deal with lawmakers, saying he'd called a halt to negotiations until after the November election.
In an earlier speech Tuesday, Powell had noted the economy was bouncing back more quickly from the pandemic recession than many forecasters expected. But he added that the recovery is far from complete – echoing comments he made to NPR during an interview last month.
"Even if policy actions ultimately prove to be greater than needed, they will not go to waste," Powell said in a speech Tuesday to the National Association for Business Economics. "The recovery will be stronger and move faster if monetary policy and fiscal policy continue to work side by side to provide support to the economy until it is clearly out of the woods."
He also warned the group that without additional support, the economy could slip into a downward spiral "as weakness feeds on weakness."
"A long period of unnecessarily slow progress could continue to exacerbate existing disparities in our economy," Powell said. "That would be tragic, especially in light of our country's progress on these issues in the years leading up to the pandemic."
Congress passed several relief bills earlier in the pandemic, including the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, which provided for additional unemployment benefits of up to $600 a week for many individuals.
However, most of the aid provided by Congress has expired.
Over the weekend, Trump seemed eager for additional relief, tweeting, "OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS."
But by Tuesday afternoon, the president had changed course, rejecting Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's call for an additional $2.4 trillion in aid.
"I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business," Trump tweeted.
The president's move sent the stock market tumbling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 index, which had been up before Trump's tweet, both closed in the red, with the Dow losing 375 points or 1.3% and the S&P down 1.4%.
Powell credited the "extraordinary" relief measures passed early in the pandemic with helping to avoid a deeper recession and setting the stage for a partial rebound.
But recent indicators have shown the economic recovery is starting to slow as infections continue to spread. The labor market also remains under stress: Almost half the 22 million jobs lost in the spring have not been replaced.
Powell said Tuesday it may be some time before people whose jobs require a lot of in-person contact can safely return to work.
"While the combined effects of fiscal and monetary policy have aided the solid recovery of the labor market so far, there is still a long way to go," the Fed chairman said.
"The right thing to do and the smart thing to do is to continue to support those people as they return to their old jobs or find new jobs in different sectors of the economy," Powell added.
Unemployment, which peaked at 14.7% in April, fell to 7.9% last month. But Powell cautioned the jobless rate would be closer to 11% were it not for misclassification of idle workers and for people leaving the workforce.
Powell noted that job losses in the service sector have fallen particularly hard on women and minorities. And women with children are disproportionately affected by the demands of home schooling.
As the new school year began last month, four times as many women dropped out of the workforce as men.
"The longer it goes on, the more likely there is some lasting damage," Powell said. "For many people, and it's a lot of women, it's winding up being in the home with young children who really should be in school and you would much prefer to be working. So it's a real issue."


npr--2020-10-06--DOJ To Charge 2 British ISIS Militants Accused Of Role In Killing U.S. Hostages

DOJ To Charge 2 British ISIS Militants Accused Of Role In Killing U.S .
Hostages The U.S. Justice Department is expected to announce charges this week against two British nationals suspected of being part of a notorious Islamic State cell accused of torturing and beheading Western hostages , according to a law enforcement official .
The two men , Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh , were captured in Syria in 2018 by Kurdish allies of the U.S. and were transferred to U.S. military custody in Iraq .
They are expected to arrive in the U.S. in the near future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest terrorism trials in the country in recent years .
NBC News first reported their expected transfer to the United States .
Kotey and Elsheikh are believed to be one half of a cell of Islamic State militants in Syria nicknamed `` The Beatles '' because of their British accents .
The cell became notorious in 2014 for its brutal treatment of hostages , including on-camera beheadings that the group posted videos of online .
It was not immediately clear what specific charges Kotey and Elsheikh will face , but the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 27 people , including two American journalists — James Foley and Steven Sotloff — American aid worker Peter Kassig and British and Japanese reporters and aid workers .
The atrocities became a hallmark of the Islamic State , which routinely slaughtered Syrian and Iraqi prisoners and civilians .
The decision to bring Kotey and Elsheikh to the U.S. and put them on trial brings an end to the legal limbo they have been in since their capture .
In 2015 , the U.S. made its first request to the British government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its own investigation of Kotey , Elsheikh and others .
Britain , which had stripped the men of their citizenship , had concerns about handing the materials over to the U.S. because the Justice Department could pursue the death penalty against the men .
In 2018 , the British government relented after deciding that having Kotey and Elsheikh stand trial in the U.S. was the best approach .
It agreed to transfer the evidence without a guarantee from Washington not to seek the death penalty .
But that move was put on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit in the U.K. challenging the decision .
In August , Attorney General William Barr provided the British government assurances that the United States would not seek to execute the men if they were tried and convicted .
He also warned that the U.S. would hand Kotey and Elsheikh to Iraqi authorities for prosecution if the British government failed to resolve the issue by Oct. 15 .
Late last month , a U.K. court cleared the way for the two men to be tried in the U.S. , and British authorities handed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than five years ago .
That was the final piece U.S. prosecutors needed for their case against Kotey and Elsheikh , and the Justice Department is expected to announce criminal charges against the duo this week , the law enforcement official told NPR on condition of anonymity .
The rise of the Islamic State The Islamic State had been a growing power in Syria and Iraq when it finally burst into the American public 's consciousness in June 2014 with its takeover of the city of Mosul in northern Iraq .
With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their sights on Baghdad .
At the time , it was unclear whether the Iraqi government could withstand the onslaught , and the U.S. scrambled to try to shore up its Iraqi allies .
In early August 2014 , the Obama administration began conducting airstrikes against the terrorist group in Iraq .
Just over a week later , the Islamic State posted a graphic video online showing James Foley 's murder .
Foley had been taken captive in Syria in 2012 by extremists and was held hostage with other Westerners by the Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video less than a month after Foley 's murder showing the killing of another American journalist , Steven Sotloff .
A third American , aid worker Peter Kassig , was killed a few months later .
These videos were among a series of other gruesome videos that featured a masked man dressed in black who spoke to the camera in a British accent .
The Western press often referred to the man as `` Jihadi John , '' and he was later identified as the cell 's ringleader , Mohammed Emwazi .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also held hostage by the Islamic State .
She was repeatedly raped by the group 's leader , Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi .
Mueller was killed in 2015 .
Eventually , the tide of the fight against the Islamic State shifted and the militants suffered a string of setbacks .
Emwazi was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2015 .
That same year , another member of the cell , Aine Davis , was captured in Turkey .
He was tried and convicted in a Turkish court and sentenced to seven years in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the group , Kotey and Elsheikh , are to face justice in the United States .
In an op-ed published this summer in The Washington Post , the families of the group 's American victims urged the U.S. government to bring the two men to the U.S. to face trial .
Kotey and Elsheikh have admitted they belonged to the Islamic State but have denied a role in any killings .
In an interview with The Washington Post , they said they facilitated ransom negotiations with the hostages ' families and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic State released several European hostages in exchange for ransom , but none of the Americans .
In 2015 , then-President Barack Obama announced changes to U.S. hostage policy after the American hostages ' families expressed frustration and outrage with how the government had handled the situation .

DOJ To Charge 2 British ISIS Militants Accused Of Role In Killing U.S. Hostages
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hussein Malla/AP Hussein Malla/AP
The U.S. Justice Department is expected to announce charges this week against two British nationals suspected of being part of a notorious Islamic State cell accused of torturing and beheading Western hostages, according to a law enforcement official.
The two men, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, were captured in Syria in 2018 by Kurdish allies of the U.S. and were transferred to U.S. military custody in Iraq. They are expected to arrive in the U.S. in the near future, setting the stage for one of the biggest terrorism trials in the country in recent years.
NBC News first reported their expected transfer to the United States.
Kotey and Elsheikh are believed to be one half of a cell of Islamic State militants in Syria nicknamed "The Beatles" because of their British accents. The cell became notorious in 2014 for its brutal treatment of hostages, including on-camera beheadings that the group posted videos of online.
It was not immediately clear what specific charges Kotey and Elsheikh will face, but the U.S. government has accused The Beatles of killing more than 27 people, including two American journalists — James Foley and Steven Sotloff — American aid worker Peter Kassig and British and Japanese reporters and aid workers.
The atrocities became a hallmark of the Islamic State, which routinely slaughtered Syrian and Iraqi prisoners and civilians.
Out of legal limbo
The decision to bring Kotey and Elsheikh to the U.S. and put them on trial brings an end to the legal limbo they have been in since their capture.
In 2015, the U.S. made its first request to the British government for evidence that the U.K. had collected in its own investigation of Kotey, Elsheikh and others. Britain, which had stripped the men of their citizenship, had concerns about handing the materials over to the U.S. because the Justice Department could pursue the death penalty against the men.
In 2018, the British government relented after deciding that having Kotey and Elsheikh stand trial in the U.S. was the best approach. It agreed to transfer the evidence without a guarantee from Washington not to seek the death penalty.
But that move was put on hold after Elsheikh's mother filed a lawsuit in the U.K. challenging the decision.
In August, Attorney General William Barr provided the British government assurances that the United States would not seek to execute the men if they were tried and convicted. He also warned that the U.S. would hand Kotey and Elsheikh to Iraqi authorities for prosecution if the British government failed to resolve the issue by Oct. 15.
Late last month, a U.K. court cleared the way for the two men to be tried in the U.S., and British authorities handed over the evidence that Washington had requested more than five years ago.
That was the final piece U.S. prosecutors needed for their case against Kotey and Elsheikh, and the Justice Department is expected to announce criminal charges against the duo this week, the law enforcement official told NPR on condition of anonymity.
The rise of the Islamic State
The Islamic State had been a growing power in Syria and Iraq when it finally burst into the American public's consciousness in June 2014 with its takeover of the city of Mosul in northern Iraq.
With the fall of Mosul, the militants turned their sights on Baghdad.
At the time, it was unclear whether the Iraqi government could withstand the onslaught, and the U.S. scrambled to try to shore up its Iraqi allies. In early August 2014, the Obama administration began conducting airstrikes against the terrorist group in Iraq.
Just over a week later, the Islamic State posted a graphic video online showing James Foley's murder. Foley had been taken captive in Syria in 2012 by extremists and was held hostage with other Westerners by the Islamic State.
The group released a second video less than a month after Foley's murder showing the killing of another American journalist, Steven Sotloff. A third American, aid worker Peter Kassig, was killed a few months later.
These videos were among a series of other gruesome videos that featured a masked man dressed in black who spoke to the camera in a British accent. The Western press often referred to the man as "Jihadi John," and he was later identified as the cell's ringleader, Mohammed Emwazi.
A fourth American, Kayla Mueller, was also held hostage by the Islamic State. She was repeatedly raped by the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Mueller was killed in 2015.
Eventually, the tide of the fight against the Islamic State shifted and the militants suffered a string of setbacks.
Emwazi was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2015. That same year, another member of the cell, Aine Davis, was captured in Turkey. He was tried and convicted in a Turkish court and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Now, the two remaining members of the group, Kotey and Elsheikh, are to face justice in the United States.
In an op-ed published this summer in The Washington Post, the families of the group's American victims urged the U.S. government to bring the two men to the U.S. to face trial.
Kotey and Elsheikh have admitted they belonged to the Islamic State but have denied a role in any killings. In an interview with The Washington Post, they said they facilitated ransom negotiations with the hostages' families and the hostages' respective governments.
The Islamic State released several European hostages in exchange for ransom, but none of the Americans.
In 2015, then-President Barack Obama announced changes to U.S. hostage policy after the American hostages' families expressed frustration and outrage with how the government had handled the situation.