npr--2020-11-02--A Sign Of The Times: Across U.S., City Storefronts Boarded Up Ahead Of Election

A Sign Of The Times : Across U.S. , City Storefronts Boarded Up Ahead Of Election Plywood window coverings have blanketed high-end shopping areas of big U.S. cities ahead of Tuesday 's election .
It 's an eerie sight in a country built on the idea of a peaceful transition of power .
In fact , that kind of signal is exactly why city authorities have generally advised business owners not to board up , promising stepped-up security measures .
Still , plywood panels are dotting major streets in Boston and New York , San Francisco and Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are on edge from break-ins during the summer , when looters took advantage of a nationwide wave of civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd .
In the nation 's capital , some new boards went up alongside some old ones on storefronts that have remained boarded for months now , many sprouting murals , memorials and graffiti art .
The District of Columbia 's guidance for businesses did not recommend boarding up for the election , and city authorities said they were not aware of any credible threats of violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While we intend to remain open where possible , out of an abundance of caution the windows of select stores in key cities will be boarded in anticipation of potential election related activity , '' luxury retailer Tiffany said in a statement to NPR .
A spokesperson for Macy 's said the windows on its Herald Square store in New York City `` were previously scheduled to be dark this week in setup for our annual holiday displays .
Out of an abundance of caution , we are implementing additional security measures at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative of Target also cited an abundance of caution .
`` We are taking precautionary steps to ensure the safety of our stores , '' she said .
`` This may [ include ] boarding in some locations . ''
Walmart last week temporarily pulled guns and ammunition off shelves , prompting speculation that the retailer was also heeding possible fallout from the election .
But the retailer reversed its decision and brought firearms back to sales floors on Friday .

A Sign Of The Times: Across U.S., City Storefronts Boarded Up Ahead Of Election
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP
Plywood window coverings have blanketed high-end shopping areas of big U.S. cities ahead of Tuesday's election.
It's an eerie sight in a country built on the idea of a peaceful transition of power. In fact, that kind of signal is exactly why city authorities have generally advised business owners not to board up, promising stepped-up security measures.
Still, plywood panels are dotting major streets in Boston and New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Store owners are on edge from break-ins during the summer, when looters took advantage of a nationwide wave of civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Dwyer/AP Michael Dwyer/AP
In the nation's capital, some new boards went up alongside some old ones on storefronts that have remained boarded for months now, many sprouting murals, memorials and graffiti art.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
The District of Columbia's guidance for businesses did not recommend boarding up for the election, and city authorities said they were not aware of any credible threats of violence as of late last week.
"While we intend to remain open where possible, out of an abundance of caution the windows of select stores in key cities will be boarded in anticipation of potential election related activity," luxury retailer Tiffany said in a statement to NPR.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris Delmas/AFP/Getty Images Chris Delmas/AFP/Getty Images
A spokesperson for Macy's said the windows on its Herald Square store in New York City "were previously scheduled to be dark this week in setup for our annual holiday displays. Out of an abundance of caution, we are implementing additional security measures at several of our stores."
A representative of Target also cited an abundance of caution. "We are taking precautionary steps to ensure the safety of our stores," she said. "This may [include] boarding in some locations."
Walmart last week temporarily pulled guns and ammunition off shelves, prompting speculation that the retailer was also heeding possible fallout from the election. But the retailer reversed its decision and brought firearms back to sales floors on Friday.


npr--2020-11-02--Britain's Boris Johnson: 'No Alternative' To Strict New Coronavirus Lockdown

Britain 's Boris Johnson : 'No Alternative ' To Strict New Coronavirus Lockdown British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said there was `` no alternative '' to a new England-wide lockdown amid a spike in coronavirus cases that he warned could be `` twice as bad '' as anything seen in the spring .
In a statement to the House of Commons , Johnson sought to defend his government from sharp criticisms .
On one hand , Labor members accuse him of waiting too long to heed the advice of his scientific advisers — a delay they say contributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
On the other hand , Brexit Party founder Nigel Farage , in an article in the Daily Telegraph , called Johnson 's response to the pandemic `` woeful '' and urged more targeted measures .
The prospect of a second lockdown has terrified Britons , Farage said .
Johnson said he was `` right to try every possible option '' before issuing another stay-at-home order .
`` We are fighting a disease .
...
When the data changes of course we must change course too , '' Johnson said in Parliament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister announced that pubs , restaurants , gyms , nonessential shops and places of worship would be closed starting Thursday .
In addition , outbound international travel will be prohibited , except for work , while schools and universities will remain open .
The government said it would reevaluate the lockdown in early December .
Johnson , who has received heavy criticism for his handling of the crisis , had initially refused to consider a second lockdown , despite the advice of scientists who warned the country was risking a new spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to rebound in August , the prime minister insisted that renewed lockdown measures would be a disaster for the country .
Since the start of the pandemic , the United Kingdom has had more than 1 million diagnosed cases of the coronavirus , and nearly 47,000 people have died from COVID-19 .
`` The virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers , whose models ... now suggest unless we act , we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address .
The decision from No .
10 Downing St. to renew extraordinary measures to control the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 comes as other countries in Europe are facing similar dilemmas .
France imposed a stricter lockdown on Friday , ordering people to stay home except for essential work or medical reasons .
French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the second wave of the coronavirus is `` likely to be deadlier than the first . ''
Germany also ordered the closing of restaurants , bars , gyms and theaters starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling on her country to abide by the new rules in hopes of returning to relative normal conditions by December .
Other European countries , such as Spain and Italy , have seen a surge in new cases as well .

Britain's Boris Johnson: 'No Alternative' To Strict New Coronavirus Lockdown
Enlarge this image toggle caption NurPhoto via Getty Images NurPhoto via Getty Images
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said there was "no alternative" to a new England-wide lockdown amid a spike in coronavirus cases that he warned could be "twice as bad" as anything seen in the spring.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Johnson sought to defend his government from sharp criticisms. On one hand, Labor members accuse him of waiting too long to heed the advice of his scientific advisers — a delay they say contributed to thousands more infections and hundreds of deaths. On the other hand, Brexit Party founder Nigel Farage, in an article in the Daily Telegraph, called Johnson's response to the pandemic "woeful" and urged more targeted measures. The prospect of a second lockdown has terrified Britons, Farage said.
Johnson said he was "right to try every possible option" before issuing another stay-at-home order.
"We are fighting a disease. ... When the data changes of course we must change course too," Johnson said in Parliament.
Over the weekend, the prime minister announced that pubs, restaurants, gyms, nonessential shops and places of worship would be closed starting Thursday. In addition, outbound international travel will be prohibited, except for work, while schools and universities will remain open. The government said it would reevaluate the lockdown in early December.
Johnson, who has received heavy criticism for his handling of the crisis, had initially refused to consider a second lockdown, despite the advice of scientists who warned the country was risking a new spike in cases and deaths. As the virus began to rebound in August, the prime minister insisted that renewed lockdown measures would be a disaster for the country.
Since the start of the pandemic, the United Kingdom has had more than 1 million diagnosed cases of the coronavirus, and nearly 47,000 people have died from COVID-19.
"The virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers, whose models ... now suggest unless we act, we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day," Johnson said in an earlier national address.
The decision from No. 10 Downing St. to renew extraordinary measures to control the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 comes as other countries in Europe are facing similar dilemmas.
France imposed a stricter lockdown on Friday, ordering people to stay home except for essential work or medical reasons. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the second wave of the coronavirus is "likely to be deadlier than the first."
Germany also ordered the closing of restaurants, bars, gyms and theaters starting this week, with Chancellor Angela Merkel calling on her country to abide by the new rules in hopes of returning to relative normal conditions by December. Other European countries, such as Spain and Italy, have seen a surge in new cases as well.


npr--2020-11-02--Philadelphia Gears Up For Unprecedented Attention To Its Vote Count

Philadelphia Gears Up For Unprecedented Attention To Its Vote Count President Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016 .
This year , the question is whether big turnout in the Democratic strongholds of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia can deliver his Democratic rival , Joe Biden , a win .
In particular , Philadelphia has been a focus for Trump ; four years ago , only 15 % of the city 's voters picked him .
Trump has claimed — with little evidence — that the local election system is corrupt .
His critics say the president is trying to suppress turnout in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad things happen there with the counting of the votes , '' Trump said at a recent campaign stop in Pennsylvania .
There have been issues , including technical hiccups on the first day of early , in-person voting .
A laptop used to program voting machines was stolen .
A reporter for NPR member station WHYY got inside a warehouse where voting machines are stored , although city officials beefed up security after that .
This election is like no other in Philadelphia — and all across Pennsylvania .
A new state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote early and by mail .
With the pandemic , people signed up in droves , especially Democrats .
About a third of the state 's 9 million voters planned to cast their ballot by mail , and more than three-quarters of them already had done so by last Friday .
But under state law , counties ca n't even open those ballots to prepare them for counting until 7 a.m. on Election Day .
That 's one reason why Philadelphia spent $ 5 million on new equipment to speedily process the deluge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its sprawling convention center into a mail-in vote-counting factory .
One machine sorts returned ballots in hours , instead of days if done manually .
Another machine cuts open envelopes and spreads them apart with suction cups so workers can quickly pull out the ballots .
And there are 12 high-speed scanners that process 32,000 ballots an hour .
`` Historically , we had to do it all by hand with a scanner gun — individual people sitting at a desk beep-beeping every envelope in , '' said Lisa Deeley , the chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deeley wo n't predict when counting will be finished ; state officials say they expect most results will be tallied by Friday .
Meanwhile , President Trump continues to sow doubt about the veracity of voting in Philadelphia .
The Trump campaign videotaped people putting ballots in drop boxes .
Election groups openly worry that armed Trump supporters may show up to intimidate voters .
That prompted Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to issue a warning .
`` Anyone who comes to the cradle of American democracy to try to suppress the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes — is going to find themselves in a jail cell talking to a Philadelphia jury , '' he said last month .
So far , there have been no reports of voter intimidation .
At an early in-person voting office last week , Philadelphians seemed to be taking all of this in stride .
`` I do n't have any complaints , other than the wait — but what are you gon na do ? ''
said Waverly O'Neal , 19 , standing in a line of mask-wearing voters that stretched around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 's Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf said he believes Trump is trying to reduce voter turnout .
If that 's true , it 's not working .
More than 90 % of Philadelphia 's voters have registered to vote — the highest number in 35 years .

Philadelphia Gears Up For Unprecedented Attention To Its Vote Count
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Slocum/AP Matt Slocum/AP
President Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016. This year, the question is whether big turnout in the Democratic strongholds of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia can deliver his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, a win.
In particular, Philadelphia has been a focus for Trump; four years ago, only 15% of the city's voters picked him. Trump has claimed — with little evidence — that the local election system is corrupt. His critics say the president is trying to suppress turnout in the city.
"A lot of bad things happen there with the counting of the votes," Trump said at a recent campaign stop in Pennsylvania.
There have been issues, including technical hiccups on the first day of early, in-person voting. A laptop used to program voting machines was stolen. A reporter for NPR member station WHYY got inside a warehouse where voting machines are stored, although city officials beefed up security after that.
This election is like no other in Philadelphia — and all across Pennsylvania. A new state law has made it much easier to vote early and by mail. With the pandemic, people signed up in droves, especially Democrats. About a third of the state's 9 million voters planned to cast their ballot by mail, and more than three-quarters of them already had done so by last Friday.
But under state law, counties can't even open those ballots to prepare them for counting until 7 a.m. on Election Day. That's one reason why Philadelphia spent $5 million on new equipment to speedily process the deluge of mail-in ballots.
Philadelphia has turned its sprawling convention center into a mail-in vote-counting factory. One machine sorts returned ballots in hours, instead of days if done manually. Another machine cuts open envelopes and spreads them apart with suction cups so workers can quickly pull out the ballots.
And there are 12 high-speed scanners that process 32,000 ballots an hour.
"Historically, we had to do it all by hand with a scanner gun — individual people sitting at a desk beep-beeping every envelope in," said Lisa Deeley, the chair of the Philadelphia City Commissioners Office.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Slocum/AP Matt Slocum/AP
Deeley won't predict when counting will be finished; state officials say they expect most results will be tallied by Friday.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to sow doubt about the veracity of voting in Philadelphia. The Trump campaign videotaped people putting ballots in drop boxes. Election groups openly worry that armed Trump supporters may show up to intimidate voters.
That prompted Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to issue a warning. "Anyone who comes to the cradle of American democracy to try to suppress the vote — and violates the law and commits crimes — is going to find themselves in a jail cell talking to a Philadelphia jury," he said last month.
So far, there have been no reports of voter intimidation. At an early in-person voting office last week, Philadelphians seemed to be taking all of this in stride.
"I don't have any complaints, other than the wait — but what are you gonna do?" said Waverly O'Neal, 19, standing in a line of mask-wearing voters that stretched around the block.
Given Trump's focus on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said he believes Trump is trying to reduce voter turnout.
If that's true, it's not working. More than 90% of eligible Philadelphians have registered to vote — the highest number in 35 years.


npr--2020-11-03--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Maps : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 9 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 225,000 have died of COVID-19 .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These color-coded risk levels were developed by a consortium of researchers and public health experts .
The group advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
Orange states may need to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and both yellow and green states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of visualization highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to over 1,000 per day in mid October .
Explore the map @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures around the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid October , California , Florida and Texas surpass New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in shades of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolves anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth @ @ @ @

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-11-03--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak On Sept. 28 , the world marked a tragic milestone : 1 million deaths from COVID-19 .
That 's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher .
While the number of cases has slowed in many countries that were hit hard early on by coronavirus , the number of new cases continues to increase .
Since early July , new daily cases averaged over 200,000 worldwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
At over 9 million cases , the United States leads the world 's COVID-19 crisis .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily case counts have risen swiftly since June , without signs of slowing down .
Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time .
The first chart compares each continent to each other , while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-11-03--Voting Security Has Come A Long Way Since 2016 — But Vulnerabilities Remain

Voting Security Has Come A Long Way Since 2016 — But Vulnerabilities Remain Government officials have spent the year touting Tuesday 's election as potentially the `` most secure '' in the nation 's history .
Fewer voters are set to use the riskiest machines — electronic systems that leave no paper record — as compared to four years ago , and there is a whole-of-government approach to election security that never existed before .
`` My confidence in the security of your vote has never been higher , '' said Chris Krebs , the director of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an election security video featuring a number of top national security officials released last month .
But a hard truth remains : many of the same vulnerabilities exposed in Russia 's attack on the 2016 election have not disappeared .
In the wake of discoveries about that episode , security experts recommended the U.S. spend billions of dollars to improve systems across the nation .
Congress allocated just a fraction of that .
And while social media companies have worked to control influence operations and lies that spread on their platforms , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes .
Experts say bad information is still spreading rapidly online — helped by many Americans users who have helped to sustain the explosion of questionable material .
Now , four years removed from an election that the intelligence community and bipartisan congressional committees agree was marred by an unprecedented level of interference , the U.S. is set to conclude another round of voting on Tuesday .
Here are some of the vulnerabilities that remain .
While many Americans remain worried about the possibility that a foreign adversary could manipulate vote totals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened in an American election — even in 2016 when Russian attackers were able to hack into the registration databases of a number of states .
Experts agree that actual votes themselves would probably be the most difficult part of an election to successfully hack .
The problem has only gotten tougher .
In 2016 , nearly 28 million voters cast ballots that did not have a corresponding paper trail : a major cybersecurity red flag .
This year , that number may be less than 10 million .
Eliminating the paperless machines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to potentially affect votes and go undetected .
But some security experts such as Prof. Philip Stark of the University of California at Berkeley still are n't satisfied .
Stark is frustrated that in many jurisdictions , including the entire state of Georgia , officials replaced their paperless machines with machines that print out a piece of paper that allows the voter to verify their selections before the ballot is counted .
This gives the voter the ability to vote using the machine , but then also to check to make sure their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , research suggests only a small number of voters actually check the paper the machine prints out , making it questionable at best whether an attack that changes voter selections actually would be caught by this method .
`` We really need systems where , if they malfunction , they always generate public evidence that can be used to show that they malfunctioned , '' Stark says .
`` And conversely , if the outcome is right , despite whatever malfunctions might have occurred , there ought to be a way for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way officials can demonstrate that , Stark says , is through public auditing , a process that not every state uses .
Even among the states that do some sort of audit , only a few do what are considered the `` gold standard '' of post-election audits , called risk limiting audits .
Sen. Ron Wyden , D-Ore. , has proposed legislation to mandate such audits nationwide , but election reforms have gained little to no traction with the Republican-controlled Senate .
`` The truth is that two decades after the Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , and four years after Russian interference in the 2016 election profoundly deepened that divide , the U.S. lacks satisfactory , uniform mechanisms for resolving questions about elections and verifying results , '' as journalist Kim Zetter wrote in Politico .
The bottom line : your 2020 vote is almost certainly safe , but some security experts wo n't be fully satisfied until the majority of votes are hand-marked , and the auditing process is advanced and rigorous enough to validate the results .
Considering the disparate nature of U.S. elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away .
While actually affecting the vote totals remains difficult , other aspects of election infrastructure , like websites that post election information , are significantly more vulnerable .
Many local governments have n't taken simple steps that would make it more difficult for attackers to set up fake websites to post fake results , for instance .
Krebs , of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , said at a briefing last week that he expects attackers to try to target election websites to either deface them , or just shut them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hackers often use attacks like this to claim `` capabilities that far exceed what they 're actually capable of , '' Krebs said .
These are sometimes referred to as `` perception hacks , '' since they allow an adversary to sow doubt about the vote totals without ever gaining the sort of access needed to actually change them .
The minds of the voters The easiest targets for American adversaries , however , are the minds of Americans themselves .
Influence in this realm can take a number of forms .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email that seemed to indicate an extremist group had access to their personal data : change your voter registration , the message commanded , and support President Trump — or else .
But the email actually came from Iranian operatives , looking to sow discord , according to the U.S. government .
Misinformation , specifically about voting , also continues to spread across social media .
Facebook and Twitter have added labels on some material , but it 's clear that is n't putting a stop to it .
One analysis found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or cropping an image was all it took to bypass Facebook 's defenses , reported NPR 's Shannon Bond last month .
And Newsguard , an organization founded by former journalists that works to identify sources of misinformation online , recently found 40 Facebook pages that share false voting content to their audiences of 100,000 or more followers .
Just three of the 53 posts Newsguard identified in its report had been flagged by Facebook as false .
Together , the posts reached close to 23 million followers .
`` It 's far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Newsguard 's founder , Steve Brill , earlier this year about misinformation online compared to 2016 .
While President Trump and his allies continue to question the legitimacy of mail voting , other government leaders see its expansion as a potential positive for election security .
The amount of early voting that 's occurred this year for example — 97 million votes and counting as of Monday afternoon — decreases the effectiveness that any one cyberattack could have at a single time , whether it sought to change votes or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the candidates .
`` [ More early voting ] stretches out the attack surface , '' Krebs said , which is beneficial to the defender , since there is n't just one day on which an attacker can target to disrupt the entire process .
More broadly , the record amount of early voting indicates that 2020 will almost certainly feature record-breaking overall turnout .
That degree of participation is a direct counter strike against authoritarian adversaries who may want to boast about the American public losing faith in democracy , said Maggie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New Mexico .
`` If the ultimate goal is to sow enough confusion and discord to basically keep our democracy from continuing to churn forward , '' she said , `` it 's failing . ''

Voting Security Has Come A Long Way Since 2016 — But Vulnerabilities Remain
Enlarge this image toggle caption David J. Phillip/AP David J. Phillip/AP
Government officials have spent the year touting Tuesday's election as potentially the "most secure" in the nation's history.
Fewer voters are set to use the riskiest machines — electronic systems that leave no paper record — as compared to four years ago, and there is a whole-of-government approach to election security that never existed before.
"My confidence in the security of your vote has never been higher," said Chris Krebs, the director of the Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity arm, in an election security video featuring a number of top national security officials released last month.
YouTube
But a hard truth remains: many of the same vulnerabilities exposed in Russia's attack on the 2016 election have not disappeared. In the wake of discoveries about that episode, security experts recommended the U.S. spend billions of dollars to improve systems across the nation. Congress allocated just a fraction of that.
And while social media companies have worked to control influence operations and lies that spread on their platforms, the federal government has declined to regulate those changes. Experts say bad information is still spreading rapidly online — helped by many Americans users who have helped to sustain the explosion of questionable material.
Now, four years removed from an election that the intelligence community and bipartisan congressional committees agree was marred by an unprecedented level of interference, the U.S. is set to conclude another round of voting on Tuesday.
Here are some of the vulnerabilities that remain.
The votes themselves
While many Americans remain worried about the possibility that a foreign adversary could manipulate vote totals, there is no evidence this has ever happened in an American election — even in 2016 when Russian attackers were able to hack into the registration databases of a number of states.
Experts agree that actual votes themselves would probably be the most difficult part of an election to successfully hack. The problem has only gotten tougher. In 2016, nearly 28 million voters cast ballots that did not have a corresponding paper trail: a major cybersecurity red flag.
This year, that number may be less than 10 million.
Eliminating the paperless machines makes it more difficult for a cyberattack to potentially affect votes and go undetected.
But some security experts such as Prof. Philip Stark of the University of California at Berkeley still aren't satisfied. Stark is frustrated that in many jurisdictions, including the entire state of Georgia, officials replaced their paperless machines with machines that print out a piece of paper that allows the voter to verify their selections before the ballot is counted.
This gives the voter the ability to vote using the machine, but then also to check to make sure their vote was recorded accurately.
The problem is, research suggests only a small number of voters actually check the paper the machine prints out, making it questionable at best whether an attack that changes voter selections actually would be caught by this method.
"We really need systems where, if they malfunction, they always generate public evidence that can be used to show that they malfunctioned," Stark says. "And conversely, if the outcome is right, despite whatever malfunctions might have occurred, there ought to be a way for election officials to demonstrate that. "
Audit trail
The way officials can demonstrate that, Stark says, is through public auditing, a process that not every state uses. Even among the states that do some sort of audit, only a few do what are considered the "gold standard" of post-election audits, called risk limiting audits.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has proposed legislation to mandate such audits nationwide, but election reforms have gained little to no traction with the Republican-controlled Senate.
"The truth is that two decades after the Florida 2000 election debacle created a rift in the country, and four years after Russian interference in the 2016 election profoundly deepened that divide, the U.S. lacks satisfactory, uniform mechanisms for resolving questions about elections and verifying results," as journalist Kim Zetter wrote in Politico.
The bottom line: your 2020 vote is almost certainly safe, but some security experts won't be fully satisfied until the majority of votes are hand-marked, and the auditing process is advanced and rigorous enough to validate the results.
Considering the disparate nature of U.S. elections, that reality is still a ways away.
Hacks that don't touch the results
While actually affecting the vote totals remains difficult, other aspects of election infrastructure, like websites that post election information, are significantly more vulnerable.
Many local governments haven't taken simple steps that would make it more difficult for attackers to set up fake websites to post fake results, for instance.
Krebs, of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said at a briefing last week that he expects attackers to try to target election websites to either deface them, or just shut them down for a period of time. Hackers often use attacks like this to claim "capabilities that far exceed what they're actually capable of," Krebs said.
These are sometimes referred to as "perception hacks," since they allow an adversary to sow doubt about the vote totals without ever gaining the sort of access needed to actually change them.
The minds of the voters
The easiest targets for American adversaries, however, are the minds of Americans themselves. Influence in this realm can take a number of forms.
Last month, thousands of American voters got an email that seemed to indicate an extremist group had access to their personal data: change your voter registration, the message commanded, and support President Trump — or else.
But the email actually came from Iranian operatives, looking to sow discord, according to the U.S. government.
Misinformation, specifically about voting, also continues to spread across social media. Facebook and Twitter have added labels on some material, but it's clear that isn't putting a stop to it.
One analysis found that changing the font of a message or cropping an image was all it took to bypass Facebook's defenses, reported NPR's Shannon Bond last month.
And Newsguard, an organization founded by former journalists that works to identify sources of misinformation online, recently found 40 Facebook pages that share false voting content to their audiences of 100,000 or more followers.
Just three of the 53 posts Newsguard identified in its report had been flagged by Facebook as false. Together, the posts reached close to 23 million followers.
"It's far, far worse in terms of quantity," said Newsguard's founder, Steve Brill, earlier this year about misinformation online compared to 2016.
The mail helps
While President Trump and his allies continue to question the legitimacy of mail voting, other government leaders see its expansion as a potential positive for election security.
The amount of early voting that's occurred this year for example — 97 million votes and counting as of Monday afternoon — decreases the effectiveness that any one cyberattack could have at a single time, whether it sought to change votes or influence voters' opinions on behalf of the candidates.
"[More early voting] stretches out the attack surface," Krebs said, which is beneficial to the defender, since there isn't just one day on which an attacker can target to disrupt the entire process.
More broadly, the record amount of early voting indicates that 2020 will almost certainly feature record-breaking overall turnout.
That degree of participation is a direct counter strike against authoritarian adversaries who may want to boast about the American public losing faith in democracy, said Maggie Toulouse Oliver, the secretary of state of New Mexico.
"If the ultimate goal is to sow enough confusion and discord to basically keep our democracy from continuing to churn forward," she said, "it's failing."


npr--2020-11-03--A Tougher Road With Biden: The World Leaders Who Banked On Trump

A Tougher Road With Biden : The World Leaders Who Banked On Trump Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had no greater friend in the White House than him .
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was the only European Union leader to endorse him for president in 2016 .
And Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he admires him greatly .
President Trump has counted several world leaders as his fans , many of them authoritarians , nationalists or populists .
But they might have trouble keeping their relationship with the United States as friendly and their growing authoritarian tendencies unchecked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Besides the various torn up international accords , the retreat of traditional American leadership from the global stage and the cementing of the `` America First '' doctrine , there has been perhaps no more glaring consequence of President Trump 's tenure than his embrace of strongmen who largely eschewed the Western-based human rights and rules of law agenda .
By figuring out relatively early how to win favor with Trump , these leaders often leveraged their close relationship with him to cement their own power at home .
Some borrowed his rhetoric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crack down on dissent , some appealed to his sense of pomp by throwing lavish ceremonies and others adopted his brazenly transactional approach to geopolitical dealmaking .
None of these Trump `` bromances , '' whether forged for pragmatic or ideological reasons , are likely to continue with the same fervor with Biden .
The 77-year-old former vice president , who has made clear his distaste for Trump 's embrace of strongmen , is nevertheless the product of a traditional Democratic establishment that has also tolerated unsavory rulers , in the name of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Biden wins , we can expect that he 'll seek to bring human rights and the rule of law as important pillars of a U.S. foreign policy .
Over the last few weeks , our correspondents explored Trump 's close relationships with some world leaders and how they might potentially change under a Biden presidency .
As candidate , Trump made clear his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin .
And throughout his presidency — the Robert Mueller investigation and the ongoing Russian attempts to interfere with the election notwithstanding — Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself .
( The Trump administration and Congress have called out Russia 's aggressive behavior and have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow . )
Case in point : the Helsinki summit in 2018 in which Trump refused to unequivocally back his own intelligence agencies ' assessment that Russia had interfered in the 2016 U.S. election .
Putin , Trump said , was `` extremely strong '' in his denials .
Fast forward to 2020 and U.S. intelligence agencies believe Russia is still engaging in `` malign foreign influence '' — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — that , they say , primarily goes after Biden .
( The Kremlin denies any interference in U.S .
elections . )
The drumbeat of interference assertions was a major reason U.S.-Russian relations never really had a chance to improve .
How it might change under Biden '' I think the very fact that Biden was Obama 's vice president already makes him not a friendly figure in Russia , '' says Moscow-based political analyst Masha Lipman .
Biden , who repeatedly highlights the importance of preserving NATO , is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The only thing that helps the Kremlin , Lipman says , is more polarization and turmoil in the United States .
`` Turmoil means the United States weakened , '' she says .
`` This is what the Kremlin can actually benefit from , not an improvement in relations . ''
On the campaign trail and throughout his presidency , Trump has railed against China but has also voiced admiration for Chinese leader Xi Jinping as he tried to secure trade deals that were beneficial to the United States .
Who could forget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of the novel coronavirus ?
As the virus ravaged the West , Trump changed course , using China as a punching bag and saying his relationship with the Chinese leader has since frayed .
Putting aside the leaders ' relationship , the two countries are probably experiencing the worst ties in years .
The Trump administration has sanctioned Chinese officials , targeted Chinese tech companies , arrested alleged Chinese spies and regularly challenges the country 's claims in the South China Sea .
How it might change under Biden Biden regularly touts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president against Xi .
Biden says he would force China to `` play by the international rules . ''
He frames the issue as bringing together democracies to counter `` abusive economic practices . ''
Tony Blinken , Biden 's top foreign policy adviser , told NPR Biden would focus on `` our competitiveness , on revitalizing our democracy , on strengthening our alliances and partnerships , on reasserting our values .
That 's how you engage China from a position of strength . ''
China , for its part , sees the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its recently revealed five-year plan , Beijing signaled that it expects more American-led tariffs on its exports and more sanctions on its tech firms but that it 's also confident to meet those challenges .
The Israeli prime minister is one of Trump 's closest allies .
Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the U.S. Embassy there — even though Palestinians seek part of the city for their future capital .
He recognized Israeli claims to sovereignty over the Golan Heights .
Netanyahu has touted his friendship with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his support for Netanyahu and hosted him at the White House .
Just a week ago , the Trump administration lifted a ban on U.S. taxpayer funding for Israeli scientific research carried out in Jewish settlements in Israeli-occupied territory .
Netanyahu says `` Israel has never had a better friend . ''
How it might change under Biden Danny Danon , who most recently served as Israel 's ambassador to the United Nations , says Biden would also be `` good with Israel . ''
Nevertheless , Biden was VP during Obama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's hard to see the two leaders sharing as close a relationship as Trump and Netanyahu 's .
Mitchell Barak , a pollster in Jerusalem , says that a Biden administration would probably want to take a more even-handed approach with Israel .
Under Trump , ties with the Palestinian leadership broke down .
`` They 're going to start to try and make it a little more even-handed or to look more even-handed .
And the free lunches that we 've been getting up until now — we 're going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And then Netanyahu does not have the advantage because it 's going to be more of an antagonistic relationship , '' says Barak .
The two leaders have had each other 's backs even as they 've both faced criticism for discriminating against minorities .
When he was pressed to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi about anti-Muslim riots in India , Trump gave him a pass .
`` And I will say that the prime minister was incredible on what he told me .
He wants people to have religious freedom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India earlier this year .
How it might change under Biden A Biden-Harris administration is likely to voice stronger rhetoric on Modi 's record on human rights , the environment and Kashmir .
Still , India is seen as an important counterweight to China in the region and Biden will not want to upset that .
`` Since the George W. Bush administration , the United States has recognized India 's potential as a natural balancer to China .
It 's been a proponent of the U.S.-India relationship due to India 's strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Akriti Vasudeva at the Stimson Center , a think tank in Washington , D.C .
When he launched his campaign for president in 2015 , Trump vilified Mexicans : `` They 're bringing drugs .
They 're bringing crime .
They 're rapists .
And some , I assume , are good people . ''
He also repeatedly threatened tariffs on Mexican exports .
But over the years , and especially as he worked to secure the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement , Trump and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of López Obrador say that he caved in to Trump by adopting harsher policies toward Central American migrants .
But analysts say the Mexican leader did n't have much choice particularly as he faced Trump 's threats of tariffs and forcing Mexico to pay for a border wall .
`` It would be very costly for López Obrador to get in a fight with Donald Trump , '' says Carlos Bravo Regidor , a political analyst and professor at Mexico 's Center for Research and Teaching in Economics .
How it might change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has visited Mexico — except for Trump .
In fact , Biden even visited then-candidate López Obrador in 2012 .
Biden made more trips just to Guatemala in his two terms as vice president than Trump has made to all of Latin America as president , and would likely look to work with López Obrador on immigration .
As VP , he promoted aid to Central American countries and pressured their leaders to curb corruption .
It 's no surprise that `` Trump of the Tropics , '' as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a close relationship with the U.S. president .
They 're both brash nationalists who share similar views on the coronavirus pandemic — belittling the science , pooh-poohing the need for masks and saying the whole thing is just exaggerated .
They both got COVID-19 and recovered .
And they both believe shutting down the economy through lockdowns is more harmful than the virus .
Bolsonaro 's first international trip was to Washington and he 's since visited Trump three more times , including in Mar-a-Lago .
How it might change under Biden '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Rubens Ricupero , a former Brazilian ambassador to the U.S. , says .
Biden would likely pressure Bolsonaro on the erosion of human rights protections , including for Indigenous people , but it 's the Brazilian leader 's positions on the Amazon that would really be scrutinized .
Biden wants to join forces with other counties to create a $ 20 billion fund for Brazil as part of an effort to press Bolsonaro to end rising deforestation .
Still , Biden would need Brazil 's cooperation on Venezuela and containing China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The two leaders have had a bumpy relationship , but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also understood the benefit of a good rapport with Trump and preying on his instincts — particularly one that has to do with Trump 's anathema of having U.S. troops in the `` endless wars . ''
With one phone call last year , Erdogan got Trump to move U.S. troops in Syria out of the way so that Turkish soldiers could attack Kurdish forces , forces who were U.S. allies in the fight against ISIS .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` good friend , '' he also at one point threatened to `` totally destroy and obliterate '' the Turkish economy .
How it might change under Biden For one thing , it might become more predictable .
Turkey might find that it has to rein in the adventurous foreign policy it enjoyed under Trump .
Biden would also most likely pressure Turkey on its human rights record — particularly its jailing of journalists and other critics .
Significant issues also divide Ankara and Washington , including Turkey 's purchase of Russian missiles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prince Breaking with decades of U.S. tradition , Trump chose Saudi Arabia as his first international trip as president .
In Riyadh , the Saudi royal family lavished Trump and his family with an extravagant ceremony .
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has since been reaping the rewards .
The Trump administration has barely pressured him — over the kingdom 's air campaign in Yemen , which has killed thousands of civilians , or his crackdown on dissent .
And following the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi , Trump stood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as U.S. intelligence agencies assessed that the Saudi royal had approved the killing and as bipartisan lawmakers condemned him .
How it might change under Biden The former vice president has cast the kingdom as a `` pariah '' — making it clear Mohammed bin Salman would likely have a tougher time making inroads with a potential Biden administration .
Biden has also threatened to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia , a top buyer of U.S. weaponry .
`` So there might be some cuts in terms of particular arms sales .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Biden administration is going to want a good relationship with Saudi Arabia despite the many problems , '' says Daniel Byman , a Middle East specialist at Georgetown University .
Europe 's populists , often shunned by Brussels , have found a natural ally in President Trump , who shares their disdain for migrants , the media and dissent .
But it 's Hungary 's prime minister , Viktor Orban , who leads the pack .
He was the only European Union leader to endorse Trump in 2016 .
Four years and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls Trump a friend and predicts he will win reelection .
The populist leaders of Slovenia ( Melania Trump 's native country ) and Serbia have also endorsed the president .
Previous U.S. administrations shunned Hungary , and the EU is investigating Hungary and Poland , run by another Trump-friendly government , for rule of law violations .
Ivan Krastev , a political scientist who leads the Center for Liberal Strategies in Sofia , Bulgaria , says the two countries have used their alliance with Trump to make it clear `` that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How it might change under Biden Biden mentioned Poland and Hungary when slamming Trump 's foreign policy during a town hall last month , adding , `` this president embraces all the thugs in the world . ''
The remark angered Hungary 's government , but Orban is already casting Biden as part of the international liberal elite .
`` We know well American Democratic governments ' diplomacy , built on moral imperialism , '' Orban wrote in a recent essay in the pro-government newspaper Magyar Nemzet .
`` He knows he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's already positioned himself for the world without Trump , '' says Krastev , the political scientist .

A Tougher Road With Biden: The World Leaders Who Banked On Trump
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris McGrath/Getty Images Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had no greater friend in the White House than him. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the only European Union leader to endorse him for president in 2016. And Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he admires him greatly. President Trump has counted several world leaders as his fans, many of them authoritarians, nationalists or populists. But they might have trouble keeping their relationship with the United States as friendly and their growing authoritarian tendencies unchecked if Joe Biden wins the presidency.
Besides the various torn-up international accords, the retreat of traditional American leadership from the global stage and the cementing of the "America First" doctrine, there has been perhaps no more glaring consequence of Trump's tenure than his embrace of strongmen who largely eschewed the Western-based human rights and rules of law agenda. By figuring out relatively early how to win favor with Trump, these leaders often leveraged their close relationship with him to cement their own power at home. Some borrowed his rhetoric such as decrying "fake news" to crack down on dissent, some appealed to his sense of pomp by throwing lavish ceremonies and others adopted his brazenly transactional approach to geopolitical dealmaking.
None of these Trump "bromances," whether forged for pragmatic or ideological reasons, are likely to continue with the same fervor with Biden. The 77-year-old former vice president, who has made clear his distaste for Trump's embrace of strongmen, is nevertheless the product of a traditional Democratic establishment that has also tolerated unsavory rulers in the name of preserving U.S. strategic interests. Still, if Biden wins, we can expect he'll seek to bring human rights and the rule of law as important pillars of U.S. foreign policy.
Over the last few weeks, our correspondents explored Trump's close relationships with some world leaders and how they might change under a Biden presidency.
The relationship with Russia's Vladimir Putin
As candidate, Trump made clear his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. And throughout his presidency — the Robert Mueller investigation and the ongoing Russian attempts to interfere with the election notwithstanding — Trump has mostly refrained from severely criticizing Putin. (The Trump administration and Congress have called out Russia's aggressive behavior and have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.)
Case in point: the Helsinki summit in 2018 in which Trump refused to unequivocally back his own intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia had interfered in the 2016 U.S. election. Putin, Trump said, was "extremely strong" in his denials. Fast-forward to 2020 and U.S. intelligence agencies believe Russia is still engaging in "malign foreign influence" — including the use of social media and propaganda — that, they say, primarily goes after Biden. (The Kremlin denies any interference in U.S. elections.) The drumbeat of interference assertions was a major reason U.S.-Russian relations never really had a chance to improve.
How it might change under Biden
"I think the very fact that Biden was Obama's vice president already makes him not a friendly figure in Russia," says Moscow-based political analyst Masha Lipman. Biden, who repeatedly highlights the importance of preserving NATO, is likely to adopt a tougher line against Russia.
The only thing that helps the Kremlin, Lipman says, is more polarization and turmoil in the United States. "Turmoil means the United States [is] weakened," she says. "This is what the Kremlin can actually benefit from, not an improvement in relations."
The relationship with China's Xi Jinping
Asia China Closely Follows U.S. Election In Hopes To Normalize Ties An Anxious China Awaits Result Of U.S. Presidential Race Listen · 4:30 4:30
On the campaign trail and throughout his presidency, Trump has railed against China but has also voiced admiration for Chinese leader Xi Jinping as he tried to secure trade deals beneficial to the United States. Who could forget his January tweet praising Xi over his handling of the novel coronavirus? As the virus ravaged the West, Trump changed course, using China as a punching bag and saying his relationship with Xi has since frayed. Putting aside the leaders' relationship, the two countries are probably experiencing the worst ties in years. The Trump administration has sanctioned Chinese officials, targeted Chinese tech companies, arrested alleged Chinese spies and regularly challenges the country's claims in the South China Sea.
How it might change under Biden
Biden regularly touts the tough line he took as vice president against Xi. Biden says he would force China to "play by the international rules." He frames the issue as bringing together democracies to counter "abusive economic practices." Tony Blinken, the Democrat's top foreign policy adviser, told NPR that Biden would focus on "our competitiveness, on revitalizing our democracy, on strengthening our alliances and partnerships, on reasserting our values. That's how you engage China from a position of strength." China, for its part, sees the U.S. as a declining power. In its recently revealed five-year plan, Beijing signaled it expects more American-led tariffs on its exports and more sanctions on its tech firms but that it's also confident to meet those challenges.
The relationship with Israel's Netanyahu
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kobi Gideon/Israel Government Press Office/Getty Images Kobi Gideon/Israel Government Press Office/Getty Images
The Israeli prime minister is one of Trump's closest allies. Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the U.S. Embassy there — even though Palestinians seek part of the city for their future capital. He recognized Israeli claims to sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Netanyahu has touted his friendship with Trump in his campaigns. Trump has tweeted his support for Netanyahu and hosted him at the White House. Just a week ago, the Trump administration lifted a ban on U.S. taxpayer funding for Israeli scientific research carried out in Jewish settlements in Israeli-occupied territory. Netanyahu says, "Israel has never had a better friend."
Middle East A Biden Win Could Mean A Loss For Israel's Netanyahu A Biden Win Could Mean A Loss For Israel's Netanyahu Listen · 4:09 4:09
How it might change under Biden
Danny Danon, who most recently served as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, says Biden would also be "good with Israel." Nevertheless, Biden was vice president during Obama and Netanyahu's famously frosty relationship, and it's hard to see the two leaders sharing as close a relationship as Trump and Netanyahu.
Mitchell Barak, a pollster in Jerusalem, says that a Biden administration would probably want to take a more evenhanded approach with Israel. Under Trump, ties with the Palestinian leadership broke down. "They're going to start to try and make it a little more evenhanded or to look more evenhanded. And the free lunches that we've been getting up until now — we're going to have to pay for some of those things," Barak says. "And then Netanyahu does not have the advantage because it's going to be more of an antagonistic relationship."
The relationship with India's Narendra Modi
The two leaders have had each other's backs even as they've both faced criticism for discriminating against minorities. When he was pressed to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi about anti-Muslim riots in India, Trump gave him a pass. "And I will say that the prime minister was incredible on what he told me. He wants people to have religious freedom," Trump said during his visit to India earlier this year.
Asia What Might Happen To U.S.-India Relations Under A President Biden What Might Happen To U.S.-India Relations Under A President Biden Listen · 3:51 3:51
How it might change under Biden
A Biden-Harris administration is likely to voice stronger rhetoric on Modi's record on human rights, the environment and Kashmir. Still, India is seen as an important counterweight to China in the region, and Biden will not want to upset that.
"Since the George W. Bush administration, the United States has recognized India's potential as a natural balancer to China. It's been a proponent of the U.S.-India relationship due to India's strategic location, its potential as a market," says Akriti Vasudeva at the Stimson Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C.
The relationship with Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador
When he launched his campaign for president in 2015, Trump vilified Mexicans: "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." He also repeatedly threatened tariffs on Mexican exports. But over the years, and especially as he worked to secure the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, Trump and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's relationship has grown closer. Critics of López Obrador say that he caved in to Trump by adopting harsher policies toward Central American migrants. But analysts say the Mexican leader didn't have much choice, particularly as he faced Trump's threats of tariffs and forcing Mexico to pay for a border wall.
Latin America Mexicans Wonder What A Biden Victory Would Mean For U.S.-Mexico Relations Mexicans Wonder What A Biden Victory Would Mean For U.S.-Mexico Relations Listen · 3:27 3:27
"It would be very costly for López Obrador to get in a fight with Donald Trump," says Carlos Bravo Regidor, a political analyst and professor at Mexico's Center for Research and Teaching in Economics.
How it might change under Biden
Enlarge this image toggle caption Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images
Every president since Franklin Roosevelt has visited Mexico — except for Trump. In fact, Biden even visited then-candidate López Obrador in 2012. Biden made more trips just to Guatemala in his two terms as vice president than Trump has made to all of Latin America as president, and would likely look to work with López Obrador on immigration. As vice president, he promoted aid to Central American countries and pressured their leaders to curb corruption.
The relationship with Brazil's Bolsonaro
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andressa Anholete/Getty Images Andressa Anholete/Getty Images
It's no surprise that the "Trump of the Tropics," as Bolsonaro has come to be known, has a close relationship with the U.S. president. They're both brash nationalists who share similar views on the coronavirus pandemic — belittling the science, pooh-poohing the need for masks and saying the whole thing is just exaggerated. They both got COVID-19 and recovered. And they both believe shutting down the economy through lockdowns is more harmful than the virus. Bolsonaro's first international trip was to Washington, and he's since visited Trump three more times, including at Mar-a-Lago.
Latin America What Might Happen To U.S.-Brazil Relations Under A President Biden What Might Happen To U.S.-Brazil Relations Under A President Biden Listen · 3:38 3:38
How it might change under Biden
"It would be a sort of earthquake," says Rubens Ricupero, a former Brazilian ambassador to the United States. Biden would likely pressure Bolsonaro on the erosion of human rights protections, including for Indigenous people, but it's the Brazilian leader's positions on the Amazon that would really be scrutinized. Biden wants to join forces with other counties to create a $20 billion fund for Brazil as part of an effort to press Bolsonaro to end rising deforestation. Still, Biden would need Brazil's cooperation on Venezuela and containing China, Brazil's biggest trading partner.
The relationship with Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The two leaders have had a bumpy relationship, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also understood the benefit of a good rapport with Trump and preying on his instincts — particularly one that has to do with Trump's anathema of having U.S. troops in the "endless wars." With one phone call last year, Erdogan got Trump to move U.S. troops in Syria out of the way so that Turkish soldiers could attack Kurdish forces, which were U.S. allies in the fight against ISIS. Still, though Trump has called Erdogan a "good friend," he also at one point threatened to "totally destroy and obliterate" the Turkish economy.
How it might change under Biden
For one thing, it might become more predictable. Turkey might find it has to rein in the adventurous foreign policy it enjoyed under Trump.
Biden would also most likely pressure Turkey on its human rights record — particularly its jailing of journalists and other critics. Significant issues also divide Ankara and Washington, including Turkey's purchase of Russian missiles.
The relationship with the Saudi crown prince
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Dietsch/Pool via Bloomberg via Getty Images Kevin Dietsch/Pool via Bloomberg via Getty Images
Breaking with decades of U.S. tradition, Trump chose Saudi Arabia as his first international trip as president. In Riyadh, the Saudi royal family lavished Trump and his family with an extravagant ceremony. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has since been reaping the rewards. The Trump administration has barely pressured him — over the kingdom's air campaign in Yemen, which has killed thousands of civilians, or his crackdown on dissent. And following the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump stood by the crown prince's side even as U.S. intelligence agencies assessed that the Saudi royal had approved the killing and as bipartisan lawmakers condemned him.
Middle East How The U.S.-Saudi Relationship Could Change With A Biden Victory How The U.S.-Saudi Relationship Could Change With A Biden Victory Listen · 3:56 3:56
How it might change under Biden
The former vice president has cast the kingdom as a "pariah" — making it clear Salman would likely have a tougher time making inroads with a potential Biden administration. Biden has also threatened to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, a top buyer of U.S. weaponry.
"So there might be some cuts in terms of particular arms sales. There might be symbolic punishments. But the Biden administration is going to want a good relationship with Saudi Arabia despite the many problems," says Daniel Byman, a Middle East specialist at Georgetown University.
The relationship with Hungary's Orbán
Europe's populists, often shunned by Brussels, have found a natural ally in Trump, who shares their disdain for migrants, the media and dissent. But it's Hungary's prime minister, Orbán, who leads the pack. He was the only EU leader to endorse Trump in 2016. Four years and a White House visit later, Orbán calls Trump a friend and predicts he will win reelection. The populist leaders of Slovenia (Melania Trump's native country) and Serbia have also endorsed the president.
Elections Publicly, Hungary PM Orbán Predicts Trump Win. Privately, Prepares For Loss Publicly, Hungary PM Orbán Predicts Trump Win. Privately, Prepares For Loss Listen · 3:23 3:23
Previous U.S. administrations shunned Hungary, and the EU is investigating Hungary and Poland, run by another Trump-friendly government, for rule of law violations. Ivan Krastev, a political scientist who leads the Center for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, Bulgaria, says the two countries have used their alliance with Trump to make it clear "that they have an alternative" to Brussels.
How it might change under Biden
Biden mentioned Poland and Hungary when slamming Trump's foreign policy during a town hall last month, adding, "This president embraces all the thugs in the world." The remark angered Hungary's government, but Orbán is already casting Biden as part of the international liberal elite. "We know well American Democratic governments' diplomacy, built on moral imperialism," Orbán wrote in a recent essay in the pro-government newspaper Magyar Nemzet.
"He knows he has a lot to lose, so he's already positioned himself for the world without Trump," says Krastev, the political scientist.
Lucian Kim, John Ruwitch, Emily Feng, Daniel Estrin, Lauren Frayer, Carrie Kahn, Philip Reeves, Peter Kenyon, Jackie Northam and Joanna Kakissis contributed to this report.


npr--2020-11-03--Down In The Polls, Trump Seeks Familiar Embrace of Conservative Media

Down In The Polls , Trump Seeks Familiar Embrace of Conservative Media In the final stretch of a tough reelection campaign , a president who burst into public consciousness as a media sensation has returned to the warm embrace of conservative media outlets and their stars .
And they have been returning the favor : giving airtime to President Trump and broadcasting his rallies , and hammering Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , his family and his allies .
On Fox News ' Trump-friendly The Five , Greg Gutfeld , at once mischievous and wistful , asked , `` Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Joe Biden , in case he wins ? ''
On the Trump-fanatical One America Network , White House correspondent Chanel Rion mixed metaphors like a bartender concocting drinks at happy hour : `` The Biden-Harris campaign is facing down the barrel to an October surprise of nightmare proportions . ''
Or take Kristine Frazao 's reporting for the Trump-sympathetic Sinclair Broadcast Group , which owns or controls more than 190 local TV stations : `` Some GOP lawmakers say time is running out to get to the bottom of what they call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Her report gave strong play to the concerns of Republicans on Capitol Hill who were calling for a special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his son Hunter .
Left unmentioned : The 11 lawmakers are among the most extreme and marginalized Republicans in Congress , including one , Rep. Steve King of Iowa , who lost his primary and has been denounced by party leaders for racism , and another , Rep. Paul Gosar , R-Ariz. , who has repeatedly promoted groundless conspiracy theories .
Over the past few weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Biden , many conservative outlets have recycled groundless claims about election fraud and unverified claims of unethical or illegal behavior by the Democratic nominee — claims circulated by the president 's friends .
In exchange , they bask in the glow of Trump 's presence , as Maria Bartiromo of the Fox Business Network did last month .
`` Tell me how you felt , what you went through , '' she asked Trump as he recovered from COVID-19 in one of her two October interviews with him .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in such strong form right now .
How did that happen ? ''
Since Sept. 1 , Trump has given about 30 interviews to the media , according to a rolling tally by CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller .
A clear majority have been with Fox News and other media outfits controlled by media magnate Rupert Murdoch , an ally of the president .
Former Fox News host Eric Bolling , now a host for a national show on Sinclair , has interviewed Trump eight times as president .
In an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president 's relationship with Fox is transactional .
`` I believe some of the stuff he does on Fox is almost like a thank you or a negotiable item , because when he 's on Fox or here , our ratings explode , right ?
So we want him to come on , '' Bolling told NPR .
`` In turn , he wants to be on those networks when he does his rallies . ''
That coverage , Bolling said , is `` invaluable to a candidate . ''
But when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his distortions and untruths are often unchecked — or , if corrected , gently done so well after his misleading remarks .
He has made grand and unsubstantiated claims about Hunter Biden .
He lies in saying that vote totals are always counted by the end of the night .
He makes baseless assertions that voting fraud is rampant .
When Trump sees insufficient loyalty , he or his associates snark back .
Last week , his spokesman trashed Fox News ' respected polling unit for its findings that voters were turning against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spokesman did so on Fox News .
Host Harris Faulkner did n't put up much of a defense .
Trump has denounced Fox 's Chris Wallace , perhaps its most straight-ahead news host , and tweeted twice against the network after it broadcast remarks by former President Barack Obama live , mocking him .
That night , Fox News ' chief political anchor , Bret Baier , reminded listeners and the president that the network had just carried Trump 's rally live for the better part of an hour .
And yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N.C. , Trump lionized a laundry list of seven Fox hosts , hailing each for the crowd .
His non-Fox News interviews have been largely granted to media outlets or figures who have equally sympathetic records : Marc Thiessen , The Washington Post 's most pro-Trump columnist ; Debra J. Saunders , a conservative political writer for the Las Vegas Review Journal , which is owned by casino titan Sheldon Adelson , one of the Republican Party 's biggest benefactors ; Sinclair , which Trump 's son-in-law , Jared Kushner , boasted had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange for greater access .
( Sinclair denies this , but has run numerous pro-Trump commentaries and pushed Trump 's shaky boasts on handling the pandemic and allegations of corruption by the Bidens . )
Among the others is Newsmax 's Greg Kelly — a former Fox star and son of a former New York City police commissioner well known by Trump — on an outlet founded by Trump 's friend Christopher Ruddy .
And then there 's Trump 's friend and ally Rush Limbaugh .
When Trump contracted COVID-19 , he could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Columbia University historian Nicole Hemmer , who studies conservative media , noted that Limbaugh mused aloud on how he could help Trump by turning over his microphone to the president to do what he called a virtual rally .
`` This , sir , is a mega-MAGA rally and we are all thrilled to be with you today , we are so glad you 're doing better , '' Limbaugh said while introducing the president .
Trump replied , `` Well , I want to thank you , Rush , you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mine .
Before I knew you as a friend , you were a supporter . ''
Limbaugh almost never invites big-name guests on his show , arguing he 's the expert .
That conversation with Trump lasted two hours .
And on a subsequent show , the top-rated radio host devoted another show to listening to Trump at an actual rally .
`` It gives you a sense of how all-in both the president and Limbaugh are in the 2020 election , '' Hemmer said .
It 's not just Trump and Limbaugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media .
You can also see a game plan emerge for what would transpire if Trump were to lose : Conservative outlets would spend a lot of time on Trump 's near-every utterance , and devote a lot of time to attacking Biden and his administration .

Down In The Polls, Trump Seeks Familiar Embrace of Conservative Media
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Moore/Getty Images John Moore/Getty Images
In the final stretch of a tough reelection campaign, a president who burst into public consciousness as a media sensation has returned to the warm embrace of conservative media outlets and their stars.
And they have been returning the favor: giving airtime to President Trump and broadcasting his rallies, and hammering Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, his family and his allies.
On Fox News' Trump-friendly The Five, Greg Gutfeld, at once mischievous and wistful, asked, "Why don't the Republicans start preemptive impeachment on Joe Biden, in case he wins?"
On the Trump-fanatical One America Network, White House correspondent Chanel Rion mixed metaphors like a bartender concocting drinks at happy hour: "The Biden-Harris campaign is facing down the barrel to an October surprise of nightmare proportions."
Or take Kristine Frazao's reporting for the Trump-sympathetic Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns or controls more than 190 local TV stations: "Some GOP lawmakers say time is running out to get to the bottom of what they call corruption at the highest levels of government."
Her report gave strong play to the concerns of Republicans on Capitol Hill who were calling for a special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his son Hunter. Left unmentioned: The 11 lawmakers are among the most extreme and marginalized Republicans in Congress, including one, Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who lost his primary and has been denounced by party leaders for racism, and another, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., who has repeatedly promoted groundless conspiracy theories.
Over the past few weeks, as many polls have shown Trump losing to Biden, many conservative outlets have recycled groundless claims about election fraud and unverified claims of unethical or illegal behavior by the Democratic nominee — claims circulated by the president's friends.
In exchange, they bask in the glow of Trump's presence, as Maria Bartiromo of the Fox Business Network did last month. "Tell me how you felt, what you went through," she asked Trump as he recovered from COVID-19 in one of her two October interviews with him. "It's amazing to me that you're back in such strong form right now. How did that happen?"
Since Sept. 1, Trump has given about 30 interviews to the media, according to a rolling tally by CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller. A clear majority have been with Fox News and other media outfits controlled by media magnate Rupert Murdoch, an ally of the president.
Former Fox News host Eric Bolling, now a host for a national show on Sinclair, has interviewed Trump eight times as president. In an interview with NPR, Bolling argued some of the president's relationship with Fox is transactional.
"I believe some of the stuff he does on Fox is almost like a thank you or a negotiable item, because when he's on Fox or here, our ratings explode, right? So we want him to come on," Bolling told NPR. "In turn, he wants to be on those networks when he does his rallies."
That coverage, Bolling said, is "invaluable to a candidate."
But when Trump is taken unfiltered or live, his distortions and untruths are often unchecked — or, if corrected, gently done so well after his misleading remarks. He has made grand and unsubstantiated claims about Hunter Biden. He lies in saying that vote totals are always counted by the end of the night. He makes baseless assertions that voting fraud is rampant.
When Trump sees insufficient loyalty, he or his associates snark back. Last week, his spokesman trashed Fox News' respected polling unit for its findings that voters were turning against him in previously supporting states. And the spokesman did so on Fox News. Host Harris Faulkner didn't put up much of a defense. Trump has denounced Fox's Chris Wallace, perhaps its most straight-ahead news host, and tweeted twice against the network after it broadcast remarks by former President Barack Obama live, mocking him.
That night, Fox News' chief political anchor, Bret Baier, reminded listeners and the president that the network had just carried Trump's rally live for the better part of an hour. And yet at a rally Monday in Fayetteville, N.C., Trump lionized a laundry list of seven Fox hosts, hailing each for the crowd.
His non-Fox News interviews have been largely granted to media outlets or figures who have equally sympathetic records: Marc Thiessen, The Washington Post's most pro-Trump columnist; Debra J. Saunders, a conservative political writer for the Las Vegas Review Journal, which is owned by casino titan Sheldon Adelson, one of the Republican Party's biggest benefactors; Sinclair, which Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, boasted had agreed to give Trump better coverage in exchange for greater access. (Sinclair denies this, but has run numerous pro-Trump commentaries and pushed Trump's shaky boasts on handling the pandemic and allegations of corruption by the Bidens.)
Among the others is Newsmax's Greg Kelly — a former Fox star and son of a former New York City police commissioner well known by Trump — on an outlet founded by Trump's friend Christopher Ruddy. And then there's Trump's friend and ally Rush Limbaugh.
When Trump contracted COVID-19, he couldn't stage rallies under public health rules. Columbia University historian Nicole Hemmer, who studies conservative media, noted that Limbaugh mused aloud on how he could help Trump by turning over his microphone to the president to do what he called a virtual rally.
"This, sir, is a mega-MAGA rally and we are all thrilled to be with you today, we are so glad you're doing better," Limbaugh said while introducing the president. Trump replied, "Well, I want to thank you, Rush, you're a fantastic man, a friend of mine. Before I knew you as a friend, you were a supporter."
Limbaugh almost never invites big-name guests on his show, arguing he's the expert. That conversation with Trump lasted two hours. And on a subsequent show, the top-rated radio host devoted another show to listening to Trump at an actual rally.
"It gives you a sense of how all-in both the president and Limbaugh are in the 2020 election," Hemmer said.
It's not just Trump and Limbaugh, but the president and the conservative media.
You can also see a game plan emerge for what would transpire if Trump were to lose: Conservative outlets would spend a lot of time on Trump's near-every utterance, and devote a lot of time to attacking Biden and his administration.


npr--2020-11-03--At Least 4 Killed By Gunman In Vienna, Austria, 'Terror Attack'

Gunman Kills At Least 4 In Vienna , Austria , 'Terror Attack' At least four people were killed and 14 others wounded , seven with life-threatening injuries , in a shooting spree in the city center of Vienna on Monday before police shot and killed a gunman the country 's interior minister described as an `` Islamist terrorist . ''
Austria 's interior minister , Karl Nehammer , said two men and two women died from their injuries , according to NPR 's Rob Schmitz .
Nehammer said a single suspect armed with a rifle and fake explosive vest was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attack last night by at least one Islamist terrorist , '' Nehammer said .
Schmitz reports that Nehammer said the suspect was a 20-year-old dual citizen of Austria and North Macedonia who was sentenced to 22 months in prison last year because he 'd attempted to travel to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State .
He was released seven months later due to laws applying to young adults .
Nehammer said the suspect 's house has been searched and video material seized .
Several additional arrests were made and at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vienna were told to stay home on Tuesday as authorities tried to determine whether there were other attackers or accomplices .
The attack began about 8 p.m. ( 2 p.m .
ET ) Monday when at least one gunman opened fire near Vienna 's main synagogue .
The synagogue was closed and unoccupied at the time .
Witnesses said the gunman fired randomly into bars and cafes that were crowded on the last night before a nationwide lockdown because of the coronavirus .
The gunman was killed by police within minutes .
Austrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despicable terror attack . ''
The government declared three days of national mourning with flags to be flown at half-staff through Thursday .
On Tuesday at noon ( 6 a.m .
ET ) , the nation will observe a minute of silence .

ISIS Claims Credit in Vienna, Austria 'Terror Attack'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ronald Zak/AP Ronald Zak/AP
Updated at 6:03 p.m. ET
The Islamic State has claimed credit for the shooting spree in the city center of Vienna, Austria in a statement released by the group Tuesday, according to Reuters and the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors online extremist content.
At least four people were killed and 14 others wounded, seven with life-threatening injuries, in the attack. Police shot and killed the gunman later identified as 20-year-old Kujtim Fejzulai.
The country's interior minister described Fejzulai as an "Islamist terrorist."
Austria's interior minister, Karl Nehammer, said two men and two women died from their injuries, according to NPR's Rob Schmitz. Nehammer said Fejzulai worked alone and was armed with a rifle and fake explosive vest.
"We experienced an attack last night by at least one Islamist terrorist," Nehammer said.
Fejzulai was a dual citizen of Austria and North Macedonia who was sentenced to 22 months in prison last year because he'd attempted to travel to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State. He was released seven months later due to laws applying to young adults.
Nehammer said the suspect's house has been searched and video material seized. Several additional arrests were made and at least 15 additional homes searched.
Residents of Vienna were told to stay home on Tuesday as authorities tried to determine whether there were other attackers or accomplices.
The attack began about 8 p.m. (2 p.m. ET) Monday when at least one gunman opened fire near Vienna's main synagogue. The synagogue was closed and unoccupied at the time.
Witnesses said the gunman fired randomly into bars and cafes that were crowded on the last night before a nationwide lockdown because of the coronavirus. The gunman was killed by police within minutes.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called it a "despicable terror attack." The government declared three days of national mourning with flags to be flown at half-staff through Thursday. On Tuesday at noon (6 a.m. ET), the nation will observe a minute of silence.