npr--2020-01-11--Feeling Artsy? Here's How Making Art Helps Your Brain

A lot of my free time is spent doodling .
I 'm a journalist on NPR 's science desk by day .
But all the time in between , I am an artist — specifically , a cartoonist .
I draw in between tasks .
I sketch at the coffee shop before work .
And I like challenging myself to complete a zine — a little magazine — on my 20-minute bus commute .
I do these things partly because it 's fun and entertaining .
But I suspect there 's something deeper going on .
Because when I create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head .
It helps me make sense of my emotions .
And it somehow , it makes me feel calmer and more relaxed .
That made me wonder : What is going on in my brain when I draw ?
Why does it feel so nice ?
And how can I get other people — even if they do n't consider themselves artists — on the creativity train ?
It turns out there 's a lot happening in our minds and bodies when we make art .
`` Creativity in and of itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected to yourself and connected to the world , '' says Christianne Strang , a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alabama Birmingham and the former president of the American Art Therapy Association .
This idea extends to any type of visual creative expression : drawing , painting , collaging , sculpting clay , writing poetry , cake decorating , knitting , scrapbooking — the sky 's the limit .
`` Anything that engages your creative mind — the ability to make connections between unrelated things and imagine new ways to communicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Girija Kaimal .
She is a professor at Drexel University and a researcher in art therapy , leading art sessions with members of the military suffering from traumatic brain injury and caregivers of cancer patients .
But she 's a big believer that art is for everybody — and no matter what your skill level , it 's something you should try to do on a regular basis .
Here 's why : It helps you imagine a more hopeful future Art 's ability to flex our imaginations may be one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ art since we were cave-dwellers , says Kaimal .
It might serve an evolutionary purpose .
She has a theory that art-making helps us navigate problems that might arise in the future .
She wrote about this in October in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association .
Her theory builds off of an idea developed in the last few years — that our brain is a predictive machine .
The brain uses `` information to make predictions about we might do next — and more importantly what we need to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Kaimal .
When you make art , you 're making a series of decisions — what kind of drawing utensil to use , what color , how to translate what you 're seeing onto the paper .
And ultimately , interpreting the images — figuring out what it means .
`` So what our brain is doing every day , every moment , consciously and unconsciously , is trying to imagine what is going to come and preparing yourself to face that , '' she says .
Kaimal has seen this play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ art therapist with a student who was severely depressed .
`` She was despairing .
Her grades were really poor and she had a sense of hopelessness , '' she recalls .
The student took out a piece of paper and colored the whole sheet with thick black marker .
Kaimal did n't say anything .
`` She looked at that black sheet of paper and stared at it for some time , '' says Kaimal .
`` And then she said , 'Wow .
That looks really dark and bleak . '
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Kaimal .
The student looked around and grabbed some pink sculpting clay .
And she started making ... flowers : `` She said , you know what ?
I think maybe this reminds me of spring . ''
Through that session and through creating art , says Kaimal , the student was able to imagine possibilities and see a future beyond the present moment in which she was despairing and depressed .
`` This act of imagination is actually an act of survival , '' she says .
`` It is preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those possibilities . ''
It activates the reward center of our brain For a lot of people , making art can be nerve-wracking .
What are you going to make ?
What kind of materials should you use ?
What if you ca n't execute it ?
What if it ... sucks ?
Studies show that despite those fears , `` engaging in any sort of visual expression results in the reward pathway in the brain being activated , '' says Kaimal .
`` Which means that you feel good and it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She and a team of researchers discovered this in a 2017 paper published in the journal The Arts in Psychotherapy .
They measured blood flow to the brain 's reward center , the medial prefrontal cortex , in 26 participants as they completed three art activities : coloring in a mandala , doodling and drawing freely on a blank sheet of paper .
And indeed — the researchers found an increase in blood flow to this part of the brain when the participants were making art .
This research suggests making art may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions that activate the reward pathways in the brain , like addictive behaviors , eating disorders or mood disorders , the researchers wrote .
Although the research in the field of art therapy is emerging , there 's evidence that making art can lower stress and anxiety .
In a 2016 paper in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association , Kaimal and a group of researchers measured cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults .
Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body respond to stress .
They found that 45 minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an art therapist significant lowered cortisol levels .
The paper also showed that there were no differences in health outcomes between people who identify as experienced artists and people who do n't .
So that means that no matter your skill level , you 'll be able to feel all the good things that come with making art .
Ultimately , says Kaimal , making art should induce what the scientific community calls `` flow '' — the wonderful thing that happens when you 're in the zone .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all awareness .
You 're so in the moment and fully present that you forget all sense of time and space , '' she says .
And what 's happening in your brain when you 're in flow state ?
`` It activates several networks including relaxed reflective state , focused attention to task and sense of pleasure , '' she says .
Kaimal points to a 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology , which found that flow was characterized by increased theta wave activity in the frontal areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities in the frontal and central areas .
So what kind of art should you try ?
Some types of art appear to yield greater health benefits than others .
Kaimal says modeling clay , for example , is wonderful to play around with .
`` It engages both your hands and many parts of your brain in sensory experiences , '' she says .
`` Your sense of touch , your sense of three-dimensional space , sight , maybe a little bit of sound — all of these are engaged in using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and likely to be more beneficial . ''
A number of studies have shown that coloring inside a shape — specifically a pre-drawn geometric mandala design — is more effective in boosting mood than coloring on a blank paper or even coloring inside a square shape .
And one 2012 study published in Journal of the American Art Therapy Association showed that coloring inside a mandala reduces anxiety to a greater degree compared to coloring in a plaid design or a plain sheet of paper .
Strang says there 's no one medium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' than another .
`` Some days you want to may go home and paint .
Other days you might want to sketch , '' she says .
`` Do what 's most beneficial to you at any given time . ''
It 's important to note : if you 're going through serious mental health distress , you should seek the guidance of a professional art therapist , says Strang .
However , if you 're making art to connect with your own creativity , decrease anxiety and hone your coping skills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out how to allow yourself to do that , '' she says .
Just let those `` lines , shapes and colors translate your emotional experience into something visual , '' she says .
`` Use the feelings that you feel in your body , your memories .
Because words do n't often get it . ''
Her words made me reflect on all those moments when I reached into my purse for my pen and sketchbook .
A lot of the time , I was using my drawings and little musings to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was doing was helping myself deal .
It was cathartic .
And that catharsis gave me a sense of relief .
A few months ago , I got into an argument with someone .
On my bus ride to work the next day , I was still stewing over it .
In frustration , I pulled out my notebook and wrote out the old adage , `` Do not let the world make you hard . ''
I carefully ripped the message off the page and affixed it to the seat in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I thought , let this be a reminder to anyone who reads it !
I took a photo of the note and posted it to my Instagram .
Looking back at the image later that night , I realized who the message was really for .
Myself .
Malaka Gharib is a writer and editor on NPR 's science desk and the author of I Was Their American Dream : A Graphic Memoir .

Feeling Artsy? Here's How Making Art Helps Your Brain
A lot of my free time is spent doodling. I'm a journalist on NPR's science desk by day. But all the time in between, I am an artist — specifically, a cartoonist.
I draw in between tasks. I sketch at the coffee shop before work. And I like challenging myself to complete a zine — a little magazine — on my 20-minute bus commute.
I do these things partly because it's fun and entertaining. But I suspect there's something deeper going on. Because when I create, I feel like it clears my head. It helps me make sense of my emotions. And it somehow, it makes me feel calmer and more relaxed.
Explore Life Kit This story comes from an episode of Life Kit, NPR's podcast with tools to help you get it together. For more, sign up for the newsletter and follow @NPRLifeKit on Twitter.
That made me wonder: What is going on in my brain when I draw? Why does it feel so nice? And how can I get other people — even if they don't consider themselves artists — on the creativity train?
It turns out there's a lot happening in our minds and bodies when we make art.
"Creativity in and of itself is important for remaining healthy, remaining connected to yourself and connected to the world," says Christianne Strang, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alabama Birmingham and the former president of the American Art Therapy Association.
This idea extends to any type of visual creative expression: drawing, painting, collaging, sculpting clay, writing poetry, cake decorating, knitting, scrapbooking — the sky's the limit.
"Anything that engages your creative mind — the ability to make connections between unrelated things and imagine new ways to communicate — is good for you," says Girija Kaimal. She is a professor at Drexel University and a researcher in art therapy, leading art sessions with members of the military suffering from traumatic brain injury and caregivers of cancer patients.
But she's a big believer that art is for everybody — and no matter what your skill level, it's something you should try to do on a regular basis. Here's why:
It helps you imagine a more hopeful future
Art's ability to flex our imaginations may be one of the reasons why we've been making art since we were cave-dwellers, says Kaimal. It might serve an evolutionary purpose. She has a theory that art-making helps us navigate problems that might arise in the future. She wrote about this in October in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association.
Her theory builds off of an idea developed in the last few years — that our brain is a predictive machine. The brain uses "information to make predictions about we might do next — and more importantly what we need to do next to survive and thrive," says Kaimal.
When you make art, you're making a series of decisions — what kind of drawing utensil to use, what color, how to translate what you're seeing onto the paper. And ultimately, interpreting the images — figuring out what it means.
Make This: "How To Start An Art Habit" Zine This zine covers the basics of starting an art habit. Print it out here, and carry its inspiration wherever you go. (Folding directions courtesy of The Oregonian). Hide caption How to start an art habit Previous Next Malaka Gharib/NPR
Hide caption How to start an art habit Previous Next Malaka Gharib/NPR
Hide caption How to start an art habit Previous Next Malaka Gharib/NPR
Hide caption How to start an art habit Previous Next Malaka Gharib/NPR
Hide caption How to start an art habit Previous Next Malaka Gharib/NPR 1 of 5 i View slideshow
"So what our brain is doing every day, every moment, consciously and unconsciously, is trying to imagine what is going to come and preparing yourself to face that," she says.
Kaimal has seen this play out at her clinical practice as an art therapist with a student who was severely depressed. "She was despairing. Her grades were really poor and she had a sense of hopelessness," she recalls.
The student took out a piece of paper and colored the whole sheet with thick black marker. Kaimal didn't say anything.
"She looked at that black sheet of paper and stared at it for some time," says Kaimal. "And then she said, 'Wow. That looks really dark and bleak.' "
And then something amazing happened, says Kaimal. The student looked around and grabbed some pink sculpting clay. And she started making ... flowers: "She said, you know what? I think maybe this reminds me of spring."
Through that session and through creating art, says Kaimal, the student was able to imagine possibilities and see a future beyond the present moment in which she was despairing and depressed.
"This act of imagination is actually an act of survival," she says. "It is preparing us to imagine possibilities and hopefully survive those possibilities."
It activates the reward center of our brain
For a lot of people, making art can be nerve-wracking. What are you going to make? What kind of materials should you use? What if you can't execute it? What if it ... sucks?
Studies show that despite those fears, "engaging in any sort of visual expression results in the reward pathway in the brain being activated," says Kaimal. "Which means that you feel good and it's perceived as a pleasurable experience."
She and a team of researchers discovered this in a 2017 paper published in the journal The Arts in Psychotherapy. They measured blood flow to the brain's reward center, the medial prefrontal cortex, in 26 participants as they completed three art activities: coloring in a mandala, doodling and drawing freely on a blank sheet of paper. And indeed — the researchers found an increase in blood flow to this part of the brain when the participants were making art.
This research suggests making art may have benefit for people dealing with health conditions that activate the reward pathways in the brain, like addictive behaviors, eating disorders or mood disorders, the researchers wrote.
It lowers stress
Although the research in the field of art therapy is emerging, there's evidence that making art can lower stress and anxiety. In a 2016 paper in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, Kaimal and a group of researchers measured cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults. Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body respond to stress.
They found that 45 minutes of creating art in a studio setting with an art therapist significant lowered cortisol levels.
The paper also showed that there were no differences in health outcomes between people who identify as experienced artists and people who don't. So that means that no matter your skill level, you'll be able to feel all the good things that come with making art.
It lets you focus deeply
Ultimately, says Kaimal, making art should induce what the scientific community calls "flow" — the wonderful thing that happens when you're in the zone. "It's that sense of losing yourself, losing all awareness. You're so in the moment and fully present that you forget all sense of time and space," she says.
And what's happening in your brain when you're in flow state? "It activates several networks including relaxed reflective state, focused attention to task and sense of pleasure," she says. Kaimal points to a 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, which found that flow was characterized by increased theta wave activity in the frontal areas of the brain — and moderate alpha wave activities in the frontal and central areas.
So what kind of art should you try?
Some types of art appear to yield greater health benefits than others.
Kaimal says modeling clay, for example, is wonderful to play around with. "It engages both your hands and many parts of your brain in sensory experiences," she says. "Your sense of touch, your sense of three-dimensional space, sight, maybe a little bit of sound — all of these are engaged in using several parts of yourself for self-expression, and likely to be more beneficial."
A number of studies have shown that coloring inside a shape — specifically a pre-drawn geometric mandala design — is more effective in boosting mood than coloring on a blank paper or even coloring inside a square shape. And one 2012 study published in Journal of the American Art Therapy Association showed that coloring inside a mandala reduces anxiety to a greater degree compared to coloring in a plaid design or a plain sheet of paper.
Strang says there's no one medium or art activity that's "better" than another. "Some days you want to may go home and paint. Other days you might want to sketch," she says. "Do what's most beneficial to you at any given time."
Process your emotions
It's important to note: if you're going through serious mental health distress, you should seek the guidance of a professional art therapist, says Strang.
However, if you're making art to connect with your own creativity, decrease anxiety and hone your coping skills, "by all means, figure out how to allow yourself to do that," she says.
Just let those "lines, shapes and colors translate your emotional experience into something visual," she says. "Use the feelings that you feel in your body, your memories. Because words don't often get it."
Her words made me reflect on all those moments when I reached into my purse for my pen and sketchbook. A lot of the time, I was using my drawings and little musings to communicate how I was feeling. What I was doing was helping myself deal. It was cathartic. And that catharsis gave me a sense of relief.
A few months ago, I got into an argument with someone. On my bus ride to work the next day, I was still stewing over it. In frustration, I pulled out my notebook and wrote out the old adage, "Do not let the world make you hard."
I carefully ripped the message off the page and affixed it to the seat in front of me on the bus. I thought, let this be a reminder to anyone who reads it!
I took a photo of the note and posted it to my Instagram. Looking back at the image later that night, I realized who the message was really for. Myself.
Malaka Gharib is a writer and editor on NPR's science desk and the author of I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir.


npr--2020-01-11--Fed Up With Fundraisers On Facebook? You're Not Alone

Fed Up With Fundraisers On Facebook ?
You 're Not Alone If it seems that your Facebook feed is flooded with as many fundraising appeals for animal shelters , humanitarian groups and cancer researchers as your postbox was in December , you are n't imagining things .
Those birthday fundraisers you 've likely seen posted by your friends , tripled over the past year , from $ 300 million raised for charities in 2017-18 , to $ 1 billion a year later .
It 's great news for those nonprofits .
But some Facebook users think it 's getting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Vinita Kochhar , a 47-year-old marketing executive from New Jersey is one of the many who are making the fundraisers something of a new birthday tradition .
When she first heard about a charity raising money for school supplies for children in India , Kochhar felt she had to help .
`` It hit me in the heart , '' she says , `` because what we take for granted every single day , I realized very quickly that there are kids that just do n't have that at all .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Kochhar also realized how easily she could help ; with just a few clicks on Facebook , she posted a fundraiser on her birthday — right when all her friends and family would be reaching out anyway .
`` I would get gift cards or clothes or whatnot .
So here was my opportunity to say , 'in lieu of gifts , I 'm asking for everyone to contribute to the cause that I believe in . ''
Before Kochhar knew it , her post raised $ 11,000 , prompting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Happy Birthday greeting video as a thank you .
`` Honestly , I probably felt more fulfilled than I did when we had a huge party , '' she says .
`` You know , it 's not always just about celebration .
It 's about having purpose .
And this gave me purpose . ''
Donors are apparently feeling it too .
`` I guess I like the feeling that I 'm putting my money where my mouth is , '' says Edward Grant of Berkeley , Calif .
The 65-year-old finds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundraisers pop up in his feed .
`` There 's the man in Colombia , who has an education group for kids who live in the garbage dumps , and there 's a dancer who has cancer , and then I see the fundraiser for eradicating cervical cancer in the developing world .
They 're working miracles , '' Grant says while scrolling back through scores of causes in his feed that he 's contributed to .
`` Oh my goodness , '' he laughs .
`` I guess there are more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users are less amused .
`` It 's like an avalanche , '' grumbles Carolyn Toll Oppenheim , a retired journalist in Northampton , Mass .
`` The whole thing starts to feel overwhelming . ''
And she says , `` presumptuous . ''
`` Do n't hit me up [ by saying ] 'in lieu of presents , ' '' Toll Oppenheim says .
`` Who buys all their Facebook friends a birthday present ?
!
I do n't like it .
There 's a guilt trip to it . ''
Especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see who has donated .
`` That makes me cringe a little , '' Toll Oppenheim says .
`` Are they checking who gave and who did n't ?
I do n't like Facebook making me feel lousy . ''
David Murphy , senior Technology Editor for Lifehacker.com agrees .
He posted a `` how to '' for people who want to mute their fundraiser notifications .
`` Those 'give me money ' solicitations get a little annoying , especially when you 're receiving multiple notifications about fundraisers you never actually said you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last June .
There 's not a way to block all fundraisers , but Murphy says silencing the notifications offers at least a bit of a reprieve .
`` I feel a little Ebenezer Scrooge , '' he told NPR .
`` But it 's my newsfeed , my content .
I want a curated experience . ''
Besides , Murphy says , there 's something especially off-putting about such conspicuous giving .
`` It 's a bit of a humblebrag , '' he says .
`` It feels a little insincere .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who teaches about social media and social action , agrees there is an element of `` slactivism '' to Facebook birthday fundraisers , and it 's prone to be used by those who are looking for the `` flex '' or who may be `` doing for it the gram , '' in other words , for the sake of showing off on Instagram or Facebook .
But Littau says the notion of `` virtue signaling '' is as old as giving itself .
`` This is just a new evolution of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
Still he says , in the realm of social media , fundraiser fatigue is a real risk .
`` Facebook can not theoretically just infinitely grow the number of fundraisers without some sort of blowback , either in terms of users protesting , or people just getting turned off to the idea altogether , '' he says .
Facebook says the feedback to fundraisers is overwhelming positive , though Emily Dalton Smith , Facebook 's director of Social Impact Product , says the company is constantly reviewing and updating policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , when it eliminated fundraiser processing fees , so that 100 % of birthday donations now go to the charities .
`` We know that no product is ever perfect , '' Dalton Smith says .
`` We 're always looking for feedback to understand what could be better , and I expect that the products will continue to change over time . ''
Ultimately , Facebook fundraisers such as Vinita Kochhar , say the good is far outweighed by the harm .
It 's better to be bombarded by birthday fundraisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Kochhar .
`` It 's refreshing to me to see that folks are not just focusing on themselves , but they 're focusing on causes , '' she says .
`` At the end of the day , it matters not if someone 's saying it looks like they 're 'flexing ' or any of that , in my opinion ...
I mean honestly , at the end of the day , if the folks that are in need are getting the money .
That 's all that matters ... Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And indeed , they are .
Those who raise funds for hospitals , the homeless , the hungry , and the Humane Society are raking it in , thanks to Facebook .
The Wayne County Humane Society in Wooster , Ohio , received thousands of dollars in the past year from birthday fundraisers , plus one wedding fundraiser .
Director Carrie Andrew says as important as getting the money , is the gift of suddenly having an army of fresh faces willing to solicit their friends .
`` It absolutely is a relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who would otherwise have to keep making their usual appeals to their usual supporters .
That , she says , runs the risk of getting a lot more annoying than Facebook fundraisers .
`` We feel like we are constantly asking for donations , '' she says .
`` And we do feel like it gets old and stale , and people will begin to not want to support us because we 're constantly asking .
So when someone takes it upon themselves to raise those funds for us instead of us asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Besides , Andrew says , scrolling past a few fundraisers on Facebook has to be less annoying than getting those dinner-time phone calls asking for money , or knocks at the door .

Fed Up With Fundraisers On Facebook? You're Not Alone
Enlarge this image Duncan Andison/Getty Images Duncan Andison/Getty Images
If it seems that your Facebook feed is flooded with as many fundraising appeals for animal shelters, humanitarian groups and cancer researchers as your postbox was in December, you aren't imagining things.
Those birthday fundraisers you've likely seen posted by your friends, tripled over the past year, from $300 million raised for charities in 2017-18, to $1 billion a year later. It's great news for those nonprofits. But some Facebook users think it's getting to be too much of a good thing.
Vinita Kochhar, a 47-year-old marketing executive from New Jersey is one of the many who are making the fundraisers something of a new birthday tradition. When she first heard about a charity raising money for school supplies for children in India, Kochhar felt she had to help.
"It hit me in the heart," she says, "because what we take for granted every single day, I realized very quickly that there are kids that just don't have that at all. A pencil to them is a big deal."
Kochhar also realized how easily she could help; with just a few clicks on Facebook, she posted a fundraiser on her birthday — right when all her friends and family would be reaching out anyway.
"I would get gift cards or clothes or whatnot. So here was my opportunity to say, 'in lieu of gifts, I'm asking for everyone to contribute to the cause that I believe in."
Before Kochhar knew it, her post raised $11,000, prompting the kids in India to send her a Happy Birthday greeting video as a thank you.
"Honestly, I probably felt more fulfilled than I did when we had a huge party," she says. "You know, it's not always just about celebration. It's about having purpose. And this gave me purpose."
Donors are apparently feeling it too.
"I guess I like the feeling that I'm putting my money where my mouth is," says Edward Grant of Berkeley, Calif. The 65-year-old finds it hard to resist when all those fundraisers pop up in his feed.
"There's the man in Colombia, who has an education group for kids who live in the garbage dumps, and there's a dancer who has cancer, and then I see the fundraiser for eradicating cervical cancer in the developing world. They're working miracles," Grant says while scrolling back through scores of causes in his feed that he's contributed to.
"Oh my goodness," he laughs. "I guess there are more than I realized."
But some Facebook users are less amused.
"It's like an avalanche," grumbles Carolyn Toll Oppenheim, a retired journalist in Northampton, Mass. "The whole thing starts to feel overwhelming."
And she says, "presumptuous."
"Don't hit me up [by saying] 'in lieu of presents,'" Toll Oppenheim says. "Who buys all their Facebook friends a birthday present?! I don't like it. There's a guilt trip to it."
Especially, she says, since everyone can see who has donated.
"That makes me cringe a little," Toll Oppenheim says. "Are they checking who gave and who didn't? I don't like Facebook making me feel lousy."
David Murphy, senior Technology Editor for Lifehacker.com agrees. He posted a "how to" for people who want to mute their fundraiser notifications.
"Those 'give me money' solicitations get a little annoying, especially when you're receiving multiple notifications about fundraisers you never actually said you were interested in," Murphy wrote last June.
There's not a way to block all fundraisers, but Murphy says silencing the notifications offers at least a bit of a reprieve.
"I feel a little Ebenezer Scrooge," he told NPR. "But it's my newsfeed, my content. I want a curated experience."
Besides, Murphy says, there's something especially off-putting about such conspicuous giving.
"It's a bit of a humblebrag," he says. "It feels a little insincere."
Lehigh Univerisity Associate Professor Jeremy Littau, who teaches about social media and social action, agrees there is an element of "slactivism" to Facebook birthday fundraisers, and it's prone to be used by those who are looking for the "flex" or who may be "doing for it the gram," in other words, for the sake of showing off on Instagram or Facebook. But Littau says the notion of "virtue signaling" is as old as giving itself.
"This is just a new evolution of something that has long existed," he says. Still he says, in the realm of social media, fundraiser fatigue is a real risk.
"Facebook cannot theoretically just infinitely grow the number of fundraisers without some sort of blowback, either in terms of users protesting, or people just getting turned off to the idea altogether," he says.
Facebook says the feedback to fundraisers is overwhelming positive, though Emily Dalton Smith, Facebook's director of Social Impact Product, says the company is constantly reviewing and updating policies, just as it did two years ago, when it eliminated fundraiser processing fees, so that 100% of birthday donations now go to the charities.
"We know that no product is ever perfect," Dalton Smith says. "We're always looking for feedback to understand what could be better, and I expect that the products will continue to change over time."
Ultimately, Facebook fundraisers such as Vinita Kochhar, say the good is far outweighed by the harm. It's better to be bombarded by birthday fundraisers than just a slew of birthday selfies, says Kochhar.
"It's refreshing to me to see that folks are not just focusing on themselves, but they're focusing on causes," she says. "At the end of the day, it matters not if someone's saying it looks like they're 'flexing' or any of that, in my opinion... I mean honestly, at the end of the day, if the folks that are in need are getting the money. That's all that matters... Those dollars are going for good."
And indeed, they are. Those who raise funds for hospitals, the homeless, the hungry, and the Humane Society are raking it in, thanks to Facebook. The Wayne County Humane Society in Wooster, Ohio, received thousands of dollars in the past year from birthday fundraisers, plus one wedding fundraiser.
Director Carrie Andrew says as important as getting the money, is the gift of suddenly having an army of fresh faces willing to solicit their friends.
"It absolutely is a relief," she says, for nonprofits who would otherwise have to keep making their usual appeals to their usual supporters. That, she says, runs the risk of getting a lot more annoying than Facebook fundraisers.
"We feel like we are constantly asking for donations," she says. "And we do feel like it gets old and stale, and people will begin to not want to support us because we're constantly asking. So when someone takes it upon themselves to raise those funds for us instead of us asking for it...it is very helpful."
Besides, Andrew says, scrolling past a few fundraisers on Facebook has to be less annoying than getting those dinner-time phone calls asking for money, or knocks at the door.


npr--2020-01-10--Iran Says It Shot Down Ukrainian Jetliner By Mistake

Iran Says It Shot Down Ukrainian Jetliner By Mistake Updated at 4:21 a.m .
ET Saturday In a `` terrible catastrophe , '' Iran says it mistakenly shot missiles at a Ukrainian civilian jetliner minutes after takeoff on Wednesday .
The plane crashed on the outskirts of Tehran , killing 176 people .
`` Armed Forces ' internal investigation has concluded that regrettably missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane & death of 176 innocent people , '' President Hassan Rouhani wrote on Twitter early Saturday .
`` Investigations continue to identify & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he added .
It 's a reversal from earlier statements by Iranian officials , who had repeatedly denied their own missile system shot down the plane .
The country 's military now says the plane was shot down as it was believed to be a hostile object that was approaching a sensitive location of the country 's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps .
Iranian officials blamed heightened tensions with the U.S. , with President Rouhani saying the military was expecting attacks from the U.S. amid `` the atmosphere of threats and intimidation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran 's foreign minister tweeted that it was a `` sad day '' but that U.S. `` adventurism '' had caused the disaster .
The area where the plane was shot down is near a missile research center and other Iranian military sites .
They are `` definitely sites that will be targeted in an all-out war , '' Fabian Hinz , a researcher with the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey , told NPR this week , saying Iran 's air defenses were likely `` on high alert '' at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 752 was headed from Tehran to Kyiv Wednesday and was carrying 176 people , including 82 Iranians , 57 Canadians , 11 Ukrainians and others from Sweden , Afghanistan and the U.K. ( Canadian officials had earlier said 63 Canadians were on board but revised that number Friday . )
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , who had already pointed toward Iran 's military for being behind the crash , released a statement after Iran 's admission saying Canada 's focus going forward would be `` closure , accountability , transparency , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the victims . ''
He said Canada would work with other countries to `` ensure a complete and thorough investigation , and the Canadian government expects full cooperation from Iranian authorities . ''
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country `` insists on a full admission of guilt .
We expect Iran to bring those responsible to justice , return the bodies , pay compensation and issue an official apology .
The investigation must be full , open & continue without delays or obstacles . ''
Other governments , including the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence pointed to an Iranian missile downing the plane , likely unintentionally .
Video evidence online appears to show a missile hitting the plane .
And governments likely have other evidence , including satellites that can detect heat signatures of missile launches and possible intercepted Iranian military communications .
In the face of such evidence , Iran may have calculated that a quick reversal would be preferable to continued denials .
`` There 's nothing you can do to cover it up or hide it , '' Anthony Brickhouse , an air safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former National Transportation Safety Board investigator , told The Associated Press .
`` Evidence is evidence . ''
Investigators from Ukraine arrived in Iran Thursday , and Iran has invited representatives from the NTSB and Boeing , the plane 's manufacturer , to participate in the probe .
Tensions between Iran and the U.S. are high after President Trump authorized the assassination of Iran 's top general , who was killed in a drone strike last week .
Iran retaliated this week with ballistic missile strikes on Iraqi bases that were hosting U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans or Iraqis suffered casualties in the attacks .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced new sanctions on Iranian government officials Friday in response to the missile attacks in Iraq .
Pompeo said the U.S. would `` let the investigation play out '' before pursuing punitive measures against Iran over the plane 's downing .

Iran Says It Shot Down Ukrainian Jetliner By Mistake
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
Updated at 4:21 a.m. ET Saturday
In a "terrible catastrophe," Iran says it mistakenly shot missiles at a Ukrainian civilian jetliner minutes after takeoff on Wednesday. The plane crashed on the outskirts of Tehran, killing 176 people.
"Armed Forces' internal investigation has concluded that regrettably missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane & death of 176 innocent people," President Hassan Rouhani wrote on Twitter early Saturday.
"Investigations continue to identify & prosecute this great tragedy & unforgivable mistake," he added.
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It's a reversal from earlier statements by Iranian officials, who had repeatedly denied that their own missile system shot down the plane.
The country's military now says the plane was shot down because it was thought to be a hostile object that was approaching a sensitive location of the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iranian officials blamed heightened tensions with the U.S., with Rouhani saying the military was expecting attacks from the U.S. amid "the atmosphere of threats and intimidation by the aggressive American regime." Iran's foreign minister tweeted that it was a "sad day" but that U.S. "adventurism" had caused the disaster.
The area where the plane was shot down is near a missile research center and other Iranian military sites. They are "definitely sites that will be targeted in an all-out war," Fabian Hinz, a researcher with the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, told NPR this week, saying Iran's air defenses were likely "on high alert" at the time.
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was headed from Tehran to Kyiv Wednesday and was carrying 176 people, including 82 Iranians, 57 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians and others from Sweden, Afghanistan and the U.K. (Canadian officials had earlier said 63 Canadians were on board but revised that number Friday.)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had already pointed toward Iran's military as being behind the crash, released a statement after Iran's admission saying Canada's focus going forward would be "closure, accountability, transparency, and justice for the families and loved ones of the victims."
He said Canada would work with other countries to "ensure a complete and thorough investigation, and the Canadian government expects full cooperation from Iranian authorities."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country "insists on a full admission of guilt. We expect Iran to bring those responsible to justice, return the bodies, pay compensation and issue an official apology. The investigation must be full, open & continue without delays or obstacles."
Other governments, including the U.S. and U.K., had already said evidence pointed to an Iranian missile downing the plane, likely unintentionally.
Video evidence online appears to show a missile hitting the plane. And governments likely have other evidence, including satellites that can detect heat signatures of missile launches and possible intercepted Iranian military communications.
In the face of such evidence, Iran may have calculated that a quick reversal would be preferable to continued denials.
"There's nothing you can do to cover it up or hide it," Anthony Brickhouse, an air safety expert at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a former National Transportation Safety Board investigator, told The Associated Press. "Evidence is evidence."
Investigators from Ukraine arrived in Iran Thursday, and Iran has invited representatives from the NTSB and Boeing, the plane's manufacturer, to participate in the probe.
Tensions between Iran and the U.S. are high after President Trump authorized the assassination of a top Iranian general, who was killed in a drone strike last week. Iran retaliated this week with ballistic missile strikes on Iraqi bases that were hosting U.S. forces, though U.S. officials say no Americans or Iraqis suffered casualties in the attacks.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced new sanctions on Iranian government officials Friday in response to the missile attacks in Iraq. Pompeo said the U.S. would "let the investigation play out" before pursuing punitive measures against Iran over the plane's downing.
NPR's Barbara Campbell contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-10--'Imminent' Threat — Trump Justification Of Attack On Iranian General — Is Undefined

'Imminent ' Threat — Trump Justification Of Attack On Iranian General — Is Undefined Seeking to justify President Trump 's decision to have Iran 's top general killed in a drone strike , Trump 's allies favor the same adjective to describe the danger that prompted that attack : imminent .
`` There is no doubt that there were a series of imminent attacks that were being plotted by ( Iranian general ) Qassem Soleimani , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Thursday evening on Fox News .
`` We do n't know precisely when , and we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was real . ''
On Friday morning at a White House news conference , a reporter informed Pompeo that not knowing precisely when and where was not the definition of `` imminent . ''
Pompeo was not backing down .
`` We had specific information on an imminent threat , and those threats included attacks on U.S. embassies , '' the former Kansas Republican congressman shot back .
`` Period , full stop . ''
Another try : `` Secretary Pompeo , '' he was asked , `` what is your definition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He then exhaled and declared , `` This was gon na happen .
American lives were at risk . ''
He did not give any timeframe .
Later Friday , White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley sought to back up Pompeo .
`` Soleimani was , in fact , planning `` imminent attacks , '' Gidley wrote on Twitter .
`` While Democrats and the media quibble over its definition , quick point : When Obama killed bin Laden , al-Awlaki and Gaddafi , without Congressional approval , there were NO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask or care . ''
In fact , Libya 's Omar Gaddafi was killed by his own compatriots , while both Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki were killed under a broad authorization approved by Congress for using military force against perpetrators or collaborators in the Sept. 11 attacks .
Still , what Trump administration officials mean when they say `` imminent '' could be more than simply a question of semantics .
The word `` imminent '' appears several times in the 1973 War Powers Resolution , a document that lays out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send U.S. forces `` into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances . ''
For the record , several widely used dictionaries have differing but highly similar definitions of `` imminent '' : '' Ready to take place : happening soon , '' says Merriam Webster .
`` Likely to happen very soon , '' reads the Cambridge Dictionary .

'Imminent' Threat — Trump Justification Of Attack On Iranian General — Is Undefined
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
Seeking to justify President Trump's decision to have Iran's top general killed in a drone strike, Trump's allies favor the same adjective to describe the danger that prompted that attack: imminent.
"There is no doubt that there were a series of imminent attacks that were being plotted by (Iranian general) Qassem Soleimani," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Thursday evening on Fox News. "We don't know precisely when, and we don't know precisely where, but it was real."
On Friday morning at a White House news conference, a reporter informed Pompeo that not knowing precisely when and where was not the definition of "imminent."
Pompeo was not backing down.
"We had specific information on an imminent threat, and those threats included attacks on U.S. embassies," the former Kansas Republican congressman shot back. "Period, full stop."
Another try: "Secretary Pompeo," he was asked, "what is your definition of imminent?"
At first Pompeo paused. He then exhaled and declared, "This was gonna happen. American lives were at risk."
He did not give any timeframe.
Later Friday, White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley sought to back up Pompeo.
"Soleimani was, in fact, planning "imminent attacks," Gidley wrote on Twitter. "While Democrats and the media quibble over its definition, quick point: When Obama killed bin Laden, al-Awlaki and Gaddafi, without Congressional approval, there were NO 'imminent attacks' and Democrats did not ask or care."
In fact, Libya's Omar Gaddafi was killed by his own compatriots, while both Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki were killed under a broad authorization approved by Congress for using military force against perpetrators or collaborators in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Still, what Trump administration officials mean when they say "imminent" could be more than simply a question of semantics.
The word "imminent" appears several times in the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a document that lays out the ground rules for presidents seeking to send U.S. forces "into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances."
For the record, several widely used dictionaries have differing but highly similar definitions of "imminent":
"Ready to take place: happening soon," says Merriam Webster.
"About to happen; impending," offers Dictionary.com.
"Likely to happen very soon," reads the Cambridge Dictionary.


npr--2020-01-11--Deadly Storms Sweep Through Southern United States, Leaving At Least 9 Dead

Deadly Storms Sweep Through Southern United States , Leaving At Least 9 Dead Authorities say at least nine people have died in severe storms that are spreading across much of the United States , bringing dangerous winds across the South and blinding snow and ice to parts of the Great Plains and Midwest .
At least seven tornadoes have been confirmed in Arkansas , Missouri , Oklahoma and Texas , according to the National Weather Service .
Three people were confirmed dead in Alabama near the town of Carrollton in Pickens County after `` an embedded tornado within a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area , according to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency .
In Lubbock , Texas , two first responders were struck and killed by a vehicle as they were attending to a traffic accident brought on by icy road conditions .
A 27-year-old police officer died at the scene , the Associated Press reported , while a 39-year-old firefighter was pronounced dead at the hospital .
A second firefighter injured at the scene was in critical condition .
A third person was reported dead in Texas when a car flipped into a creek in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
On the other side of the Texas border in the town of Benton in Bossier Parish , La.
, winds were so strong that they peeled the roof off an entire wing of a middle school , local TV station KSLA reported .
Firefighters in Bossier Parish recovered the bodies of an elderly couple on Saturday near their demolished trailer , the sheriff 's office wrote in a post on Facebook .
Another man died when a tree fell on his house in Oil City early Saturday morning , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's office , as reported by the AP .
The violent thunderstorms got underway in Texas and Oklahoma on Friday , dumping rain and bringing high winds as the storm system moved east and northeast .
In Texas and Mississippi , meteorologists recorded winds as high as 80 miles per hour — the speed of winds in a Category 1 hurricane .
The National Weather Service reported an `` enhanced risk '' of severe storms in parts of the region , declaring `` the greatest threat for tornadoes '' in parts of Alabama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Severe thunderstorms also passed through Arkansas on Friday night .
By Saturday , the destruction was widespread , with downed trees and power lines scattered across the streets , and many homes damaged or destroyed .
Parts of the region remained in a blackout on Saturday as storms continued to churn .
More than 105,000 people in Georgia were without power , according to the website Poweroutage.us .
Nearly 83,000 in Alabama and 35,000 people in Mississippi were also without power .
As the severe weather continued to move northeast on Saturday into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for ice and snow , cancelling some 1,000 flights , the AP reported .
The National Weather Service in Chicago also warned of nearly 20-foot-high waves on the city 's lake shore , and freezing rain brought power outages to more than 5,000 structures in northern Illinois .
Snow also fell in other parts of the region on Saturday .
In Kansas , the streets were coated with a 1-inch dusting , while much of Iowa was in whiteout conditions as four inches of snow fell on Des Moines .
East of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sunnier , with temperatures that were 20 to 30 degrees higher than normal for this time of year .
Many areas were expected to set record highs , including a high of 70 degrees in Washington , D.C. and 67 degrees in New York City .

Deadly Storms Sweep Through Southern United States, Leaving At Least 11 Dead
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bill Davis/AP Bill Davis/AP
Updated Sunday at 10:15 a.m. ET
Authorities say at least 11 people have died in severe storms that are spreading across much of the United States, bringing dangerous winds across the South and blinding snow and ice to parts of the Great Plains and Midwest.
At least seven tornadoes have been confirmed in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, according to the National Weather Service.
Three people were confirmed dead in Alabama near the town of Carrollton in Pickens County after "an embedded tornado within a long line of intense thunderstorms" ravaged the area, according to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.
In Lubbock, Texas, two first responders were struck and killed by a vehicle as they were attending to a traffic accident brought on by icy road conditions. A 27-year-old police officer died at the scene, The Associated Press reported, while a 39-year-old firefighter was pronounced dead at the hospital. A second firefighter injured at the scene was in critical condition.
A third person was reported dead in Texas when a car flipped into a creek in Dallas as severe thunderstorms swept through the city.
On the other side of the Texas border, in the town of Benton in Bossier Parish, La., winds were so strong that they peeled the roof off an entire wing of a middle school, local TV station KSLA reported.
Firefighters in Bossier Parish recovered the bodies of an elderly couple on Saturday near their demolished trailer, the sheriff's office wrote in a post on Facebook.
Another man died when a tree fell on his house in Oil City early Saturday morning, according to the Caddo Parish, La., coroner's office, as reported by the AP.
Near Kiowa, Okla., a man drowned after high waters rushed into his truck and swept him away, the state highway patrol confirmed to the AP.
And in the early hours on Saturday, a semitruck on an interstate highway east of Iowa City lost control on the icy roads and flipped onto its side, killing the passenger, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
The violent thunderstorms got underway in Texas and Oklahoma on Friday, dumping rain and bringing high winds as the storm system moved east and northeast. In Texas and Mississippi, meteorologists recorded winds as high as 80 miles per hour — the speed of winds in a Category 1 hurricane.
The National Weather Service reported an "enhanced risk" of severe storms in parts of the region, declaring "the greatest threat for tornadoes" in parts of Alabama, Georgia and the western Carolinas. Severe thunderstorms also passed through Arkansas on Friday night.
By Saturday, the destruction was widespread, with downed trees and power lines scattered across the streets and with many homes damaged or destroyed.
Parts of the region remained in a blackout on Saturday as storms continued to churn. More than 105,000 people in Georgia lost power, according to the website PowerOutage.us. Nearly 83,000 people in Alabama and 35,000 in Mississippi were also without power.
As the severe weather continued to move northeast on Saturday into colder climates, the Chicago area braced for ice and snow, canceling some 1,000 flights, the AP reported. The National Weather Service in Chicago also warned of nearly 20-foot-high waves on the city's lake shore, and freezing rain brought power outages to more than 5,000 structures in northern Illinois.
Snow also fell in other parts of the region on Saturday. In Kansas, the streets were coated with a 1-inch dusting, while much of Iowa was in whiteout conditions as 4 inches of snow fell on Des Moines.
East of the Mississippi River, the weather was much sunnier, with temperatures that were 20 to 30 degrees higher than normal for this time of year. Many areas were expected to set record highs, including a high of 70 degrees in Washington, D.C., and 67 degrees in New York City.


npr--2020-01-11--Iran's 'Unforgivable Mistake' Downing Jet Elicits Furor At Home And Abroad

Less than a day after Iran finally acknowledged that its armed forces unintentionally brought down a Ukrainian jetliner , Iranian authorities ' admission of the `` unforgivable mistake '' has had major reverberations — both in Iran 's capital , Tehran , where demonstrators crowded local universities Saturday , and around a stunned world .
`` The fact that Iran has now taken responsibility for the downing of that aircraft means that it is likely that they will be full participants and fully allow a credible , independent international investigation with all partners involved , '' Canadian Prime Minister Justin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We still have work to do to ensure that happens , '' he added , `` but the question of responsibility , I think , takes us a step forward towards truly having a very credible and thorough investigation . ''
The prime minister 's comments came two days after he first revealed Canada 's suspicion that an Iranian missile system shot down the plane near Tehran early Wednesday .
Of the 176 people who were killed aboard the aircraft , 57 were Canadian nationals .
`` I had a chance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the victims , '' Trudeau said Saturday .
`` They are hurt , angry and grieving .
They want answers .
They want justice .
What Iran has admitted to is very serious .
Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific .
Iran must take full responsibility .
Canada will not rest until we get the accountability , justice and closure that the families deserve . ''
Canadians were far from the only passengers who on board .
Most of the passengers on Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 were Iranian .
Demonstrators there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the victims and protest the actions of their own government , which spent days forcefully denying the missile strike before reversing course with its admission .
The Iranian government , already beleaguered with recent protests over a spike in fuel prices , enjoyed an upswell of popular support after a U.S. drone strike killed a prominent Iranian military commander in Baghdad last week .
The killing of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani , who enjoyed a towering reputation among Iranians , elicited massive rallies of mourners and expressions of support for Supreme Leader Ayatollah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khamenei and the Iranian military retaliated for Soleimani 's killing with a series of missile strikes on Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops .
The attacks , which resulted in no casualties at the bases , came within hours of the Ukrainian jetliner 's crash .
Now , the downing of that plane threatens to unravel the broad domestic support Iran 's government enjoyed just one week ago .
Circulating on social media Saturday were videos of angry protesters , many of whom took aim at Khamenei with chants of `` shameless '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Reuters .
Other images depicted security forces attempting to disperse the throng by firing canisters of tear gas and manhandling demonstrators .
`` Why should I vote for this regime ?
I do n't trust them at all , '' one protester told Reuters .
`` They lied to us about the plane crash .
Why should I trust them when they do n't trust people enough to tell the truth ? ''
Iran newspaper , the official daily publication of the government of Iran , also released a cover story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ featuring , in bold white lettering , the word `` Unforgivable . ''
Meanwhile , Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy , who has been taking a close interest in the investigation into the causes of the crash , said he spoke over the phone Saturday with his Iranian counterpart , Hassan Rouhani .
Zelenskiy said Rouhani , who initiated the call , personally apologized for the tragedy , while the Ukrainian leader insisted on the speedy identification and return of the bodies of the 11 Ukrainians on board .
`` Recognizing the 'missile version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paved the way for its further investigation without any delay and obstruction , '' Zelenskiy said in a statement released Saturday .
`` I look forward to further constructive cooperation with Iran in accordance with international law . ''

Iran's 'Unforgivable Mistake' Downing Jet Elicits Furor At Home And Abroad
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
Updated at 4:05 p.m. ET
Less than a day after Iran finally acknowledged that its armed forces unintentionally brought down a Ukrainian jetliner, Iranian authorities' admission of the "unforgivable mistake" has had major reverberations — both in Iran's capital, Tehran, where demonstrators crowded local universities Saturday, and around a stunned world.
"The fact that Iran has now taken responsibility for the downing of that aircraft means that it is likely that they will be full participants and fully allow a credible, independent international investigation with all partners involved," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference Saturday.
"We still have work to do to ensure that happens," he added, "but the question of responsibility, I think, takes us a step forward towards truly having a very credible and thorough investigation."
The prime minister's comments came two days after he first revealed Canada's suspicion that an Iranian missile system shot down the plane near Tehran early Wednesday. Of the 176 people who were killed aboard the aircraft, 57 were Canadian nationals.
"I had a chance to sit with some of the families of the victims," Trudeau said Saturday. "They are hurt, angry and grieving. They want answers. They want justice. What Iran has admitted to is very serious. Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific. Iran must take full responsibility. Canada will not rest until we get the accountability, justice and closure that the families deserve."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images
Canadians were far from the only passengers who on board. Most of the passengers on Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 were Iranian. Demonstrators there turned out in droves Saturday to mourn the victims and protest the actions of their own government, which spent days forcefully denying the missile strike before reversing course with its admission.
The Iranian government, already beleaguered with recent protests over a spike in fuel prices, enjoyed an upswell of popular support after a U.S. drone strike killed a prominent Iranian military commander in Baghdad last week. The killing of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who enjoyed a towering reputation among Iranians, elicited massive rallies of mourners and expressions of support for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Earlier this week, Khamenei and the Iranian military retaliated for Soleimani's killing with a series of missile strikes on Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops. The attacks, which resulted in no casualties at the bases, came within hours of the Ukrainian jetliner's crash.
Now, the downing of that plane threatens to unravel the broad domestic support Iran's government enjoyed just one week ago. Circulating on social media Saturday were videos of angry protesters, many of whom took aim at Khamenei with chants of "shameless" and "death to the dictator," according to Reuters.
Other images depicted security forces attempting to disperse the throng by firing canisters of tear gas and manhandling demonstrators.
"Why should I vote for this regime? I don't trust them at all," one protester told Reuters. "They lied to us about the plane crash. Why should I trust them when they don't trust people enough to tell the truth?"
Iran newspaper, the official daily publication of the government of Iran, also released a cover story listing the names of the victims and featuring, in bold white lettering, the word "Unforgivable."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has been taking a close interest in the investigation into the causes of the crash, said he spoke over the phone Saturday with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani.
Zelenskiy said Rouhani, who initiated the call, personally apologized for the tragedy, while the Ukrainian leader insisted on the speedy identification and return of the bodies of the 11 Ukrainians on board.
"Recognizing the 'missile version' as the cause of the disaster paved the way for its further investigation without any delay and obstruction," Zelenskiy said in a statement released Saturday. "I look forward to further constructive cooperation with Iran in accordance with international law."


npr--2020-01-11--Rebuking China, Taiwan Votes To Reelect President Tsai Ing-wen

Taiwan 's president , Tsai Ing-wen , has won a landslide victory in a hotly contested election , dealing a stinging rebuke to Beijing 's efforts to control the island 's democratic government .
`` Democratic Taiwan and our democratically elected government will not concede to threats and intimidation , '' Tsai declared to thousands of cheering supporters at an election rally outside her party 's campaign headquarters Saturday night .
`` The results of this election have made that answer crystal clear . ''
A record 8.17 million voters cast their ballots for Tsai , according to Taiwan 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presidential candidate since the island began holding direct presidential elections in 1996 .
Tsai 's vote total put her ahead of her opponent , the populist mayor Han Kuo-yu , by almost 20 percentage points in what has become one of the island 's most closely-watched presidential and legislative races in its short democratic history .
Tsai 's party , the Democratic Progressive Party , also maintained its majority in Taiwan 's legislature , clearing a path for Tsai to push through a number of educational and health care reforms .
Tsai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 57 % of the popular vote — marked a stunning turnaround .
More than half a year ago , she lagged behind the Kuomintang party 's Han in the polls .
She staged a comeback in large part by taking an aggressive stance in support of Hong Kong residents protesting Beijing 's rule .
`` Young people in Hong Kong have used their lives and shed their blood and tears to show us that 'one country , two systems ' is not feasible , '' Tsai said , referring to Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at a rally the night before the vote .
`` Tomorrow , it is the turn of young people of Taiwan to show Hong Kong that the values of democracy and freedom overcomes all difficulties . ''
Han , by contrast , had welcomed closer economic ties with Beijing and promised repeatedly at political rallies to `` make Taiwan safe , '' an implicit criticism that Tsai 's policy toward China might provoke military action .
Han , who entered the race with deep pockets of support among Taiwan 's rural communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetorical gaffes and a perceived unwillingness to confront Beijing over protests in Hong Kong in the months before the election .
Tsai 's victory is a sign that Beijing 's efforts to co-opt Taiwan 's political and commercial institutions through a mixture of sticks and carrots has had the opposite effect , mobilizing a younger , more pro-independence electorate to support Tsai .
`` Demographics played in Tsai 's favor .
Young people identify with Taiwan and the democratic values that Tsai 's platform promised to represent and protect to a greater degree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan , China program director at the University of Nottingham and a Taiwan studies specialist .
`` These same demographics ought to worry Beijing , because they only point in one direction , and it 's not unification . ''
China has vowed to `` reunify '' Taiwan ever since the retreating Kuomintang party set up a government-in-exile on the island in 1949 , and it considers Taiwan a Chinese province .
In the decades since , Beijing has sought to isolate Taiwan , whittling down Taipei 's diplomatic allies .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Taiwan for the sake of reunification .
But while China looms in the background of every Taiwanese election , this presidential race turned into an especially heated proxy vote on how Taiwan should engage with China , whose role in suppressing protests in nearby Hong Kong has cast a shadow over Taiwan 's own future .
Beijing had sought to co-opt Taiwan 's in the months leading up to Saturday 's vote .
In July , Beijing banned Chinese citizens from traveling to Taiwan on their own , decimating Taiwanese businesses dependent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its new aircraft carrier , the Shandong , weeks ahead of the presidential election and circled Taiwanese airspace with its fighter jets .
Taiwanese authorities also suspect Chinese state-backed agents are behind a wave of political disinformation that have plagued both its 2016 legislative election and this year 's presidential race .
On Saturday , Chinese state media published muted reports of Tsai 's win , criticizing her for what they saw as her deliberate antagonizing of Beijing .
`` Taiwan 's DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen is expected to sweep a landslide victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland forecast more obstacles in cross-Straits relations after her reelection , leading to some calling for a firm preparation for reunification , '' Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times tweeted , just minutes after Tsai officially declared victory .
In her next four years in office , Sullivan said , Tsai will have to delicately balance growing calls for independence among her supporters with Beijing 's more pugnacious approach to cross-Strait relations .
`` She will face pressure [ from her own party ] on one side and Beijing on the other , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue to squeeze Taiwan internationally , go after more allies , invest in Taiwanese media , keep up its [ political influence ] activities and indulge in shows of military might and bellicose rhetoric . ''
The perceived urgency of this year 's election spurred some voters to undertake extreme measures .
Taiwan does not allow absentee voting , so thousands of Taiwanese living abroad flew back to Taiwan to cast their ballot .
Twice the number of Taiwanese living abroad registered to vote this year than the number who did so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flying to Taipei specifically for the election : Hong Kong residents .
`` We want to thank Taiwan for their support of Hong Kong , '' said Gary Chiu , a Hong Konger who took a flight to Taiwan ahead of the vote .
Hong Kongers peppered political rallies in support of Tsai throughout the week , eager to witness direct democracy .
`` This is only the country with a Chinese community that enjoy real democracy and real freedom , '' said Samantha Lu , another Hong Kong resident who was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you lose your freedom , it 's not easy to get it back . ''

Rebuking China, Taiwan Votes To Reelect President Tsai Ing-wen
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carl Court/Getty Images Carl Court/Getty Images
Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, has won a landslide victory in a hotly contested election, dealing a stinging rebuke to Beijing's efforts to control the island's democratic government.
"Democratic Taiwan and our democratically elected government will not concede to threats and intimidation," Tsai declared to thousands of cheering supporters at an election rally outside her party's campaign headquarters Saturday night. "The results of this election have made that answer crystal clear."
A record 8.17 million voters cast their ballots for Tsai, according to Taiwan's election commission, the most ever for a presidential candidate since the island began holding direct presidential elections in 1996.
Tsai's vote total put her ahead of her opponent, the populist mayor Han Kuo-yu, by almost 20 percentage points in what has become one of the island's most closely watched presidential and legislative races in its short democratic history. Tsai's party, the Democratic Progressive Party, also maintained its majority in Taiwan's legislature, clearing a path for Tsai to push through a number of educational and health care reforms.
Tsai's margin of victory — she garnered more than 57% of the popular vote — marked a stunning turnaround. More than half a year ago, she lagged behind the Kuomintang party's Han in the polls. She staged a comeback in large part by taking an aggressive stance in support of Hong Kong residents protesting Beijing's rule.
"Young people in Hong Kong have used their lives and shed their blood and tears to show us that 'one country, two systems' is not feasible," Tsai said, referring to Beijing's system of governance in Hong Kong, at a rally the night before the vote. "Tomorrow, it is the turn of young people of Taiwan to show Hong Kong that the values of democracy and freedom overcomes all difficulties."
Han, by contrast, had welcomed closer economic ties with Beijing and promised repeatedly at political rallies to "make Taiwan safe," an implicit criticism that Tsai's policy toward China might provoke military action.
Han, who entered the race with deep pockets of support among Taiwan's rural communities, was hurt by a series of rhetorical gaffes and a perceived unwillingness to confront Beijing over protests in Hong Kong in the months before the election.
Tsai's victory is a sign that Beijing's efforts to co-opt Taiwan's political and commercial institutions through a mixture of sticks and carrots has had the opposite effect, mobilizing a younger, more pro-independence electorate to support Tsai.
"Demographics played in Tsai's favor. Young people identify with Taiwan and the democratic values that Tsai's platform promised to represent and protect to a greater degree than her competitor," said Jonathan Sullivan, China program director at the University of Nottingham and a Taiwan studies specialist. "These same demographics ought to worry Beijing, because they only point in one direction, and it's not unification."
China has vowed to "reunify" Taiwan ever since the retreating Kuomintang party set up a government-in-exile on the island in 1949, and it considers Taiwan a Chinese province. In the decades since, Beijing has sought to isolate Taiwan, whittling down Taipei's diplomatic allies. It has also refused to rule out military force against Taiwan for the sake of reunification.
But while China looms in the background of every Taiwanese election, this presidential race turned into an especially heated proxy vote on how Taiwan should engage with China, whose role in suppressing protests in nearby Hong Kong has cast a shadow over Taiwan's own future.
Beijing had sought to co-opt Taiwan's in the months leading up to Saturday's vote. In July, Beijing banned Chinese citizens from traveling to Taiwan on their own, decimating Taiwanese businesses dependent on mainland tourism. China has sailed its new aircraft carrier, the Shandong, weeks ahead of the presidential election and circled Taiwanese airspace with its fighter jets. Taiwanese authorities also suspect Chinese state-backed agents are behind a wave of political disinformation that have plagued both its 2016 legislative election and this year's presidential race.
On Saturday, Chinese state media published muted reports of Tsai's win, criticizing her for what they saw as her deliberate antagonizing of Beijing.
"Taiwan's DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen is expected to sweep a landslide victory in elections, and analysts from Chinese mainland forecast more obstacles in cross-Straits relations after her reelection, leading to some calling for a firm preparation for reunification," Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times tweeted, just minutes after Tsai officially declared victory.
In her next four years in office, Sullivan said, Tsai will have to delicately balance growing calls for independence among her supporters with Beijing's more pugnacious approach to cross-Strait relations.
"She will face pressure [from her own party] on one side and Beijing on the other," said Sullivan. "I expect Beijing to continue to squeeze Taiwan internationally, go after more allies, invest in Taiwanese media, keep up its [political influence] activities and indulge in shows of military might and bellicose rhetoric."
The perceived urgency of this year's election spurred some voters to undertake extreme measures. Taiwan does not allow absentee voting, so thousands of Taiwanese living abroad flew back to Taiwan to cast their ballot. Twice the number of Taiwanese living abroad registered to vote this year than the number who did so in the last election.
Among those flying to Taipei specifically for the election: Hong Kong residents.
"We want to thank Taiwan for their support of Hong Kong," said Gary Chiu, a Hong Konger who took a flight to Taiwan ahead of the vote.
Hong Kongers peppered political rallies in support of Tsai throughout the week, eager to witness direct democracy.
"This is only the country with a Chinese community that enjoy real democracy and real freedom," said Samantha Lu, another Hong Kong resident who was in Taipei for the vote. "Once you lose your freedom, it's not easy to get it back."


npr--2020-01-11--FBI Apologizes To Court For Mishandling Surveillance Of Trump Campaign Adviser

FBI Apologizes To Court For Mishandling Surveillance Of Trump Campaign Adviser The FBI apologized to the secret court that handles national security investigations for the way it conducted surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser during the 2016 election , according to a court filing made public on Saturday .
FBI Director Christopher Wray outlined steps the bureau is taking to ensure it does n't make the same mistakes again .
He wrote in the filing to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that the FBI will tighten procedures governing wiretapping applications to the court , which oversees intelligence gathering under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The FBI response comes after a report last month from the Justice Department inspector general that revealed serious issues with the bureau 's applications to the court to wiretap former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page .
The FBI suspected Page had possible ties to Russia .
That report prompted the court to take the highly unusual step of publicly rebuking the FBI and ordering the bureau to re-validate its work .
`` The FBI has the utmost respect for this Court and deeply regrets the errors and omissions identified by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wray wrote in the filing , calling the FBI 's conduct in relation to the Page surveillance `` unacceptable and unrepresentative of the FBI as an institution . ''
`` The FBI is committed to working with the Court and DOJ to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the FISA process , '' he wrote .
More than 40 corrective actions have been ordered , including 12 specifically related to the surveillance application process , according to the filing .
The actions include the development of new training to re-emphasize the importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as increased oversight of the application process .
Under FISA , the government must prove to a judge that surveillance of an American is justified because it suspects that person of being a foreign agent .
Since defense lawyers never see the court filing , the Justice Department must accurately report every detail related to the request for surveillance .
The inspector general report said that FBI investigators failed to inform the Justice Department of crucial information when seeking permission to wiretap Page .
`` Much of that information was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assertions contained in the FISA applications that were used to support probable cause and , in some instances , resulted in inaccurate information being included in the applications , '' the report stated .
Page was never charged with a crime .

FBI Apologizes To Court For Mishandling Surveillance Of Trump Campaign Adviser
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The FBI apologized to the secret court that handles national security investigations for the way it conducted surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser during the 2016 election, according to a court filing made public on Saturday.
FBI Director Christopher Wray outlined steps the bureau is taking to ensure it doesn't make the same mistakes again. He wrote in the filing to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that the FBI will tighten procedures governing wiretapping applications to the court, which oversees intelligence gathering under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
The FBI response comes after a report last month from the Justice Department inspector general that revealed serious issues with the bureau's applications to the court to wiretap former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. The FBI suspected Page had possible ties to Russia.
That report prompted the court to take the highly unusual step of publicly rebuking the FBI and ordering the bureau to revalidate its work.
"The FBI has the utmost respect for this Court and deeply regrets the errors and omissions identified by the Office of the Inspector General," Wray wrote in the filing, calling the FBI's conduct in relation to the Page surveillance "unacceptable and unrepresentative of the FBI as an institution."
"The FBI is committed to working with the Court and DOJ to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the FISA process," he wrote.
More than 40 corrective actions have been ordered, including 12 specifically related to the surveillance application process, according to the filing. The actions include the development of new training to reemphasize the importance of accuracy and thoroughness in all FISA applications, as well as increased oversight of the application process.
Under FISA, the government must prove to a judge that surveillance of an American is justified because it suspects that person of being a foreign agent. Since defense lawyers never see the court filing, the Justice Department must accurately report every detail related to the request for surveillance.
The inspector general report said that FBI investigators failed to inform the Justice Department of crucial information when seeking permission to wiretap Page.
"Much of that information was inconsistent with, or undercut, the assertions contained in the FISA applications that were used to support probable cause and, in some instances, resulted in inaccurate information being included in the applications," the report stated.
Page was never charged with a crime.


npr--2020-01-11--Omani Sultan Qaboos, Who Ruled Oman For Half A Century, Dies At 79

Omani Sultan Qaboos , Who Ruled Oman For Half A Century , Dies At 79 For the first time in roughly half a century , Oman is under new direction .
The longest-serving monarch of the Arab world , Sultan Qaboos bin Said , died Friday at the age of 79 , ceding the country to his cousin and former culture minister Haitham bin Tariq al-Said .
The latter was sworn in as sultan Saturday , assuming the reins of state in a ceremony attended by high-ranking military and government officials .
`` The trust in us is great and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new sultan told those assembled for the occasion , according to the state-run Oman News Agency .
He focused on maintaining Oman 's long-standing role as a neutral party for peace in the troubled region .
`` We will follow the same line as the late sultan , '' he said , according to a translation from The Associated Press , `` and the principles that he asserted for the foreign policy of our country , of peaceful coexistence among nations and people , and good neighborly behavior of non-interference in the affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a new and unfamiliar era for the country , which had been governed by just one man since Qaboos overthrew his father in a bloodless palace coup in 1970 .
Qaboos , who had been educated in the U.K. , oversaw something of a revolution in Oman during his reign , guiding the Gulf state in its development from an isolated loner to active member in the Arab League , the United Nations and eventually the World Trade Organization , as well .
Since he took power , Oman has seen a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its gross domestic product from about $ 250 million at the start of his reign to a sum better measured in the tens of billions , according to statistics from the World Bank .
In recent years the tiny country — which boasts a population of only 4.6 million people and a land area smaller than Kansas — has played an outsize role in Middle Eastern diplomatic affairs .
Nestled on the borders of Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates and war-torn Yemen , and just across the Gulf of Oman from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken on the role of arbiter and peacekeeper in its tumultuous neighborhood .
The country , which maintains positive relations with both Iran and the U.S. , hosted the secret meetings that eventually resulted in the Iran nuclear deal in 2015 .
And Oman has repeatedly stepped in to facilitate high-stakes negotiations between the two countries — as when Qaboos himself paid half a million each to help secure the release of American prisoners from Iran in 2011 .
`` We always keep a focus not on the negative , but on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Oman 's permanent representative to the U.N. , explained to NPR last year .
`` When you focus on this , opportunities for peace become quite clear . ''
Lately , though , the septuagenarian absolute monarch had largely withdrawn from the public eye , as he underwent treatment for a long-undisclosed medical condition , believed to have been colon cancer .
The silence from the sultan 's palace also raised difficult questions about succession , as the popular leader had only briefly married and produced no obvious heir to the sultanate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65 , on shortlists of potential successors .
That expectation came to fruition upon Qaboos ' death .
Reuters reports that the late sultan named his successor in a sealed envelope .
In a reflection of the trust and friendship Oman managed to cultivate among its neighbors and others under Qaboos , Haitham was flooded with words of consolation and congratulations from world leaders Saturday .
Among the expressions of grief over Qaboos ' death was a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Muscat , Oman 's capital , which mourned `` his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generosity , his tolerance , and his deep love for his country . ''
`` We lost one of the world 's most important leaders , '' the embassy wrote in a statement published on Facebook , `` an inspiring leader of Oman 's rise and development in half a century . ''

Omani Sultan Qaboos, Who Ruled Oman For Half A Century, Dies At 79
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris Jackson/Getty Images Chris Jackson/Getty Images
For the first time in roughly half a century, Oman is under new direction.
The longest-serving monarch of the Arab world, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, died Friday at the age of 79, ceding the country to his cousin and former culture minister Haitham bin Tariq al-Said. The latter was sworn in as sultan Saturday, assuming the reins of state in a ceremony attended by high-ranking military and government officials.
"The trust in us is great and the responsibilities are great," the new sultan told those assembled for the occasion, according to the state-run Oman News Agency. He focused on maintaining Oman's long-standing role as a neutral party for peace in the troubled region.
"We will follow the same line as the late sultan," he said, according to a translation from The Associated Press, "and the principles that he asserted for the foreign policy of our country, of peaceful coexistence among nations and people, and good neighborly behavior of non-interference in the affairs of others."
The speech ushered in a new and unfamiliar era for the country, which had been governed by just one man since Qaboos overthrew his father in a bloodless palace coup in 1970. Qaboos, who had been educated in the U.K., oversaw something of a revolution in Oman during his reign, guiding the Gulf state in its development from an isolated loner to active member in the Arab League, the United Nations and eventually the World Trade Organization, as well.
Enlarge this image toggle caption -/AFP via Getty Images -/AFP via Getty Images
Since he took power, Oman has seen a dramatic upswing in its fortunes, increasing its gross domestic product from about $250 million at the start of his reign to a sum better measured in the tens of billions, according to statistics from the World Bank.
In recent years the tiny country — which boasts a population of only 4.6 million people and a land area smaller than Kansas — has played an outsize role in Middle Eastern diplomatic affairs. Nestled on the borders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and war-torn Yemen, and just across the Gulf of Oman from Iran and Pakistan, Oman lately has taken on the role of arbiter and peacekeeper in its tumultuous neighborhood.
The country, which maintains positive relations with both Iran and the U.S., hosted the secret meetings that eventually resulted in the Iran nuclear deal in 2015. And Oman has repeatedly stepped in to facilitate high-stakes negotiations between the two countries — as when Qaboos himself paid half a million each to help secure the release of American prisoners from Iran in 2011.
Enlarge this image toggle caption AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images
"We always keep a focus not on the negative, but on the positive," Mohammed bin Awadh al-Hassan, Oman's permanent representative to the U.N., explained to NPR last year. "When you focus on this, opportunities for peace become quite clear."
Lately, though, the septuagenarian absolute monarch had largely withdrawn from the public eye, as he underwent treatment for a long-undisclosed medical condition, believed to have been colon cancer.
The silence from the sultan's palace also raised difficult questions about succession, as the popular leader had only briefly married and produced no obvious heir to the sultanate — though observers commonly included Haitham, 65, on shortlists of potential successors.
That expectation came to fruition upon Qaboos' death. Reuters reports that the late sultan named his successor in a sealed envelope.
In a reflection of the trust and friendship Oman managed to cultivate among its neighbors and others under Qaboos, Haitham was flooded with words of consolation and congratulations from world leaders Saturday.
Among the expressions of grief over Qaboos' death was a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, Oman's capital, which mourned "his steadfast leadership embodied his sincerity, his generosity, his tolerance, and his deep love for his country."
"We lost one of the world's most important leaders," the embassy wrote in a statement published on Facebook, "an inspiring leader of Oman's rise and development in half a century."