npr--2020-09-22--Trump Expands Ban On Racial Sensitivity Training To Federal Contractors

President Trump on Tuesday said he had expanded a ban on racial sensitivity training to federal contractors .
His administration had instructed federal agencies to end such training earlier this month .
Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday that he had expanded the ban on `` efforts to indoctrinate government employees with divisive and harmful sex and race-based ideologies '' to contractors doing business with the federal government and those receiving grant funds .
`` Americans should be taught to take PRIDE in our Great Country , and if you do n't there 's nothing in it for you !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump announced efforts to promote `` patriotic education '' and railed against students learning about systemic racism .
He signed an executive order that requires contracts to now include a provision that says contractors with the federal government will not have `` workplace training that inculcates in its employees any form of race or sex stereotyping or any form of race or sex scapegoating '' or face the cancellation of contracts .
`` Instructors and materials teaching that men and members of certain races , as well as our most venerable institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearing in workplace diversity trainings across the country , even in components of the Federal Government and among Federal contractors , '' the order says .
The trainings cited include references to white privilege and systemic racism .
After the instructions were sent to government agencies earlier this month , M.E .
Hart , an attorney who has run hundreds of diversity training sessions for businesses and the federal government , told The Washington Post : `` If we are going to live up to this nation 's promise — 'we hold these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men are created equal ' — we have to see each other as human beings , and we have to do whatever it takes , including taking whatever classes make that possible .
These classes have been very powerful in allowing people to do that , and we need them more than ever .
There 's danger here . ''
Read the text of the order below ( as released by the White House ) .
COMBATING RACE AND SEX STEREOTYPING By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America , including the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act , 40 U.S.C .
101 et seq.
, and in order to promote economy and efficiency in Federal contracting , to promote unity in the Federal workforce , and to combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating , it is hereby ordered as follows : Section 1 .
Purpose .
From the battlefield of Gettysburg to the bus boycott in Montgomery and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches , heroic Americans have valiantly risked their lives to ensure that their children would grow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creed , expressed in the Declaration of Independence : `` We hold these truths to be self-evident , that all men are created equal . ''
It was this belief in the inherent equality of every individual that inspired the Founding generation to risk their lives , their fortunes , and their sacred honor to establish a new Nation , unique among the countries of the world .
President Abraham Lincoln understood that this belief is `` the electric cord '' that `` links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving '' people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ origin .
It is the belief that inspired the heroic black soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment to defend that same Union at great cost in the Civil War .
And it is what inspired Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. , to dream that his children would one day `` not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character . ''
Thanks to the courage and sacrifice of our forebears , America has made significant progress toward realization of our national creed , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared his dream with the country .
Today , however , many people are pushing a different vision of America that is grounded in hierarchies based on collective social and political identities rather than in the inherent and equal dignity of every person as an individual .
This ideology is rooted in the pernicious and false belief that America is an irredeemably racist and sexist country ; that some people , simply on account of their race or sex , are oppressors ; and that racial and sexual identities are more important than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans .
This destructive ideology is grounded in misrepresentations of our country 's history and its role in the world .
Although presented as new and revolutionary , they resurrect the discredited notions of the nineteenth century 's apologists for slavery who , like President Lincoln 's rival Stephen A. Douglas , maintained that our government `` was made on the white basis '' `` by white men , for the benefit of white men . ''
Our Founding documents rejected these racialized views of America , which were soundly defeated on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yet they are now being repackaged and sold as cutting-edge insights .
They are designed to divide us and to prevent us from uniting as one people in pursuit of one common destiny for our great country .
Unfortunately , this malign ideology is now migrating from the fringes of American society and threatens to infect core institutions of our country .
Instructors and materials teaching that men and members of certain races , as well as our most venerable institutions , are inherently sexist and racist are appearing in workplace diversity trainings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Federal Government and among Federal contractors .
For example , the Department of the Treasury recently held a seminar that promoted arguments that `` virtually all White people , regardless of how 'woke ' they are , contribute to racism , '' and that instructed small group leaders to encourage employees to avoid `` narratives '' that Americans should `` be more color-blind '' or `` let people 's skills and personalities be what differentiates them . ''
Training materials from Argonne National Laboratories , a Federal entity , stated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America '' and described statements like `` color blindness '' and the `` meritocracy '' as `` actions of bias . ''
Materials from Sandia National Laboratories , also a Federal entity , for non-minority males stated that an emphasis on `` rationality over emotionality '' was a characteristic of `` white male [ s ] , '' and asked those present to `` acknowledge '' their `` privilege '' to each other .
A Smithsonian Institution museum graphic recently claimed that concepts like `` [ o ] bjective , rational linear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ard work '' being `` the key to success , '' the `` nuclear family , '' and belief in a single god are not values that unite Americans of all races but are instead `` aspects and assumptions of whiteness . ''
The museum also stated that `` [ f ] acing your whiteness is hard and can result in feelings of guilt , sadness , confusion , defensiveness , or fear . ''
All of this is contrary to the fundamental premises underpinning our Republic : that all individuals are created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity under the law to pursue happiness and prosper based on individual merit .
Executive departments and agencies ( agencies ) , our Uniformed Services , Federal contractors , and Federal grant recipients should , of course , continue to foster environments devoid of hostility grounded in race , sex , and other federally protected characteristics .
Training employees to create an inclusive workplace is appropriate and beneficial .
The Federal Government is , and must always be , committed to the fair and equal treatment of all individuals before the law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial stereotypes and division and can use subtle coercive pressure to ensure conformity of viewpoint .
Such ideas may be fashionable in the academy , but they have no place in programs and activities supported by Federal taxpayer dollars .
Research also suggests that blame-focused diversity training reinforces biases and decreases opportunities for minorities .
Our Federal civil service system is based on merit principles .
These principles , codified at 5 U.S.C .
2301 , call for all employees to `` receive fair and equitable treatment in all aspects of personnel management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` and with proper regard for their .
.
.
constitutional rights . ''
Instructing Federal employees that treating individuals on the basis of individual merit is racist or sexist directly undermines our Merit System Principles and impairs the efficiency of the Federal service .
Similarly , our Uniformed Services should not teach our heroic men and women in uniform the lie that the country for which they are willing to die is fundamentally racist .
Such teachings could directly threaten the cohesion and effectiveness of our Uniformed Services .
Such activities also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Federal contractors .
The Federal Government has long prohibited Federal contractors from engaging in race or sex discrimination and required contractors to take affirmative action to ensure that such discrimination does not occur .
The participation of contractors ' employees in training that promotes race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating similarly undermines efficiency in Federal contracting .
Such requirements promote divisiveness in the workplace and distract from the pursuit of excellence and collaborative achievements in public administration .
Therefore , it shall be the policy of the United States not to promote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Federal workforce or in the Uniformed Services , and not to allow grant funds to be used for these purposes .
In addition , Federal contractors will not be permitted to inculcate such views in their employees .
Sec .
2 .
Definitions .
For the purposes of this order , the phrase : ( a ) `` Divisive concepts '' means the concepts that ( 1 ) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex ; ( 2 ) the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by virtue of his or her race or sex , is inherently racist , sexist , or oppressive , whether consciously or unconsciously ; ( 4 ) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex ; ( 5 ) members of one race or sex can not and should not attempt to treat others without respect to race or sex ; ( 6 ) an individual 's moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtue of his or her race or sex , bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex ; ( 8 ) any individual should feel discomfort , guilt , anguish , or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex ; or ( 9 ) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist , or were created by a particular race to oppress another race .
The term `` divisive concepts '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or sex stereotyping or any other form of race or sex scapegoating .
( b ) `` Race or sex stereotyping '' means ascribing character traits , values , moral and ethical codes , privileges , status , or beliefs to a race or sex , or to an individual because of his or her race or sex .
( c ) `` Race or sex scapegoating '' means assigning fault , blame , or bias to a race or sex , or to members of a race or sex because of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any claim that , consciously or unconsciously , and by virtue of his or her race or sex , members of any race are inherently racist or are inherently inclined to oppress others , or that members of a sex are inherently sexist or inclined to oppress others .
( d ) `` Senior political appointee '' means an individual appointed by the President , or a non-career member of the Senior Executive Service ( or agency-equivalent system ) .
Sec .
3 .
Requirements for the United States Uniformed Services .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States Armed Forces , shall not teach , instruct , or train any member of the United States Uniformed Services , whether serving on active duty , serving on reserve duty , attending a military service academy , or attending courses conducted by a military department pursuant to a Reserve Officer Corps Training program , to believe any of the divisive concepts set forth in section 2 ( a ) of this order .
No member of the United States Uniformed Services shall face any penalty or discrimination on account of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , endorse , embrace , confess , act upon , or otherwise assent to these concepts .
Sec .
4 .
Requirements for Government Contractors .
( a ) Except in contracts exempted in the manner provided by section 204 of Executive Order 11246 of September 24 , 1965 ( Equal Employment Opportunity ) , as amended , all Government contracting agencies shall include in every Government contract hereafter entered into the following provisions : `` During the performance of this contract , the contractor agrees as follows : 1 .
The contractor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inculcates in its employees any form of race or sex stereotyping or any form of race or sex scapegoating , including the concepts that ( a ) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex ; ( b ) an individual , by virtue of his or her race or sex , is inherently racist , sexist , or oppressive , whether consciously or unconsciously ; ( c ) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one race or sex can not and should not attempt to treat others without respect to race or sex ; ( e ) an individual 's moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex ; ( f ) an individual , by virtue of his or her race or sex , bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex ; ( g ) any individual should feel discomfort , guilt , anguish , or any other form of psychological distress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or sex ; or ( h ) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist , or were created by a particular race to oppress another race .
The term `` race or sex stereotyping '' means ascribing character traits , values , moral and ethical codes , privileges , status , or beliefs to a race or sex , or to an individual because of his or her race or sex , and the term `` race or sex scapegoating '' means assigning fault , blame , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex .
2 .
The contractor will send to each labor union or representative of workers with which he has a collective bargaining agreement or other contract or understanding , a notice , to be provided by the agency contracting officer , advising the labor union or workers ' representative of the contractor 's commitments under the Executive Order of September 22 , 2020 , entitled Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping , and shall post copies of the notice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applicants for employment .
3 .
In the event of the contractor 's noncompliance with the requirements of paragraphs ( 1 ) , ( 2 ) , and ( 4 ) , or with any rules , regulations , or orders that may be promulgated in accordance with the Executive Order of September 22 , 2020 , this contract may be canceled , terminated , or suspended in whole or in part and the contractor may be declared ineligible for further Government contracts in accordance with procedures authorized in Executive Order 11246 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and remedies invoked as provided by any rules , regulations , or orders the Secretary of Labor has issued or adopted pursuant to Executive Order 11246 , including subpart D of that order .
4 .
The contractor will include the provisions of paragraphs ( 1 ) through ( 4 ) in every subcontract or purchase order unless exempted by rules , regulations , or orders of the Secretary of Labor , so that such provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor .
The contractor will take such action with respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be directed by the Secretary of Labor as a means of enforcing such provisions including sanctions for noncompliance : Provided , however , that in the event the contractor becomes involved in , or is threatened with , litigation with a subcontractor or vendor as a result of such direction , the contractor may request the United States to enter into such litigation to protect the interests of the United States . ''
( b ) The Department of Labor is directed , through the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and investigate complaints received under both this order as well as Executive Order 11246 alleging that a Federal contractor is utilizing such training programs in violation of the contractor 's obligations under those orders .
The Department shall take appropriate enforcement action and provide remedial relief , as appropriate .
( c ) Within 30 days of the date of this order , the Director of OFCCP shall publish in the Federal Register a request for information seeking information from Federal contractors , Federal subcontractors , and employees of Federal contractors and subcontractors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar programming provided to employees .
The request for information should request copies of any training , workshop , or similar programing having to do with diversity and inclusion as well as information about the duration , frequency , and expense of such activities .
Sec .
5 .
Requirements for Federal Grants .
The heads of all agencies shall review their respective grant programs and identify programs for which the agency may , as a condition of receiving such a grant , require the recipient to certify that it will not use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( a ) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex ; ( b ) an individual , by virtue of his or her race or sex , is inherently racist , sexist , or oppressive , whether consciously or unconsciously ; ( c ) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex ; ( d ) members of one race or sex can not and should not attempt to treat others without respect to race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual 's moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex ; ( f ) an individual , by virtue of his or her race or sex , bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex ; ( g ) any individual should feel discomfort , guilt , anguish , or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex ; or ( h ) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a particular race to oppress another race .
Within 60 days of the date of this order , the heads of agencies shall each submit a report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) that lists all grant programs so identified .
Sec .
6 .
Requirements for Agencies .
( a ) The fair and equal treatment of individuals is an inviolable principle that must be maintained in the Federal workplace .
Agencies should continue all training that will foster a workplace that is respectful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ i ) The head of each agency shall use his or her authority under 5 U.S.C .
301 , 302 , and 4103 to ensure that the agency , agency employees while on duty status , and any contractors hired by the agency to provide training , workshops , forums , or similar programming ( for purposes of this section , `` training '' ) to agency employees do not teach , advocate , act upon , or promote in any training to agency employees any of the divisive concepts listed in section @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Agencies may consult with the Office of Personnel Management ( OPM ) , pursuant to 5 U.S.C .
4116 , in carrying out this provision ; and ( ii ) Agency diversity and inclusion efforts shall , first and foremost , encourage agency employees not to judge each other by their color , race , ethnicity , sex , or any other characteristic protected by Federal law .
( b ) The Director of OPM shall propose regulations providing that agency officials with supervisory authority over a supervisor or an employee with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if such supervisor or employee either authorizes or approves training that promotes the divisive concepts set forth in section 2 ( a ) of this order , shall take appropriate steps to pursue a performance-based adverse action proceeding against such supervisor or employee under chapter 43 or 75 of title 5 , United States Code .
( c ) Each agency head shall : ( i ) issue an order incorporating the requirements of this order into agency operations , including by making compliance with this order a provision in all agency contracts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request that the agency inspector general thoroughly review and assess by the end of the calendar year , and not less than annually thereafter , agency compliance with the requirements of this order in the form of a report submitted to OMB ; and ( iii ) assign at least one senior political appointee responsibility for ensuring compliance with the requirements of this order .
Sec .
7 .
OMB and OPM Review of Agency Training .
( a ) Consistent with OPM 's authority under 5 U.S.C .
4115-4118 , all training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or inclusion shall , before being used , be reviewed by OPM for compliance with the requirements of section 6 of this order .
( b ) If a contractor provides a training for agency employees relating to diversity or inclusion that teaches , advocates , or promotes the divisive concepts set forth in section 2 ( a ) of this order , and such action is in violation of the applicable contract , the agency that contracted for such training shall evaluate whether to pursue debarment of that contractor , consistent with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consultation with the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee .
( c ) Within 90 days of the date of this order , each agency shall report to OMB all spending in Fiscal Year 2020 on Federal employee training programs relating to diversity or inclusion , whether conducted internally or by contractors .
Such report shall , in addition to providing aggregate totals , delineate awards to each individual contractor .
( d ) The Directors of OMB and OPM may jointly issue guidance and directives pertaining to agency obligations under , and ensuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
8 .
Title VII Guidance .
The Attorney General should continue to assess the extent to which workplace training that teaches the divisive concepts set forth in section 2 ( a ) of this order may contribute to a hostile work environment and give rise to potential liability under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , 42 U.S.C .
2000e et seq .
If appropriate , the Attorney General and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall issue publicly available guidance to assist employers in better promoting diversity and inclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
9 .
Effective Date .
This order is effective immediately , except that the requirements of section 4 of this order shall apply to contracts entered into 60 days after the date of this order .
Sec .
10 .
General Provisions .
( a ) This order does not prevent agencies , the United States Uniformed Services , or contractors from promoting racial , cultural , or ethnic diversity or inclusiveness , provided such efforts are consistent with the requirements of this order .
( b ) Nothing in this order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a larger course of academic instruction , the divisive concepts listed in section 2 ( a ) of this order in an objective manner and without endorsement .
( c ) If any provision of this order , or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance , is held to be invalid , the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby .
( d ) Nothing in this order shall be construed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) the authority granted by law to an executive department , agency , or the head thereof ; or ( ii ) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary , administrative , or legislative proposals .
( e ) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations .
( f ) This order is not intended to , and does not , create any right or benefit , substantive or procedural , enforceable at law or in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , its departments , agencies , or entities , its officers , employees , or agents , or any other person .

Trump Expands Ban On Racial Sensitivity Training To Federal Contractors
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
President Trump on Tuesday said he had expanded a ban on racial sensitivity training to federal contractors.
His administration had instructed federal agencies to end such training earlier this month.
Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday that he had expanded the ban on "efforts to indoctrinate government employees with divisive and harmful sex and race-based ideologies" to contractors doing business with the federal government and those receiving grant funds.
"Americans should be taught to take PRIDE in our Great Country, and if you don't there's nothing in it for you!" he tweeted.
Last week, Trump announced efforts to promote "patriotic education" and railed against students learning about systemic racism.
He signed an executive order that requires contracts to now include a provision that says contractors with the federal government will not have "workplace training that inculcates in its employees any form of race or sex stereotyping or any form of race or sex scapegoating" or face the cancellation of contracts.
"Instructors and materials teaching that men and members of certain races, as well as our most venerable institutions, are inherently sexist and racist are appearing in workplace diversity trainings across the country, even in components of the Federal Government and among Federal contractors," the order says.
The trainings cited include references to white privilege and systemic racism.
After the instructions were sent to government agencies this month, M.E. Hart, an attorney who has run hundreds of diversity training sessions for businesses and the federal government, told The Washington Post: "If we are going to live up to this nation's promise — 'we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal' — we have to see each other as human beings, and we have to do whatever it takes, including taking whatever classes make that possible. These classes have been very powerful in allowing people to do that, and we need them more than ever. There's danger here."
Read the text of the order below (as released by the White House):


npr--2020-09-22--House Passes Short-Term Funding Bill To Keep Government Running

A stopgap funding bill to keep the government running through Dec. 11 passed the House 359-57 late Tuesday evening , with one lawmaker voting present .
The bill was temporarily delayed over a heated dispute regarding farm aid .
The legislation still must be approved by the Senate and signed by President Trump , or the government faces another shutdown threat in eight days .
The initial Democratic bill lacked federal farm assistance sought by the Trump administration despite support for it from both sides of the aisle .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , said the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't include funds for the Commodity Credit Corporation , which provides aid to farmers .
Democrats argued that the fund was being used as a political `` slush fund '' by the Trump administration .
But Tuesday night ahead of the vote , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , announced a deal with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Republicans .
`` We have reached an agreement with Republicans on the CR to add nearly $ 8 billion in desperately needed nutrition assistance for hungry schoolchildren and families .
We also increase accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds for farmers from being misused for a Big Oil bailout , '' her statement said .

House Passes Short-Term Funding Bill To Keep Government Running
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jacquelyn Martin/AP Jacquelyn Martin/AP
A stopgap funding bill to keep the government running through Dec. 11 passed the House 359-57 late Tuesday evening, with one lawmaker voting present. The bill was temporarily delayed over a heated dispute regarding farm aid.
The legislation still must be approved by the Senate and signed by President Trump, or the government faces another shutdown threat in eight days.
The initial Democratic bill lacked federal farm assistance sought by the Trump administration despite support for it from both sides of the aisle.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Senate would not pass a bill that didn't include funds for the Commodity Credit Corporation, which provides aid to farmers. Democrats argued that the fund was being used as a political "slush fund" by the Trump administration.
But Tuesday night ahead of the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced a deal with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Republicans.
"We have reached an agreement with Republicans on the CR to add nearly $8 billion in desperately needed nutrition assistance for hungry schoolchildren and families. We also increase accountability in the Commodity Credit Corporation, preventing funds for farmers from being misused for a Big Oil bailout," her statement said.


npr--2020-09-22--After Aerosols Misstep, Former CDC Official Criticizes Agency Over Unclear Messaging

After Aerosols Misstep , Former CDC Official Criticizes Agency Over Unclear Messaging As of now , both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization say the primary way the coronavirus spreads is by hitching a ride on respiratory droplets when people are in close contact .
Respiratory droplets form when someone sneezes , coughs , talks or sings , for example .
They do n't travel far and fall to the ground quickly .
But on Friday , the CDC website was modified to include smaller , aerosolized particles as a way the coronavirus is commonly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expelled in breath that can linger in the air and travel distances farther than 6 feet .
On Monday , the agency took that update down , saying it was a draft that had been posted in error .
Dr. Ali Khan , who used to direct the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response at the CDC , says there was `` nothing new '' in the now-deleted update , which he characterized as saying `` there 's a minor role for airborne transmission . ''
The disease is `` predominantly '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other , he says .
There 's consensus in the scientific community that this seems to be the main mode of transmission .
Beyond that , Khan notes , there are a few other ways that people could , conceivably , contract the virus , researchers and health officials agree .
`` Occasionally we get this disease from contaminated surfaces , '' Khan tells Steve Inskeep on NPR 's Morning Edition .
`` And then there 's a minor role , again , for these small particle aerosols .
...
These are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially around a corner , especially in poorly ventilated indoor spaces .
And then , finally , there 's a yet even more minor role , probably , for transmission via feces .
So nothing new here . ''
Still , a number of environmental engineers and other infectious disease researchers have been critical in the past of both the CDC and WHO for , they say , being too slow to acknowledge the role this sort of fine aerosol might play in spreading the virus , especially indoors .
Khan is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha .
Here are excerpts from the interview : What do you make of this unremarkable guidance being published and then withdrawn ?
Confusing .
So CDC 's not perfect and certainly has made some mistakes this past year .
But with due respect to the agency , it 's hard to imagine that this is one of them , given the scrutiny that they 've had in all of their messaging .
And for example , so just last week , we saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asymptomatic persons .
We saw documented proof of manipulation of CDC 's official publication .
So , you know , it 's not hard to understand people questioning that these changes may be deliberate interference by the [ Trump administration ] .
... We 've seen the deliberate undermining of public health over the course of this outbreak for political purpose .
And we have seen numerous examples now of deliberate change of guidance that 's not evidence-based .
Can we still trust what the CDC tells us then ?
Unfortunately , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tells us .
And this is extremely unfortunate because trust is the most important thing we need during a pandemic .
As we tell people that , regardless of this minor role of aerosol transmission , we have the tools available to us today to stop this outbreak in its tracks with `` test , trace , isolate . ''
And please do our part [ by ] wearing a mask , washing our hands and socially distancing .
And this trust is going to be even more important as we tell people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccinated — hopefully sometime at the end of this year and into next year .
I want to know if the practical advice after all of this confusion is still basically the same , so far as you see it : See people outdoors , rather than indoors ; 6 feet apart ; wear a mask .
That sort of thing .
Correct .
The guidance does n't change .
So there 's lots of nice , sophisticated aerobiology studies now that look at what happens when you sneeze and cough and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's virus riding along in them .
But we know that if we wear our masks and we couple that with the public health strategy of testing , isolating and tracing people , that we can get this disease under control .

After Aerosols Misstep, Former CDC Official Criticizes Agency Over Unclear Messaging
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
As of now, both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization say the primary way the coronavirus spreads is by hitching a ride on respiratory droplets when people are in close contact.
Respiratory droplets form when someone sneezes, coughs, talks or sings, for example. They don't travel far and fall to the ground quickly.
But on Friday, the CDC website was modified to include smaller, aerosolized particles as a way the coronavirus is commonly spread. These are the tiniest particles expelled in breath that can linger in the air and travel distances farther than 6 feet.
On Monday, the agency took that update down, saying it was a draft that had been posted in error.
Dr. Ali Khan, who used to direct the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response at the CDC, says there was "nothing new" in the now-deleted update, which he characterized as saying "there's a minor role for airborne transmission."
The disease is "predominantly" spread by large particles from people near each other, he says. There's consensus in the scientific community that this seems to be the main mode of transmission.
Beyond that, Khan notes, there are a few other ways that people could, conceivably, contract the virus, researchers and health officials agree.
"Occasionally we get this disease from contaminated surfaces," Khan tells Steve Inskeep on NPR's Morning Edition. "And then there's a minor role, again, for these small particle aerosols. ... These are transmitted farther than 6 feet away, potentially around a corner, especially in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. And then, finally, there's a yet even more minor role, probably, for transmission via feces. So nothing new here."
Still, a number of environmental engineers and other infectious disease researchers have been critical in the past of both the CDC and WHO for, they say, being too slow to acknowledge the role this sort of fine aerosol might play in spreading the virus, especially indoors.
Khan is now the dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Here are excerpts from the interview:
What do you make of this unremarkable guidance being published and then withdrawn?
Confusing. So CDC's not perfect and certainly has made some mistakes this past year. But with due respect to the agency, it's hard to imagine that this is one of them, given the scrutiny that they've had in all of their messaging.
And for example, so just last week, we saw a flip-flop from CDC on testing of asymptomatic persons. We saw documented proof of manipulation of CDC's official publication. So, you know, it's not hard to understand people questioning that these changes may be deliberate interference by the [Trump administration]. ...
We've seen the deliberate undermining of public health over the course of this outbreak for political purpose. And we have seen numerous examples now of deliberate change of guidance that's not evidence-based.
Can we still trust what the CDC tells us then?
Unfortunately, it's becoming harder to trust what CDC tells us.
And this is extremely unfortunate because trust is the most important thing we need during a pandemic. As we tell people that, regardless of this minor role of aerosol transmission, we have the tools available to us today to stop this outbreak in its tracks with "test, trace, isolate." And please do our part [by] wearing a mask, washing our hands and socially distancing. And this trust is going to be even more important as we tell people to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated — hopefully sometime at the end of this year and into next year.
I want to know if the practical advice after all of this confusion is still basically the same, so far as you see it: See people outdoors, rather than indoors; 6 feet apart; wear a mask. That sort of thing.
Correct. The guidance doesn't change. So there's lots of nice, sophisticated aerobiology studies now that look at what happens when you sneeze and cough and how far these particles go and whether there's virus riding along in them.
But we know that if we wear our masks and we couple that with the public health strategy of testing, isolating and tracing people, that we can get this disease under control.
Taylor Haney produced the audio interview.


npr--2020-09-22--Can Circuit Breakers Stop Viral Rumors On Facebook, Twitter?

Critics of Facebook and Twitter — and even some people inside the companies — say dramatic action is needed to counter the way the platforms supercharge false , and sometimes dangerous , claims .
On social media , it is easy for rumors to go viral , while efforts to fact check or correct those rumors often lag behind .
That dynamic has been playing out in Oregon .
This month , despite efforts by the companies to quell viral unsupported rumors about massive wildfires , hoaxes spread quickly , diverting law enforcement resources at a critical time .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family fled their home as wildfires raged across Clackamas County , south of Portland .
But as they were trying to figure out what was happening and whether their property was damaged , they encountered disturbing rumors .
`` I heard that police had several activists in custody down in Eugene actually seen starting fires , '' Hill told Oregon Public Broadcasting on Sep. 9 .
`` And I heard ... someone actually engaged them on their farm with Molotovs , catching their property on fire . ''
The unfounded rumors Hill heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the fires had been intentionally set by left-wing arsonists — specifically , Black Lives Matter or antifa , a loosely defined antifascist movement .
None of those claims were true .
Law enforcement in Oregon and even the FBI said there was no evidence that any activist or political groups were involved in the fires .
And yet , local 911 dispatchers were soon overrun with calls .
The rumors caused so much disruption , police departments took to Facebook and Twitter to beg people to stop spreading them .
Tim Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police , said he received a hundred emails about the false claims , creating more work and diverting resources from actual emergencies .
`` The fires , the evacuations , the security of the places , you know , we still have our regular calls for service .
Life has n't stopped , '' he said .
`` All these rumors and things that are going around are tough because we have to find people to respond to them , to investigate them , to check them out . ''
Part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , in particular , is that the world 's biggest social network rewards engagement .
Posts that get lots of shares , comments and likes get shown to more people , quickly amplifying their reach .
Facebook is well aware of its power to make stories go viral .
As the fire rumors proliferated , the company put warnings on some posts its fact checkers had found false and reduced their distribution .
But that was n't enough to quell the rumors .
On Sep. 12 , a day after the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ untrue and at least three days after the claims began spreading on social media , Facebook began removing posts connecting left-wing activists to the fires .
By then , however , hundreds of thousands of people had seen the false posts .
The claims were being amplified by social media accounts known to spread false information , including followers of Qanon , a baseless conspiracy theory , as well as by Russian state news outlet RT .
`` What that said to us is that they 're waiting too long , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Innovation and Democracy Initiative at the German Marshall Fund of the United States , a think tank .
Kornbluh 's research team found the debunked claims still spreading in large private Facebook groups , some with hundreds of thousands of members , several days after Facebook said it was removing such posts .
Facebook said it was using artificial intelligence and human review to find and take down the hoax everywhere it appeared , including in private groups .
The company said some of the posts in the private groups the German Marshall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users , and the company removed the rest .
`` We share the goal of limiting misinformation which is why we have taken aggressive steps to combat it — from creating a global network of over 70 fact-checking partners and promoting accurate information to removing content when it breaks our rules , '' said Andy Stone , a Facebook spokesman .
`` There 's no silver bullet to addressing this challenge , which is why we continue to consult with outside experts , grow our fact-checking program , and improve our internal technical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Oregon shows that once this kind of hoax starts spreading , it is extremely difficult to stamp out .
`` When you think of the psychology of misinformation , you can think of something like molding clay , '' said Dolores Albarracín , a psychology professor at the University of Illinois .
`` When you have soft clay , you can print anything you want on to it ... Once it dries out , though , then that 's it .
Your print or shape is set . ''
So while fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the real challenge is stopping harmful hoaxes from going viral in the first place .
Now , some experts are promoting a new way for social media platforms to hit pause on their powerful amplification engines .
It is modeled on the stock market 's method of halting trading when stocks are too volatile .
`` If the S & P drops really suddenly , we 've had these thresholds in place for a lot of years now .
The market will stop and that will automatically trigger review , '' said Erin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the left-leaning Center for American Progress .
Those automatic triggers are called circuit breakers .
Simpson says social media also needs circuit breakers to stop the viral spread that platforms are designed to encourage .
When a controversial topic is gaining steam , Facebook or Twitter could limit its reach , while reviewing disputed information .
`` A system like this could maybe make it harder for stuff to go viral , instead of the status quo , which is a set of Facebook business products [ that ] make it easier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Simpson and a colleague at CAP described such a viral circuit breaker in a paper last month , building off an idea first proposed by Ellen Goodman , a law professor at Rutgers University .
`` Pausing waves of virality could stem disinformation , deepfakes , bot-generated speech , and other categories of information especially likely to manipulate listeners , '' Goodman wrote .
Now , the idea is even gaining traction inside Facebook .
The company told The Verge it is testing this kind of speed bump for viral posts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ NPR 's financial supporters .

Can Circuit Breakers Stop Viral Rumors On Facebook, Twitter?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Jantzer/AP Kevin Jantzer/AP
Critics of Facebook and Twitter — and even some people inside the companies — say dramatic action is needed to counter the way the platforms supercharge false, and sometimes dangerous, claims.
On social media, it is easy for rumors to go viral, while efforts to fact check or correct those rumors often lag behind. That dynamic has been playing out in Oregon. This month, despite efforts by the companies to quell viral unsupported rumors about massive wildfires, hoaxes spread quickly, diverting law enforcement resources at a critical time.
A case study in Oregon
In early September, Cameron Hill and his family fled their home as wildfires raged across Clackamas County, south of Portland. But as they were trying to figure out what was happening and whether their property was damaged, they encountered disturbing rumors.
"I heard that police had several activists in custody down in Eugene actually seen starting fires," Hill told Oregon Public Broadcasting on Sep. 9. "And I heard ... someone actually engaged them on their farm with Molotovs, catching their property on fire."
The unfounded rumors Hill heard were lighting up social media: They said the fires had been intentionally set by left-wing arsonists — specifically, Black Lives Matter or antifa, a loosely defined antifascist movement.
None of those claims were true. Law enforcement in Oregon and even the FBI said there was no evidence that any activist or political groups were involved in the fires.
And yet, local 911 dispatchers were soon overrun with calls. The rumors caused so much disruption, police departments took to Facebook and Twitter to beg people to stop spreading them.
Tim Fox, a captain with the Oregon State Police, said he received a hundred emails about the false claims, creating more work and diverting resources from actual emergencies.
"The fires, the evacuations, the security of the places, you know, we still have our regular calls for service. Life hasn't stopped," he said. "All these rumors and things that are going around are tough because we have to find people to respond to them, to investigate them, to check them out."
Social media's design helps hoaxes go viral
Part of the reason these claims spread so widely on Facebook, in particular, is that the world's biggest social network rewards engagement. Posts that get lots of shares, comments and likes get shown to more people, quickly amplifying their reach.
Facebook is well aware of its power to make stories go viral. As the fire rumors proliferated, the company put warnings on some posts its fact checkers had found false and reduced their distribution.
But that wasn't enough to quell the rumors. On Sep. 12, a day after the FBI put out its statement declaring the reports untrue and at least three days after the claims began spreading on social media, Facebook began removing posts connecting left-wing activists to the fires.
By then, however, hundreds of thousands of people had seen the false posts.
The claims were being amplified by social media accounts known to spread false information, including followers of Qanon, a baseless conspiracy theory, as well as by Russian state news outlet RT.
"What that said to us is that they're waiting too long," said Karen Kornbluh, director of the Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a think tank.
Kornbluh's research team found the debunked claims still spreading in large private Facebook groups, some with hundreds of thousands of members, several days after Facebook said it was removing such posts.
Facebook said it was using artificial intelligence and human review to find and take down the hoax everywhere it appeared, including in private groups. The company said some of the posts in the private groups the German Marshall Fund identified had already been deleted by users, and the company removed the rest.
"We share the goal of limiting misinformation which is why we have taken aggressive steps to combat it — from creating a global network of over 70 fact-checking partners and promoting accurate information to removing content when it breaks our rules," said Andy Stone, a Facebook spokesman. "There's no silver bullet to addressing this challenge, which is why we continue to consult with outside experts, grow our fact-checking program, and improve our internal technical capabilities."
Still, what happened in Oregon shows that once this kind of hoax starts spreading, it is extremely difficult to stamp out.
"When you think of the psychology of misinformation, you can think of something like molding clay," said Dolores Albarracín, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois. "When you have soft clay, you can print anything you want on to it ... Once it dries out, though, then that's it. Your print or shape is set."
So while fact checks and removing posts can help, the real challenge is stopping harmful hoaxes from going viral in the first place.
Stock markets have "circuit breakers." Should social media?
Now, some experts are promoting a new way for social media platforms to hit pause on their powerful amplification engines.
It is modeled on the stock market's method of halting trading when stocks are too volatile.
"If the S&P drops really suddenly, we've had these thresholds in place for a lot of years now. The market will stop and that will automatically trigger review," said Erin Simpson, associate director of technology policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress.
Those automatic triggers are called circuit breakers. Simpson says social media also needs circuit breakers to stop the viral spread that platforms are designed to encourage.
When a controversial topic is gaining steam, Facebook or Twitter could limit its reach, while reviewing disputed information.
"A system like this could maybe make it harder for stuff to go viral, instead of the status quo, which is a set of Facebook business products [that] make it easier to go viral," Simpson said.
Simpson and a colleague at CAP described such a viral circuit breaker in a paper last month, building off an idea first proposed by Ellen Goodman, a law professor at Rutgers University.
"Pausing waves of virality could stem disinformation, deepfakes, bot-generated speech, and other categories of information especially likely to manipulate listeners," Goodman wrote.
Now, the idea is even gaining traction inside Facebook. The company told The Verge it is testing this kind of speed bump for viral posts.
Editor's note: Facebook is among NPR's financial supporters.
Oregon Public Broadcasting's Monica Samayoa contributed to this report.


npr--2020-09-22--Parents, Child Charged After Underage Drinking Party Led School To Online Classes

Police have charged a Massachusetts high school student and the youth 's parents with allegedly hosting a house party with underage drinking , a gathering that led the town 's high school to delay in-person classes by two weeks amid coronavirus concerns .
The family members , who live in Sudbury , were charged under the state 's `` social host '' law , which penalizes anyone `` who is in control of the premises and who furnishes alcohol or allows it to be consumed [ by underage people ] on those premises , '' with fines of up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of imprisonment or both .
The party was held late Sept. 11 at a private residence where police say they broke up a gathering of at least 50 students thought to be underage and from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School .
There were no masks , and attendees did not appear to be practicing social distancing , police said .
The town 's health board released a statement saying that there were `` no known positive COVID cases involving these students at the time of this release . ''
However , the town was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the party — many of them unknown — and therefore could n't accurately assess the risk .
`` As a result , the Board of Health and Lincoln Sudbury Regional School High School ( LSRHS ) , in consultation with the school physician , collectively decided to delay in-person learning , '' the statement reads .
The high school was originally to begin in-person classes on Sept. 15 but will now keep students out of classrooms for at least two weeks .
The health board is recommending that the partygoers be tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's health board and the school health office if they become symptomatic .
`` These criminal charges are not unique to our town .
The 'Social Host Law ' is often charged when a department identifies gatherings allowing underage alcohol consumption , '' the Sudbury Police Department wrote in a Facebook post about the incident .
Last week in Attleboro , Mass.
, nearly 30 students were required to quarantine after possibly being exposed to the coronavirus after a high schooler was sent to classes even though the teen tested positive days earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person classes because students attended parties in Dedham , Reading and the Dover-Sherborn area .

Parents, Child Charged After 50-Student House Party Leads To Classes Moved Online
Police have charged a Massachusetts high school student and the youth's parents with allegedly hosting a house party with underage drinking, a gathering that led the town's high school to delay in-person classes by two weeks amid coronavirus concerns.
The family members, who live in Sudbury, were charged under the state's "social host" law, which penalizes anyone "who is in control of the premises and who furnishes alcohol or allows it to be consumed [by underage people] on those premises," with fines of up to $2,000, up to a year of imprisonment or both.
The party was held late Sept. 11 at a private residence where police say they broke up a gathering of at least 50 students thought to be underage and from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. There were no masks, and attendees did not appear to be practicing social distancing, police said.
The town's health board released a statement saying that there were "no known positive COVID cases involving these students at the time of this release." However, the town was not able to consult with the attendees of the party — many of them unknown — and therefore couldn't accurately assess the risk.
"As a result, the Board of Health and Lincoln Sudbury Regional School High School (LSRHS), in consultation with the school physician, collectively decided to delay in-person learning," the statement reads.
The high school was originally to begin in-person classes on Sept. 15 but will now keep students out of classrooms for at least two weeks. The health board is recommending that the partygoers be tested for the coronavirus and notify the town's health board and the school health office if they become symptomatic.
"These criminal charges are not unique to our town. The 'Social Host Law' is often charged when a department identifies gatherings allowing underage alcohol consumption," the Sudbury Police Department wrote in a Facebook post about the incident.
Last week in Attleboro, Mass., nearly 30 students were required to quarantine after possibly being exposed to the coronavirus after a high schooler was sent to classes even though the teen tested positive days earlier.
Other Massachusetts high schools have delayed in-person classes because students attended parties in Dedham, Reading and the Dover-Sherborn area.


npr--2020-09-22--Facebook Removes Chinese Accounts Posting About Foreign Policy, 2020 Election

Facebook says it has taken down a network of China-based fake accounts whose posts included content about the U.S. presidential election .
Most of the activity by the more than 180 fake accounts , groups and pages was focused on Southeast Asia , Nathaniel Gleicher , Facebook 's head of security policy , said in a blog post Tuesday .
The network posted in Chinese , Filipino and English about global news and events , including naval activity in the South China Sea , protests in Hong Kong and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines .
There was also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the accounts `` posted content both in support of and against presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg , Joe Biden and Donald Trump , '' Gleicher said .
He noted that the network `` gained almost no following '' in the United States .
U.S. intelligence officials have warned that China , along with Russia and Iran , are engaging in election interference and that China would prefer to see President Trump lose in November .
However , experts who study foreign influence operations say they have not yet seen large-scale efforts from Beijing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Policy Research Institute and former FBI special agent , said the operation Facebook removed reflected China 's focus on its foreign policy objectives rather than election interference .
`` They spend very little time talking about the election compared to Russia , and I think this was nothing more than , they 're talking about defense and foreign policy , '' he said , citing the network 's fixation on the South China Sea , where the U.S. and China have long been at odds .
Watts said the activity related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' efforts to develop an American audience , rather than influence the outcome of the vote .
`` When they 're talking about the candidates , they want to have a space in the audience on both sides of the aisle , probably because they do n't know who 's going to win , '' he said .
An investigation by the research firm Graphika , commissioned by Facebook , said the recurrent `` theme '' of the network was maritime security , `` especially the achievements of the Chinese Navy . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ named the operation `` Naval Gazing . ''
Graphika found the network began running accounts posing as Americans and posting about the election in April 2019 .
It first created a group backing Buttigieg , the former South Bend , Ind.
, mayor who at the time was a Democratic presidential candidate .
As of Sep. 9 , that group had just two members — both accounts run by the network .
Between May and August 2020 , the network added three separate groups supporting Trump , criticizing him and backing former Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the largest following , with about 1,400 members , while the pro-Trump group had three .
The operation also created fake accounts to support its activities in the United States .
`` The operation did not single out either candidate for preferential treatment .
Many of the accounts in this phase of the operation were barely active , '' Graphika said in its report .
Gleicher said Facebook 's investigation linked the network to individuals in China 's Fujian province .
It removed the accounts because they violated its policy against `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign or government entity . ''
The accounts posed as locals in the countries they targeted and took `` operational security steps to conceal their identity and location , '' he said .
Facebook also said it had removed a separate network of 108 accounts and pages originating from and focused on the Philippines .
`` Although the people behind this activity attempted to conceal their identities , our investigation found links to Philippine military and Philippine police , '' Gleicher said .
Editor 's note : Facebook is among NPR 's financial @ @

Facebook Removes Chinese Accounts Posting About Foreign Policy, 2020 Election
Enlarge this image toggle caption Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
Facebook says it has taken down a network of China-based fake accounts whose posts included content about the U.S. presidential election.
Most of the activity by the more than 180 fake accounts, groups and pages was focused on Southeast Asia, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of security policy, said in a blog post Tuesday.
The network posted in Chinese, Filipino and English about global news and events, including naval activity in the South China Sea, protests in Hong Kong and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines.
There was also a modest effort in the U.S., where the accounts "posted content both in support of and against presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden and Donald Trump," Gleicher said. He noted that the network "gained almost no following" in the United States.
U.S. intelligence officials have warned that China, along with Russia and Iran, are engaging in election interference and that China would prefer to see President Trump lose in November. However, experts who study foreign influence operations say they have not yet seen large-scale efforts from Beijing.
Clint Watts, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and former FBI special agent, said the operation Facebook removed reflected China's focus on its foreign policy objectives rather than election interference.
"They spend very little time talking about the election compared to Russia, and I think this was nothing more than, they're talking about defense and foreign policy," he said, citing the network's fixation on the South China Sea, where the U.S. and China have long been at odds.
Watts said the activity related to the presidential candidates was likely "reconnaissance" efforts to develop an American audience, rather than influence the outcome of the vote. "When they're talking about the candidates, they want to have a space in the audience on both sides of the aisle, probably because they don't know who's going to win," he said.
An investigation by the research firm Graphika, commissioned by Facebook, said the recurrent "theme" of the network was maritime security, "especially the achievements of the Chinese Navy." The topic was so dominant, Graphika named the operation "Naval Gazing."
Graphika found the network began running accounts posing as Americans and posting about the election in April 2019. It first created a group backing Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Ind., mayor who at the time was a Democratic presidential candidate. As of Sep. 9, that group had just two members — both accounts run by the network.
Between May and August 2020, the network added three separate groups supporting Trump, criticizing him and backing former Vice President Joe Biden. The Biden group had the largest following, with about 1,400 members, while the pro-Trump group had three. The operation also created fake accounts to support its activities in the United States.
"The operation did not single out either candidate for preferential treatment. Many of the accounts in this phase of the operation were barely active," Graphika said in its report.
Gleicher said Facebook's investigation linked the network to individuals in China's Fujian province. It removed the accounts because they violated its policy against "coordinated inauthentic behavior on behalf of a foreign or government entity." The accounts posed as locals in the countries they targeted and took "operational security steps to conceal their identity and location," he said.
Facebook also said it had removed a separate network of 108 accounts and pages originating from and focused on the Philippines.
"Although the people behind this activity attempted to conceal their identities, our investigation found links to Philippine military and Philippine police," Gleicher said.
Editor's note: Facebook is among NPR's financial supporters.


npr--2020-09-22--'Hamilton' Cast Re-imagines Show's Lyrics To Promote Voter Registration Day

In the musical Hamilton , there 's an entire song about the election of 1800 — the contest between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson that marked the first peaceful transfer of power between opposing political factions in U.S. history .
America now is on the cusp of the election of 2020 — and cast members of the hit Broadway show have repurposed some of the show 's soundtrack with new lyrics to promote voting .
Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda performed the re-imagined songs with roughly a dozen cast members as part of a virtual voter turnout event hosted by former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group When We All Vote .
The group , co-chaired by Obama , Miranda and other celebrities , launched before the 2018 midterms with the aim of boosting voter turnout among young voters and people of color .
Tuesday 's Hamilton public service announcement was part of a larger lineup of conversations and performances to mark National Voter Registration Day and designed to target the youth vote .
Instead of unfurling the biography of Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers , the new lyrics are packed with messaging about voter participation — laying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casting a ballot .
`` Alexander Hamilton , '' the show 's opening number , is reworked to center on `` Ordinary Citizen '' and tells the story of voter turnout in recent elections — and the people who stayed home .
`` A third of us were n't willing to choose a direction and 80,000 voters across three states was all it took to swing the whole election , '' actor Daniel Yearwood , a member of the current Broadway cast , sings about the 2016 election .
Mandy Gonzalez , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , picks up the history with the 2018 midterms .
`` Then the midterms came and is n't it a shame , '' she sings .
`` A quarter of young people let the election go right past them .
They might have made a difference — but the registration deadline came and went and some did n't register because no one asked them . ''
The song `` Aaron Burr , Sir '' now details how to register and ways to vote — early , in person or by mail .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` Hamilton '' refrain into a chorus of `` vote by mail . ''
And `` The Election of 1800 '' lays out the importance not of the contest between Adams and Jefferson , but instead , the current election that 's just a few weeks away .
`` Our nation is asking to hear your voice because November is coming and so is your choice , '' Miranda sings .
`` Now , I 've said this before and it matters a lot .
Do not throw away your shot .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a sacrifice .
...
If you 're hearing my voice you know what to do .
My future depends on this .
Yours does too . ''
The group When We All Vote has been looking for inventive ways to reach young voters , particularly as the pandemic has stopped many in-person voter registration drives or celebrity-studded rallies that have been the hallmark of youth voter outreach efforts in past elections .
`` Young people are a very powerful bloc of voters , and they could really change the course of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephanie Young , the group 's chief officer for communications , culture and media partnership , recently told NPR .
According to the Brookings Institution , millennial and some Generation Z voters make up about 37 % of eligible voters but have traditionally had a lower propensity to turn out than other groups .
At the end of the clip released Tuesday , Obama seems to acknowledge that viewers who are logging on to watch a voting-themed Hamilton feature might not be the voters who are skipping out on Election Day — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what 's on the line this fall .
`` I know that you all understand that , '' she said .
`` Let 's make sure that everyone in our community does , too . ''

'Hamilton' Cast Re-imagines Show's Lyrics To Promote Voter Registration Day
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
In the musical Hamilton, there's an entire song about the election of 1800 — the contest between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson that marked the first peaceful transfer of power between opposing political factions in U.S. history.
America now is on the cusp of the election of 2020 — and cast members of the hit Broadway show have repurposed some of the show's soundtrack with new lyrics to promote voting.
Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda performed the re-imagined songs with roughly a dozen cast members as part of a virtual voter turnout event hosted by former first lady Michelle Obama and the nonprofit group When We All Vote.
YouTube
The group, co-chaired by Obama, Miranda and other celebrities, launched before the 2018 midterms with the aim of boosting voter turnout among young voters and people of color. Tuesday's Hamilton public service announcement was part of a larger lineup of conversations and performances to mark National Voter Registration Day and designed to target the youth vote.
Instead of unfurling the biography of Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers, the new lyrics are packed with messaging about voter participation — laying out the stakes and the nitty-gritty of casting a ballot.
"Alexander Hamilton," the show's opening number, is reworked to center on "Ordinary Citizen" and tells the story of voter turnout in recent elections — and the people who stayed home.
"A third of us weren't willing to choose a direction and 80,000 voters across three states was all it took to swing the whole election," actor Daniel Yearwood, a member of the current Broadway cast, sings about the 2016 election.
Mandy Gonzalez, who plays Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway production, picks up the history with the 2018 midterms.
"Then the midterms came and isn't it a shame," she sings. "A quarter of young people let the election go right past them. They might have made a difference — but the registration deadline came and went and some didn't register because no one asked them."
The song "Aaron Burr, Sir" now details how to register and ways to vote — early, in person or by mail. The song "Guns and Ships" turns the "Hamilton" refrain into a chorus of "vote by mail." And "The Election of 1800" lays out the importance not of the contest between Adams and Jefferson, but instead, the current election that's just a few weeks away.
"Our nation is asking to hear your voice because November is coming and so is your choice," Miranda sings. "Now, I've said this before and it matters a lot. Do not throw away your shot. I know it takes time. It's a sacrifice. ... If you're hearing my voice you know what to do. My future depends on this. Yours does too."
The group When We All Vote has been looking for inventive ways to reach young voters, particularly as the pandemic has stopped many in-person voter registration drives or celebrity-studded rallies that have been the hallmark of youth voter outreach efforts in past elections.
"Young people are a very powerful bloc of voters, and they could really change the course of this country if they all voted," Stephanie Young, the group's chief officer for communications, culture and media partnership, recently told NPR.
According to the Brookings Institution, millennial and some Generation Z voters make up about 37% of eligible voters but have traditionally had a lower propensity to turn out than other groups.
At the end of the clip released Tuesday, Obama seems to acknowledge that viewers who are logging on to watch a voting-themed Hamilton feature might not be the voters who are skipping out on Election Day — and encouraged them to remind friends and family of what's on the line this fall.
"I know that you all understand that," she said. "Let's make sure that everyone in our community does, too."


npr--2020-09-22--No Charges Against Tucson Police Officers In Death Of Carlos Ingram-Lopez

No Charges Against Tucson Police Officers In Death Of Carlos Ingram-Lopez '' There is insufficient evidence to prove negligent or reckless homicide '' in the death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez in April , prosecutors in Pima County , Ariz. , say , opting against criminal charges despite finding that Tucson police officers who placed him in custody failed to follow protocol and created an `` unjustifiable risk . ''
Ingram-Lopez , 27 , died after being handcuffed and held face-down in a garage for some 12 minutes .
For much of that time , police kept two plastic emergency blankets and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his head .
The case sparked public protests in Tucson this summer , prompting Police Chief Chris Magnus to offer to resign as details emerged about the fatal encounter .
The city opted not to accept his resignation .
Prosecutors had been weighing potential charges of assault , unlawful imprisonment , and reckless manslaughter or negligent homicide .
But their investigation found that while officers used physical force to restrain him , `` There is no evidence that any of the officers struck , hit , kicked , or choked Mr. Ingram-Lopez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to harm Ingram-Lopez .
The Pima County Attorney 's Office announced its decision not to pursue charges in a 14-page letter to Magnus .
In it , they cite inconclusive findings in medical opinions about what caused Ingram-Lopez 's death .
Toxicology tests were positive for cocaine .
The county medical examiner concluded that Ingram-Lopez ' death was caused by `` sudden cardiac arrest in the setting of acute cocaine intoxication and physical restraint , '' with an enlarged heart as `` a significant contributing condition . ''
But an independent autopsy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cocaine was n't enough to explain the death .
That report , by forensic pathologist Dr. Phillip Keen , added that the circumstances were `` consistent with an asphyxia event ( suffocation ) . ''
But prosecutors noted that Keen has separately been named in criminal charges alleging perjury , adding that an agreement related to those charges precludes him from testifying in any criminal case .
Officers had been called by Ingram-Lopez 's grandmother , who told a 911 operator that she wanted help getting him out of her home because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on drugs and was not wearing any clothes .
The prosecutor 's office says , `` the failure of the officers to call for paramedics immediately , and leaving Mr. Ingram-Lopez on his stomach in the prone position with his arms handcuffed behind his back for several minutes without checking on his breathing and attending to him were gross deviations from the standard of care these officers were trained to provide . ''
The officers `` should have been aware of the potential risk of death , '' the report states .
Ingram-Lopez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of another man , Damien Alvarado , 29 , in Tucson .
A review board of experts and community members recently issued more than 50 recommendations for the police department , hoping to avoid similar cases in the future .
`` Insufficient training , a lack of Spanish-speaking 911 dispatchers and the use of spit socks to protect officers from COVID-19 were some of the 32 factors that contributed to the in-custody deaths , '' Arizona Public Media reported .
`` In Ingram-Lopez 's case , the dispatcher did n't speak Spanish and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his drug ingestion , '' APM said .
`` The board concluded that , along with other missteps , led officers to approach the situation with an arrest mentality as opposed to an assist mentality . ''
The three officers who were the first to reach the scene — Jonathan Jackson , Samuel Routledge and Ryan Starbuck — all resigned as the incident was being investigated .
Chief Magnus later said they would have been fired anyway , as their actions fell short of department standards .
`` I can not stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez during his encounter with officers from our department , '' Magnus said in an email to NPR this summer .

No Charges Against Tucson Police Officers In Death Of Carlos Ingram-Lopez
Enlarge this image toggle caption Caitlin O'Hara/Getty Images Caitlin O'Hara/Getty Images
"There is insufficient evidence to prove negligent or reckless homicide" in the death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez in April, prosecutors in Pima County, Ariz., say, opting against criminal charges despite finding that Tucson police officers who placed him in custody failed to follow protocol and created an "unjustifiable risk."
Ingram-Lopez, 27, died after being handcuffed and held face-down in a garage for some 12 minutes. For much of that time, police kept two plastic emergency blankets and a "spit sock hood" over his head.
The case sparked public protests in Tucson this summer, prompting Police Chief Chris Magnus to offer to resign as details emerged about the fatal encounter. The city opted not to accept his resignation.
Prosecutors had been weighing potential charges of assault, unlawful imprisonment, and reckless manslaughter or negligent homicide. But their investigation found that while officers used physical force to restrain him, "There is no evidence that any of the officers struck, hit, kicked, or choked Mr. Ingram-Lopez," or that any of the officers intended to harm Ingram-Lopez.
The Pima County Attorney's Office announced its decision not to pursue charges in a 14-page letter to Magnus. In it, they cite inconclusive findings in medical opinions about what caused Ingram-Lopez's death.
Toxicology tests were positive for cocaine. The county medical examiner concluded that Ingram-Lopez' death was caused by "sudden cardiac arrest in the setting of acute cocaine intoxication and physical restraint," with an enlarged heart as "a significant contributing condition."
But an independent autopsy commissioned by Ingram-Lopez's family asserted that the cocaine wasn't enough to explain the death. That report, by forensic pathologist Dr. Phillip Keen, added that the circumstances were "consistent with an asphyxia event (suffocation)."
But prosecutors noted that Keen has separately been named in criminal charges alleging perjury, adding that an agreement related to those charges precludes him from testifying in any criminal case.
Officers had been called by Ingram-Lopez's grandmother, who told a 911 operator that she wanted help getting him out of her home because her grandson was "crazy" and on drugs and was not wearing any clothes.
The prosecutor's office says, "the failure of the officers to call for paramedics immediately, and leaving Mr. Ingram-Lopez on his stomach in the prone position with his arms handcuffed behind his back for several minutes without checking on his breathing and attending to him were gross deviations from the standard of care these officers were trained to provide."
The officers "should have been aware of the potential risk of death," the report states.
Ingram-Lopez died one month after the in-custody death of another man, Damien Alvarado, 29, in Tucson. A review board of experts and community members recently issued more than 50 recommendations for the police department, hoping to avoid similar cases in the future.
"Insufficient training, a lack of Spanish-speaking 911 dispatchers and the use of spit socks to protect officers from COVID-19 were some of the 32 factors that contributed to the in-custody deaths," Arizona Public Media reported.
"In Ingram-Lopez's case, the dispatcher didn't speak Spanish and didn't relay details from his grandmother about his drug ingestion," APM said. "The board concluded that, along with other missteps, led officers to approach the situation with an arrest mentality as opposed to an assist mentality."
The three officers who were the first to reach the scene — Jonathan Jackson, Samuel Routledge and Ryan Starbuck — all resigned as the incident was being investigated. Chief Magnus later said they would have been fired anyway, as their actions fell short of department standards.
"I cannot stress strongly enough that I feel terrible about the death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez during his encounter with officers from our department," Magnus said in an email to NPR this summer.


npr--2020-09-22--Louisville Mayor Declares State Of Emergency Ahead of Breonna Taylor Announcement

Greg Fischer , the mayor of Louisville , Ky. , said Tuesday he has declared a state of emergency for the city `` due to the potential for civil unrest . ''
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is poised to announce whether his office will bring charges against the police officers who fatally shot 26-year-old Breonna Taylor during a botched narcotics raid at her home on March 13 .
The mayor reiterated he has no insight about when Cameron 's decision will be announced , but he said the city must be prepared .
`` Our goal is ensuring space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and express their First Amendment rights after the announcement , '' Fischer said in a statement .
`` At the same time , we are preparing for any eventuality to keep everyone safe . ''
The move comes a week after Fischer announced the city would pay Taylor 's family $ 12 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit as well as to institute several police reforms .
The executive order allows the mayor to `` exercise any of his emergency powers , '' which include the ability to hire or contract services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a statement the mayor tweeted Tuesday .
Another executive order restricts access to five parking garages in the city 's downtown area and bans street parking in some areas .
The goal , according to the mayor 's statement , is to `` provide an extra layer of security for protests '' in and around the city 's Jefferson Square Park , the site of demonstrations this summer .
The mayor issued a curfew in late May and early June during the early days of the demonstrations , and the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station WFPL reported .
The mayor 's announcement comes on the heels of the Louisville Metro Police Department saying that `` a decision was made to accelerate plans '' to restrict access to several parts of downtown .
A federal judge ordered the Gene Snyder U.S .
Courthouse and Custom House would be closed this week , also in anticipation of Cameron 's decision , according to Louisville 's Courier-Journal .
Earlier this month , Cameron , Kentucky 's first Black attorney general , said in a statement that the investigation , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a specific timeline . ''

Louisville Mayor Declares State Of Emergency Ahead Of Breonna Taylor Announcement
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jon Cherry/Getty Images Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Greg Fischer, the mayor of Louisville, Ky., said Tuesday he has declared a state of emergency for the city "due to the potential for civil unrest."
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is poised to announce whether his office will bring charges against the police officers who fatally shot 26-year-old Breonna Taylor during a botched narcotics raid at her home on March 13.
The mayor reiterated he has no insight about when Cameron's decision will be announced, but he said the city must be prepared.
"Our goal is ensuring space and opportunity for potential protesters to gather and express their First Amendment rights after the announcement," Fischer said in a statement. "At the same time, we are preparing for any eventuality to keep everyone safe."
The move comes a week after Fischer announced the city would pay Taylor's family $12 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit as well as to institute several police reforms.
The executive order allows the mayor to "exercise any of his emergency powers," which include the ability to hire or contract services and enact curfews and other restrictions, according to a statement the mayor tweeted Tuesday.
Another executive order restricts access to five parking garages in the city's downtown area and bans street parking in some areas.
The goal, according to the mayor's statement, is to "provide an extra layer of security for protests" in and around the city's Jefferson Square Park, the site of demonstrations this summer.
The mayor issued a curfew in late May and early June during the early days of the demonstrations, and the National Guard was activated, Louisville NPR member station WFPL reported.
The mayor's announcement comes on the heels of the Louisville Metro Police Department saying that "a decision was made to accelerate plans" to restrict access to several parts of downtown.
A federal judge ordered the Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse and Custom House would be closed this week, also in anticipation of Cameron's decision, according to Louisville's Courier-Journal.
Earlier this month, Cameron, Kentucky's first Black attorney general, said in a statement that the investigation, "if done properly, cannot follow a specific timeline."


npr--2020-09-22--CDC's Halloween Guidelines Warn Against Typical Trick-Or-Treating

In a year that 's been plenty scary , this much is clear : Pandemic Halloween will be different than regular Halloween .
Many traditional ways of celebrating are now considerably more frightful than usual , because now they bring the risk of spreading the coronavirus .
Accordingly , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines on how to celebrate Halloween safely .
No big surprise : Classic door-to-door trick-or-treating and crowded , boozy costume parties are not recommended .
The CDC 's guidelines group Halloween activities into lower-risk , moderate-risk and higher-risk buckets .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events where kids get treats from the trunks of cars in a big parking lot .
Also no-nos : indoor haunted houses where people will be crowded and screaming , which could send infectious particles flying .
Going on hayrides with people who are n't in your household or fall festivals in rural areas also carry a risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 .
And using alcohol and drugs `` can cloud [ judgment ] and increase risky behaviors , '' the CDC warns — though that 's equally true in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thrills instead ?
The agency says this way of trick-or-treating poses a moderate risk ( compared with the higher risk of the traditional style ) : Kids could pick up individually wrapped gift bags at the end of a driveway or yard while still preserving social distance .
You could also organize a small outdoor costume parade where everyone is 6 feet apart .
An outdoor costume party would also be considered moderate risk , if people wear masks and stay 6 feet away from each other .
Haunted houses are out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC says an open-air scare-fest is moderately risky , so long as the route is one-way , people wear masks appropriately and stay 6 feet apart .
But there 's a caveat : `` If screaming will likely occur , greater distancing is advised . ''
What about apple picking and pumpkin patches ?
Risks can be reduced if people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or apples , wear masks and maintain social distance .
Also on the moderate-risk list : an outdoor scary movie night with local friends who are socially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is , the more space is needed for safe social distancing .
If you want to be really safe ?
Then you need to plan for either virtual activities or ones that you do largely with your own household .
The CDC 's lower-risk activities include carving pumpkins with your household , or outdoors with friends while socially distanced .
It also suggests a Halloween scavenger hunt : looking for witches , spiderwebs and black cats outside houses while walking around — or a scavenger hunt for treats in your own home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costume mask is no substitute for a cloth mask , according to the agency , but do n't double up with one over the other because that can make it hard to breathe .
Instead , consider a Halloween-themed cloth mask , the CDC suggests .
A costume mask can protect against spreading the coronavirus if it 's like a regular cloth mask : two or more layers of breathable fabric covering the nose and mouth , without gaps around the face .
And remember this , friendly neighbors : If you think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed to someone who does , do n't attend in-person Halloween activities — and certainly do n't hand out candy to trick-or-treaters .

CDC's Halloween Guidelines Warn Against Typical Trick-Or-Treating
Enlarge this image toggle caption ArtMarie/Getty Images ArtMarie/Getty Images
In a year that's been plenty scary, this much is clear: Pandemic Halloween will be different than regular Halloween. Many traditional ways of celebrating are now considerably more frightful than usual, because now they bring the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Accordingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines on how to celebrate Halloween safely. No big surprise: Classic door-to-door trick-or-treating and crowded, boozy costume parties are not recommended.
The CDC's guidelines group Halloween activities into lower-risk, moderate-risk and higher-risk buckets.
The higher-risk category includes both door-to-door trick-or-treating and events where kids get treats from the trunks of cars in a big parking lot.
Also no-nos: indoor haunted houses where people will be crowded and screaming, which could send infectious particles flying. Going on hayrides with people who aren't in your household or fall festivals in rural areas also carry a risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. And using alcohol and drugs "can cloud [judgment] and increase risky behaviors," the CDC warns — though that's equally true in any season.
How to get your thrills instead?
The agency says this way of trick-or-treating poses a moderate risk (compared with the higher risk of the traditional style): Kids could pick up individually wrapped gift bags at the end of a driveway or yard while still preserving social distance.
You could also organize a small outdoor costume parade where everyone is 6 feet apart. An outdoor costume party would also be considered moderate risk, if people wear masks and stay 6 feet away from each other.
Haunted houses are out, and haunted forests are in. The CDC says an open-air scare-fest is moderately risky, so long as the route is one-way, people wear masks appropriately and stay 6 feet apart. But there's a caveat: "If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised."
What about apple picking and pumpkin patches? Risks can be reduced if people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or apples, wear masks and maintain social distance.
Also on the moderate-risk list: an outdoor scary movie night with local friends who are socially distanced. Again: The more screaming there is, the more space is needed for safe social distancing.
If you want to be really safe? Then you need to plan for either virtual activities or ones that you do largely with your own household.
The CDC's lower-risk activities include carving pumpkins with your household, or outdoors with friends while socially distanced. It also suggests a Halloween scavenger hunt: looking for witches, spiderwebs and black cats outside houses while walking around — or a scavenger hunt for treats in your own home.
And what about masks? A costume mask is no substitute for a cloth mask, according to the agency, but don't double up with one over the other because that can make it hard to breathe. Instead, consider a Halloween-themed cloth mask, the CDC suggests.
A costume mask can protect against spreading the coronavirus if it's like a regular cloth mask: two or more layers of breathable fabric covering the nose and mouth, without gaps around the face.
And remember this, friendly neighbors: If you think you might have COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who does, don't attend in-person Halloween activities — and certainly don't hand out candy to trick-or-treaters.