npr--2020-10-02--HHS Renews $10.2 Million Contract For Controversial COVID-19 Data Tracking Company

The Trump administration has renewed a controversial contract with a Pittsburgh company to collect key COVID-19 data from hospitals .
The Department of Health and Human Services decided to award a second $ 10.2 million , six-month contract to TeleTracking Technologies even though the company and the process by which the contract was awarded are under investigation by the HHS Inspector General and Congressional committees , an NPR Investigation has learned .
Back in the Spring , TeleTracking was awarded a contract to collect COVID-19 data from the nation 's hospitals despite no previous experience working on this sort of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been plagued by errors and inconsistencies from the outset .
The unusual process by which HHS gave TeleTracking the work has drawn the interest of government investigators .
The HHS Inspector General 's office is investigating whether TeleTracking included `` adequate cybersecurity controls '' to protect confidential data , according to HHS OIG spokeswoman Tesia Williams .
The Federal Register is also soliciting comments on behalf of HHS about the burden placed on hospitals who are required to submit their COVID data through Teletracking as opposed to the CDC system .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an HHS spokesperson said the original $ 10.2 million contract included an option for a six-month extension .
`` The federal government is still actively responding to this pandemic and this data is necessary to the response , '' said HHS spokesperson Katherine McKeogh .
The contract has been at the center of a controversy over the administration 's decision to move the collection of key COVID-19 hospital data out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , amid reports that health information related to the pandemic had been politicized by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection information for a range of illnesses for years .
Questions still loom about the way HHS awarded the original contract last spring .
The Department originally said the contract was awarded with a no-bid process and then reversed itself and said it was competitively bid .
It has refused to reveal which other companies bid for the job and an NPR investigation has been unable to find any companies that knew the contract existed .
And , NPR has learned , key officials inside the office of HHS Secretary Alex Azar fast-tracked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NPR that it sent a TeleTracking demonstration to the office for the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS on March 23 or 24 and presented its product , via conference call , to ASPR officials on March 27 .
Sources tell NPR that Deputy Assistant Secretary for ASPR , Bryan Shuy , began showing off a TeleTracking demonstration he had on his phone in late March , and that the company was invited to present its product to HHS officials just days later .
Contemporaneous documentation obtained by NPR showed Shuy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awarded just three days later .
HHS declined to make Shuy available for comment .
When given a list of questions about the way the contract was awarded , HHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Michael Caputo told NPR , before taking a leave of absence from the agency last month , that its reporting was `` false and defamatory '' and threatened legal action .
He declined to be more specific .
`` I was surprised to see that TeleTracking was the company that was pulling that data together , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which provides technology for hospital systems .
`` There are other companies that pull data together and this is not what I know of what TeleTracking does .
So it was not really surprising to see that it was , maybe not working as effectively as anticipated . ''
TeleTracking 's new contract is up for renewal at the end of March .

HHS Renews $10.2 Million Contract For Controversial COVID-19 Data Tracking Company
Enlarge this image toggle caption Westend61/Getty Images/Westend61 Westend61/Getty Images/Westend61
The Trump administration has renewed a controversial contract with a Pittsburgh company to collect key COVID-19 data from hospitals.
The Department of Health and Human Services decided to award a second $10.2 million, six-month contract to TeleTracking Technologies even though Congressional committees are investigating the process by which the contract was awarded and the HHS Inspector General is looking at how the company is securing the information it is gathering, an NPR Investigation has learned.
Back in the Spring, TeleTracking was awarded a contract to collect COVID-19 data from the nation's hospitals despite no previous experience working on this sort of data collection. And TeleTracking's system has been plagued by errors and inconsistencies from the outset.
The unusual process by which HHS gave TeleTracking the work has drawn the interest of government investigators. The HHS Inspector General's office is investigating whether TeleTracking included "adequate cybersecurity controls" to protect confidential data, according to HHS OIG spokeswoman Tesia Williams. The Federal Register is also soliciting comments on behalf of HHS about the burden placed on hospitals who are required to submit their COVID data through Teletracking as opposed to the CDC system.
When asked about the contract's renewal, an HHS spokesperson said the original $10.2 million contract included an option for a six-month extension. "The federal government is still actively responding to this pandemic and this data is necessary to the response," said HHS spokesperson Katherine McKeogh.
The contract has been at the center of a controversy over the administration's decision to move the collection of key COVID-19 hospital data out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, amid reports that health information related to the pandemic had been politicized by the White House. The CDC has tracked infection information for a range of illnesses for years.
Questions still loom about the way HHS awarded the original contract last spring. The Department originally said the contract was awarded with a no-bid process and then reversed itself and said it was competitively bid. It has refused to reveal which other companies bid for the job and an NPR investigation has been unable to find any companies that knew the contract existed.
And, NPR has learned, key officials inside the office of HHS Secretary Alex Azar fast-tracked the TeleTracking contract.
The company told NPR that it sent a TeleTracking demonstration to the office for the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS on March 23 or 24 and presented its product, via conference call, to ASPR officials on March 27.
Sources tell NPR that Deputy Assistant Secretary for ASPR, Bryan Shuy, began showing off a TeleTracking demonstration he had on his phone in late March, and that the company was invited to present its product to HHS officials just days later. Contemporaneous documentation obtained by NPR showed Shuy telling people that the contract had been awarded just three days later. HHS declined to make Shuy available for comment.
When given a list of questions about the way the contract was awarded, HHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Michael Caputo told NPR, before taking a leave of absence from the agency last month, that its reporting was "false and defamatory" and threatened legal action. He declined to be more specific.
"I was surprised to see that TeleTracking was the company that was pulling that data together," said Angie Franks, CEO of Central Logic, which provides technology for hospital systems. "There are other companies that pull data together and this is not what I know of what TeleTracking does. So it was not really surprising to see that it was, maybe not working as effectively as anticipated."
TeleTracking's new contract is up for renewal at the end of March.


npr--2020-10-02--'This Is All I've Ever Known': Amid Cuts, Airline Workers Wonder Where They'll Land

'This Is All I 've Ever Known ' : Amid Cuts , Airline Workers Wonder Where They 'll Land Lizz Jansen 's first airline job was not one she thought would launch a career .
She dreamed of becoming a photojournalist .
Her parents , both airline workers , helped her get a job processing crew members ' receipts for reimbursement .
`` It was boring , but it was a job , and it was insurance , and I was 19 years old , and I needed something , '' she says .
Jansen wound up spending 20 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The sudden drop in air travel because of the pandemic has left Jansen and tens of thousands of other airline workers wondering what they 'll do next .
For some it 's a career change ; for others it 's finding a temporary job and hoping that the industry recovers soon .
From her first clerical job at the airline , Jansen made her way into work that was exciting , complex and rewarding : pilot scheduling .
She rose to become the department 's trainer .
It was a career she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then in late July , Jansen learned over a Zoom call that her position would be cut .
She opted to take a voluntary separation package .
Aug. 15 was her last day .
With passenger volumes down nearly 70 % from a year ago due to the pandemic , airlines have lost billions of dollars .
This week , United Airlines and American Airlines furloughed more than 32,000 employees .
Now 39 , Jansen always feared something like this could happen .
`` I do n't have a college degree .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is all I 've ever known , '' she says .
When a storm or a mechanical problem grounds a flight , it 's her department that scrambles to find a replacement crew , preventing cascading delays and ensuring safety .
`` I like all the different puzzle pieces .
It 's never the same thing every single day , '' Jansen says .
`` Everybody thinks , 'Oh my gosh , we 're going to be 10 minutes late . '
But you could have been two hours late .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
She 's now looking for a new job and has n't ruled out returning to the airline , but she knows it may be awhile before that 's possible .
`` We recovered from 9/11 .
We 'll recover from this .
It 's just a lot slower this time around , '' she says .
Flight attendant Veronica Clemente had a choice to make earlier in the pandemic .
In March , as air travel dropped precipitously , she started getting emails from her employer , another major airline , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they needed flight attendants to take unpaid leave .
Clemente , who 'd joined the airline in 2016 , did not hesitate .
She was already feeling uncomfortable with flying , fearful she could catch the coronavirus .
She started with a monthlong leave and then extended it , keeping her health insurance and travel benefits as part of the agreement .
In need of some income , she refreshed her profile on Care.com and was soon booking babysitting jobs in the Washington , D.C. , area , a side gig she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's been a smooth transition .
`` There 's a joke in the airline industry that being a flight attendant , you 're basically an overpaid babysitter , '' Clemente says .
Beyond the endless patience required for both jobs , flight attendants also have valuable first-aid skills and extensive training in how to deal with a whole gamut of emergency situations .
Clemente has had no trouble finding plenty of babysitting work , but it pays a lot less and she misses the travel and flexibility of her old job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she worked just 12 days a month , allowing her to plan around big events and family gatherings .
`` Now that I 've been away from it for so long , it really helped me to see how lucky I was to have that job , '' she says .
Courtland Savage believes he came close to being furloughed from his job as a pilot for a regional carrier , narrowly making the cutoff .
Still , it 's been a rocky year .
In the first few months of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was still paid for a minimum number of hours under his contract , but that minimum was cut by almost 30 % , and he also lost bonuses he was to receive as a first officer .
When he was scheduled to fly , he found planes had more crew members than passengers .
`` Nobody was flying , '' he says .
`` I remember going to the airport , it was like a ghost town .
It was a very , very eerie feeling . ''
Being away from flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other passion : Fly For the Culture , a nonprofit he founded to draw young people of color to aviation .
As a kid growing up in North Carolina , Savage says he never dreamed of becoming a pilot .
In high school he joked with a friend that if a Black man were to become president , Savage , then a teenager , would fly a plane .
`` That 's how far-fetched I thought it was , '' he says and laughs .
Twelve years later , he 's looking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could build flight and maintenance schools and host community events and camps .
He knows things are going to be rough in aviation for a while — at least a few years .
But he sees opportunities ahead .
`` All those pilots that did all that early retirement , they 're not going to be there to staff these positions when the industry recovers , '' he says .
Before the pandemic , the industry was facing a severe pilot shortage .
Savage believes the shortage will be even worse once the @ @ @ @

'This Is All I've Ever Known': Amid Cuts, Airline Workers Wonder Where They'll Land
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mario Tama/Getty Images Mario Tama/Getty Images
Lizz Jansen's first airline job was not one she thought would launch a career. She dreamed of becoming a photojournalist. Her parents, both airline workers, helped her get a job processing crew members' receipts for reimbursement.
"It was boring, but it was a job, and it was insurance, and I was 19 years old, and I needed something," she says. Jansen wound up spending 20 years at the company, a major airline.
The sudden drop in air travel because of the pandemic has left Jansen and tens of thousands of other airline workers wondering what they'll do next. For some it's a career change; for others it's finding a temporary job and hoping that the industry recovers soon.
From her first clerical job at the airline, Jansen made her way into work that was exciting, complex and rewarding: pilot scheduling. She rose to become the department's trainer. It was a career she thought could be hers for life.
Then in late July, Jansen learned over a Zoom call that her position would be cut. She opted to take a voluntary separation package. Aug. 15 was her last day.
With passenger volumes down nearly 70% from a year ago due to the pandemic, airlines have lost billions of dollars. This week, United Airlines and American Airlines furloughed more than 32,000 employees.
Now 39, Jansen always feared something like this could happen.
"I don't have a college degree. I don't have any formal official training. This is all I've ever known," she says.
When a storm or a mechanical problem grounds a flight, it's her department that scrambles to find a replacement crew, preventing cascading delays and ensuring safety.
"I like all the different puzzle pieces. It's never the same thing every single day," Jansen says. "Everybody thinks, 'Oh my gosh, we're going to be 10 minutes late.' But you could have been two hours late. We're minimizing a lot of that."
She's now looking for a new job and hasn't ruled out returning to the airline, but she knows it may be awhile before that's possible.
"We recovered from 9/11. We'll recover from this. It's just a lot slower this time around," she says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Kleinschmidt Joe Kleinschmidt
Flight attendant Veronica Clemente had a choice to make earlier in the pandemic. In March, as air travel dropped precipitously, she started getting emails from her employer, another major airline, informing her that flights were being cut and they needed flight attendants to take unpaid leave.
Clemente, who'd joined the airline in 2016, did not hesitate. She was already feeling uncomfortable with flying, fearful she could catch the coronavirus. She started with a monthlong leave and then extended it, keeping her health insurance and travel benefits as part of the agreement.
In need of some income, she refreshed her profile on Care.com and was soon booking babysitting jobs in the Washington, D.C., area, a side gig she'd kept up since her college days. It's been a smooth transition.
"There's a joke in the airline industry that being a flight attendant, you're basically an overpaid babysitter," Clemente says.
Beyond the endless patience required for both jobs, flight attendants also have valuable first-aid skills and extensive training in how to deal with a whole gamut of emergency situations.
Clemente has had no trouble finding plenty of babysitting work, but it pays a lot less and she misses the travel and flexibility of her old job. As a full-time flight attendant, she worked just 12 days a month, allowing her to plan around big events and family gatherings.
"Now that I've been away from it for so long, it really helped me to see how lucky I was to have that job," she says.
Courtland Savage believes he came close to being furloughed from his job as a pilot for a regional carrier, narrowly making the cutoff. Still, it's been a rocky year.
In the first few months of the pandemic, he hardly flew at all. He was still paid for a minimum number of hours under his contract, but that minimum was cut by almost 30%, and he also lost bonuses he was to receive as a first officer.
When he was scheduled to fly, he found planes had more crew members than passengers. "Nobody was flying," he says. "I remember going to the airport, it was like a ghost town. It was a very, very eerie feeling."
Being away from flying has given him time to pursue his other passion: Fly For the Culture, a nonprofit he founded to draw young people of color to aviation.
As a kid growing up in North Carolina, Savage says he never dreamed of becoming a pilot.
In high school he joked with a friend that if a Black man were to become president, Savage, then a teenager, would fly a plane. "That's how far-fetched I thought it was," he says and laughs.
Twelve years later, he's looking to acquire a small airport, where he could build flight and maintenance schools and host community events and camps.
He knows things are going to be rough in aviation for a while — at least a few years. But he sees opportunities ahead.
"All those pilots that did all that early retirement, they're not going to be there to staff these positions when the industry recovers," he says.
Before the pandemic, the industry was facing a severe pilot shortage. Savage believes the shortage will be even worse once the pandemic is over.


npr--2020-10-02--Markets React Cautiously To News Of Trump Testing Positive For The Coronavirus

Markets React Cautiously To News Of Trump Testing Positive For The Coronavirus Financial markets reacted with caution to news overnight that President Trump and the first lady tested positive for the coronavirus .
Many Asian markets were closed for a holiday .
Japan 's Nikkei average dipped less than 1 % .
Stock futures in the U.S. pointed to a lower open on Wall Street , but not dramatically so .
Dow futures were down about 300 points by 4 a.m .
ET , or just over 1 % .
The S & P 500 index futures fell by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swings in recent days as investors tried to game out prospects for another round of relief payments from Washington .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , has been negotiating over a possible package with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , but the talks have yielded no breakthrough yet .
Earlier relief payments helped cushion the financial fallout from the pandemic , but much of that aid has now expired .
A report from the Commerce Department on Thursday showed that personal income fell in August .
Modest wage gains were more than offset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Labor Department issues a closely watched jobs report at 8:30 a.m .
ET on Friday .
It 's the last snapshot of the U.S. labor market before the November election .
Job gains slowed in July and August , so investors will be watching for any further decline .
So far , the economy has recovered about half the 22 million jobs that were lost in March and April .
The president 's positive coronavirus test is the latest twist in what has been a pandemic roller coaster for financial markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the virus spread across the globe .
But U.S. markets then mounted a remarkable comeback .
Thanks to a surge in big technology shares , both the S & P 500 and the Nasdaq indexes hit new highs in early September .

Trump's Positive Coronavirus Test Result Roils Financial Markets
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 4:26 p.m. ET
Stock prices fell after President Trump revealed he had tested positive for the coronavirus, but recovered somewhat on hopes Congress would clinch a deal for a new round of stimulus.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 134 points, or nearly 0.5%. The S&P 500 finished almost 1% lower, while the Nasdaq composite index lost 2.2%.
The declines followed news of Trump's positive test result, which came on the same day that the Labor Department's monthly snapshot showed the U.S. economy created fewer jobs than expected in September.
The two developments on Friday exacerbated concerns about the pace of an economic recovery at a time when Congress has yet to agree on a new stimulus deal.
The Dow was down more than 300 points early in the day, but pared some of its losses after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed hope of reaching a compromise in Congress for additional relief from the coronavirus pandemic.
"If nothing else, the stock market is at some risk of heightened volatility in the coming days and weeks. We were already expecting that with the approach of Election Day. No doubt this may exacerbate that risk, amid no shortage of other sources of uncertainty and volatility," said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst for Bankrate.
The White House said the president is displaying "mild symptoms" of the coronavirus and would be staying at home along with the first lady, who also tested positive. The test result comes just weeks ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department said the economy added 661,000 jobs in September, fewer than economists had expected, in a sign that the economic rebound may be slowing.
The report "provides additional credence to the view that the economic recovery is losing some momentum," said Seema Shah, chief strategist at Principal Global Investors.
"Of course, after having lost over 22 million jobs in the space of March and April, the U.S. labor market has made huge gains over recent months. Yet those gains only equate to around half of those pandemic job losses having been retraced," Shah added.
Stock prices partially recovered early Friday afternoon after Pelosi told MSNBC that Trump's positive test results could jump-start the stalled talks in Congress over a new coronavirus stimulus bill.
"This kind of changes the dynamic because here [Republicans] see the reality of what we have been saying all along. This is a vicious virus," she told MSNBC.
Separately, Pelosi called on new relief for airlines, which have started furloughing workers after a previous aid package from Congress expired.
Earlier relief payments, including additional unemployment benefits for millions of Americans, helped cushion the financial fallout from the pandemic, but much of that aid has now expired.
A report from the Commerce Department on Thursday showed that personal income fell in August. Modest wage gains were more than offset by a deep drop in unemployment benefits.
The president's positive coronavirus test is the latest twist in what has been a pandemic-related roller coaster for financial markets.
Stocks fell sharply in the spring as the virus spread around the globe. But U.S. markets then mounted a remarkable comeback. Thanks to a surge in Big Tech shares, both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq indexes hit new highs in early September.


npr--2020-10-02--President Trump And First Lady Test Positive For The Coronavirus

President Trump And First Lady Test Positive For The Coronavirus Updated at 8:33 a.m .
ET The country was thrown on edge overnight as President Trump announced that he and the first lady have tested positive for the coronavirus , a stunning announcement that throws the final stretch of the presidential campaign — already radically upended by the global pandemic — even further into unknown territory .
Trump plans to continue carrying out his duties but is expected to remain home for two weeks , canceling campaign events as doctors watch him at the White House .
Trump is 74 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable to the disease .
The White House physician says the president and first lady , who 's 50 , `` are both well at this time . ''
The news came after midnight , by tweet .
Only hours earlier , the president had told his friend Sean Hannity in an interview on Fox News that he and Melania Trump had begun `` a quarantine process '' after White House adviser Hope Hicks tested positive for the virus .
Hicks is one of the president 's closest aides .
In the tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , @ FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19 .
We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately .
We will get through this TOGETHER ! ''
Global financial markets declined as the news of Trump 's diagnosis spread .
In a memo dated Oct. 1 , White House physician Sean Conley confirmed that Trump and his wife had tested positive for the virus on Thursday .
`` The President and First Lady are both well at this time , and they plan to remain at home within the White House during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added that he and the White House team will maintain a `` vigilant watch '' over the Trumps .
Melania Trump tweeted that she and her husband were `` feeling good '' but have canceled their upcoming public events .
The president had a campaign rally planned for Florida on Friday and two in Wisconsin , which is seeing a spike of cases , on Saturday .
A White House official told NPR 's Tamara Keith that the president was in good spirits and that his staff was working out how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the possible length of a presidential quarantine .
`` He 's fine now .
He 's in good spirits .
He 'll be OK , the doctor 's optimistic .
He 'll get treatment .
We 're in a pretty good place to treat this , '' the official said .
`` From a continuity standpoint — listen , we 'll be fine , we 'll figure out a way to do it , '' the official said .
`` The vice president can step in where he needs to .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be very engaged — and he will be .
As you know , he 's not one to sit still . ''
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen , who are tested daily for the coronavirus , tested negative on Friday for the virus , a spokesman said .
`` Vice President Pence remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery , '' the spokesman , Devin O'Malley , told NPR .
White House aides are also tested for the virus regularly ; some , like White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are tested daily .
White House adviser Hicks , who tested positive for the virus , would have also been tested on a regular basis .
Hicks traveled with Trump on Air Force One both to Tuesday night 's debate against Democratic nominee Joe Biden and to a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday .
In recent days , Hicks has been seen in close quarters with top White House officials including Meadows , top aides Dan Scavino and Stephen Miller , campaign manager Bill Stepien and campaign aide Jason Miller , and Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jared Kushner .
Although COVID-19 has claimed more than 207,000 lives in the U.S. , many people who become infected by the virus show only mild symptoms , or none whatsoever .
Speaking to Fox News ' Hannity on Thursday evening , Trump confirmed that Hicks `` did test positive '' for the coronavirus and said he and his wife had both gotten tested for the virus after the news broke .
`` Whether we quarantine or whether we have it , I do n't know , '' Trump said earlier in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens .
Who knows , '' he said , adding : `` I spend a lot of time with Hope .
So does the first lady . ''
He then tweeted that he and the first lady `` will begin our quarantine process . ''
For months , Trump has downplayed the severity of the virus and contradicted medical professionals on the importance of wearing masks .
At recent rallies — most of which are outside — large crowds have gathered , with many in the audience opting against wearing the widely recommended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen wearing a mask in public , citing the frequency of COVID-19 testing for both himself and his staff .
At Tuesday 's presidential debate , Trump even scoffed at his rival Biden 's frequent use of masks .
`` When needed , I wear a mask , '' Trump said .
`` I do n't wear masks like him .
Every time you see him he wears a mask .
He could be speaking 200 feet away .
He shows up with the biggest mask I 've ever seen . ''
Globally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 1 million deaths .

Trump Takes 'Precautionary' Treatment After He And First Lady Test Positive For Virus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Updated at 4:30 p.m. ET
The country was put on edge overnight as President Trump announced that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus, a stunning announcement that raises concerns about their health and throws the final stretch of the presidential campaign — already upended by the pandemic — even further into unknown territory.
The couple's 14-year-old son, Barron Trump, has tested negative for the virus, the first lady's chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, told NPR.
The president's doctor on Friday said Trump had received a "precautionary" single 8-gram dose of Regeneron's antibody cocktail "without incident."
Additionally, he has been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine and a daily aspirin, White House physician Sean Conley said in a statement.
"As of this afternoon, the President remains fatigued but in good spirits," Conley said.
"First lady Melania Trump remains well with only a mild cough and headache," he said.
Trump plans to continue carrying out his duties but is expected to remain home for two weeks, canceling campaign events as doctors watch him at the White House.
Trump is 74, an age that makes him more vulnerable to the virus. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters Friday that the president has "mild symptoms."
He did not directly answer a question about the type of symptoms that Trump is experiencing. The first lady said on Twitter that she also has mild symptoms but is "overall feeling good."
Meadows said, "The doctors continue to monitor both his health and the health of the first lady. We'll continue to do that. They'll be glad to provide some updates later today as we look at this."
The chief of staff said Trump was in good spirits and had asked him about progress on aid talks with Congress as well as giving him a to-do list.
"He's probably critiquing the way that I'm answering these questions," Meadows said.
The news came after midnight by tweet. In it, the president said: "Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!"
In a memo dated Oct. 1, Conley, the White House physician, confirmed that Trump and his wife had tested positive for the virus on Thursday.
"The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence," he said. He added that he and the White House team will maintain a "vigilant watch" over the Trumps.
The president had a campaign rally planned for Friday in Florida and two on Saturday in Wisconsin, which is seeing a spike of cases.
A White House official said that the president's staff was working out how to run things during the next 14 days — the possible length of a presidential quarantine.
"He's fine now. He's in good spirits. He'll be OK, the doctor's optimistic. He'll get treatment. We're in a pretty good place to treat this," the official said.
"From a continuity standpoint — listen, we'll be fine, we'll figure out a way to do it," the official said. "The vice president can step in where he needs to. The president is obviously going to want to be very engaged — and he will be. As you know, he's not one to sit still."
Vice President Pence and his wife, Karen, who are tested daily for the coronavirus, tested negative on Friday, a spokesman said.
"Vice President Pence remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery," the spokesman, Devin O'Malley, told NPR.
Meadows expects more positive tests
Only hours earlier before his own announcement, the president had told Sean Hannity in an interview on Fox News that he and the first lady had begun "a quarantine process" after White House adviser Hope Hicks tested positive for the virus. Hicks is one of the president's closest aides.
White House aides are tested for the virus regularly; some, such as White House chief of staff Meadows, are tested daily.
Hicks traveled with Trump on Air Force One both to Tuesday night's debate against Democratic nominee Joe Biden and to a rally Wednesday in Minnesota.
Meadows said other staffers may eventually test positive for the virus.
"I fully expect ... other people in the White House will certainly have a positive test result," he said, saying that the White House had plans to ensure its work moved forward.
In recent days, Hicks has been seen in close quarters with top White House officials, including Meadows, aides Dan Scavino and Stephen Miller, campaign manager Bill Stepien and campaign aide Jason Miller, and Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner.
Although COVID-19 has claimed more than 207,000 lives in the U.S., many people who become infected by the virus show only mild symptoms, or none whatsoever.
Trump has downplayed virus's severity
For months, Trump has downplayed the severity of the virus and contradicted medical professionals on the importance of wearing masks. At recent rallies — most of which are outside — large crowds have gathered, with many in the audience opting against wearing the widely recommended face masks.
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Trump is rarely seen wearing a mask in public, citing the frequency of coronavirus testing for both himself and his staff.
At Tuesday's presidential debate, Trump even scoffed at Biden's frequent use of masks.
"When needed, I wear a mask," Trump said. "I don't wear masks like him. Every time you see him he wears a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away. He shows up with the biggest mask I've ever seen."
Biden wished the Trumps a speedy recovery on Friday.
Globally, the coronavirus has been responsible for more than 1 million deaths.


npr--2020-10-01--Trump Now Says He Condemns 'All White Supremacists,' After Declining To At Debate

Trump Now Says He Condemns 'All White Supremacists , ' After Declining To At Debate Days after President Trump declined to denounce white supremacists during a nationally televised debate , sparking outrage from Democrats and many Republicans , he sought to lay the controversy to rest , telling Fox News Thursday that he condemns right-wing hate groups such as the KKK and the Proud Boys .
Speaking with Fox 's Sean Hannity , the president said : `` Let me be clear again : I condemn the KKK .
I condemn all white supremacists .
I condemn the Proud Boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Proud Boys , almost nothing , but I condemn that . ''
Trump quickly added that Democratic nominee Joe Biden should also condemn antifa , the loose affiliation of left-wing , anti-fascist activists .
The remarks follow the first presidential debate that took place on Tuesday in which the president was asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he would condemn white supremacists .
Challenged by the president to `` give me a name , '' of a specific group , Biden mentioned the Proud Boys , a far-right neo-Nazi group that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent weeks .
Instead of denouncing the group , however , Trump said its members should `` Stand back and standby . ''
The Proud Boys quickly picked up on the remark , taking to social media to tout what they claimed was the president 's favor , with more than 5,000 members posting `` Stand Back '' and `` Stand By '' above and below the group 's logo , according to The Associated Press .
But Trump 's comment sparked widespread criticism from Democrats and many Republicans .
Leaders in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to forcefully denounce far-right extremism .
Events this week played out in similar fashion to the aftermath of a white supremacist rally in August 2017 in Charlottesville , Va. , that devolved into violence .
Initially , the president refused to condemn the organizers , blaming left-wing counter protesters and insisting that there was `` blame on both sides . ''
Two days later , after a firestorm of bipartisan criticism , he finally denounced `` the KKK , neo-Nazis , white supremacists , and other hate groups . ''

Trump Now Says He Condemns 'All White Supremacists,' After Declining To At Debate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julio Cortez/AP Julio Cortez/AP
Days after President Trump declined to denounce white supremacists during a nationally televised debate, sparking outrage from Democrats and many Republicans, he sought to lay the controversy to rest, telling Fox News Thursday that he condemns right-wing hate groups such as the KKK and the Proud Boys.
Speaking with Fox's Sean Hannity, the president said: "Let me be clear again: I condemn the KKK. I condemn all white supremacists. I condemn the Proud Boys. I don't know much about the Proud Boys, almost nothing, but I condemn that."
Trump quickly added that Democratic nominee Joe Biden should also condemn antifa, the loose affiliation of left-wing, anti-fascist activists.
The remarks follow the first presidential debate that took place on Tuesday in which the president was asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he would condemn white supremacists. Challenged by the president to "give me a name," of a specific group, Biden mentioned the Proud Boys, a far-right neo-Nazi group that has been blamed for violence at protest rallies in recent weeks.
Instead of denouncing the group, however, Trump said its members should "Stand back and standby."
The Proud Boys quickly picked up on the remark, taking to social media to tout what they claimed was the president's favor, with more than 5,000 members posting "Stand Back" and "Stand By" above and below the group's logo, according to The Associated Press.
But Trump's comment sparked widespread criticism from Democrats and many Republicans. Leaders in his own party felt that he needed to forcefully denounce far-right extremism.
Events this week played out in similar fashion to the aftermath of a white supremacist rally in August 2017 in Charlottesville, Va., that devolved into violence.
Initially, the president refused to condemn the organizers, blaming left-wing counter protesters and insisting that there was "blame on both sides." Two days later, after a firestorm of bipartisan criticism, he finally denounced "the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups."


npr--2020-10-01--Trump Begins Quarantine After White House Adviser Hope Hicks Tests Positive

President Trump and the first lady are quarantining and being tested for the coronavirus after a close adviser to the White House , Hope Hicks , has tested positive for the virus .
Hicks is considered one of the president 's closest allies and traveled with him on Air Force One both to Tuesday night 's debate and to a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday .
Speaking to Fox News ' Sean Hannity on Thursday evening , Trump confirmed that Hicks `` did test positive '' for COVID-19 and said he and his wife had both gotten tested for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whether we quarantine or whether we have it , I do n't know , '' Trump said earlier in the evening .
`` We 'll see what happens .
Who knows , '' he said , adding `` I spend a lot of time with Hope .
So does the First Lady . ''
He then tweeted that he and the first lady `` will begin our quarantine process . ''
Hicks is the latest in the White House orbit known publicly to have contracted COVID-19 .
For months , President Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contradicted medical professionals on the importance of wearing masks .
At recent rallies , large crowds have gathered , with many in the audience opting against wearing the widely recommended face masks .
Trump himself is rarely seen wearing a mask in public , citing the frequency of COVID-19 testing for both himself and his staff .
In the Thursday Fox News interview , Trump said Hicks wore `` a lot of masks . ''
A White House official , speaking on background , said : `` The contact tracing was conducted and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So far , more than 200,000 Americans have died of the virus .
Globally , coronavirus has been responsible for more than 1 million deaths .
Trump 's campaign has scheduled a rally in Sanford , Fla. , on Friday night and two rallies in Wisconsin on Saturday .

Trump Begins Quarantine After White House Adviser Hope Hicks Tests Positive
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Updated at 10:55 p.m. ET
President Trump and the first lady are quarantining and being tested for the coronavirus after a close adviser to the White House, Hope Hicks, has tested positive for the virus. Hicks is considered one of the president's closest allies and traveled with him on Air Force One both to Tuesday night's debate and to a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday.
(President Trump and the first lady later tested positive for the virus themselves. Follow those updates here.)
Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday evening, Trump confirmed that Hicks "did test positive" for COVID-19 and said he and his wife had both gotten tested for the virus after the news broke.
"Whether we quarantine or whether we have it, I don't know," Trump said earlier in the evening.
"We'll see what happens. Who knows," he said, adding "I spend a lot of time with Hope. So does the First Lady."
He then tweeted that he and the first lady "will begin our quarantine process."
Hicks is the latest in the White House orbit known publicly to have contracted COVID-19.
For months, President Trump has downplayed the severity of the virus and contradicted medical professionals on the importance of wearing masks. At recent rallies, large crowds have gathered, with many in the audience opting against wearing the widely recommended face masks.
Trump himself is rarely seen wearing a mask in public, citing the frequency of COVID-19 testing for both himself and his staff.
In the Thursday Fox News interview, Trump said Hicks wore "a lot of masks."
A White House official, speaking on background, said: "The contact tracing was conducted and the appropriate recommendations were made."
So far, more than 200,000 Americans have died of the virus. Globally, coronavirus has been responsible for more than 1 million deaths.
Trump's campaign has scheduled a rally in Sanford, Fla., on Friday night and two rallies in Wisconsin on Saturday.


npr--2020-10-02--How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress

How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress Updated on October 2 at 9 p.m .
ET The coronavirus pandemic has upended the daily work of Congress .
Starting in March , House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members for several weeks as public health guidelines recommended social distancing because of the outbreak .
The Senate returned in May , but the much larger House still stayed mostly away as a result of advice from the attending physician to Congress .
That same month , the House approved historic rule changes allowing remote voting and hearings .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers and forced dozens more to self-quarantine .
More than 100 members of their staffs and Capitol Hill workers have tested positive .
And it remains an ongoing threat .
Two Republican lawmakers , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona , were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines on March 8 .
Both had attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Md.
, a few days earlier .
An attendee at the conference had fallen ill , its organizers revealed .
The following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus .
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 vote on a coronavirus relief package .
Since that time , dozens more lawmakers entered self-quarantine as a result of exposure to someone who was sick , including fellow members of Congress , constituents and dignitaries .
And by September , at least 110 Capitol workers have reported a positive test or were presumed so , including 43 members of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gary Tibbetts , a longtime staffer for Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida , died from COVID-19 .
And some lawmakers have taken antibody tests to see if they were previously ill .
Among them , Democratic Sens .
Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring .
To stem the flow of new cases , both chambers have issued new social distancing guidance .
Also , the U.S. Capitol remains closed to public tours and open only to members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitors .
In late July , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a new mask mandate after Rep. Louie Gohmert , R-Texas , who has often rejected mask protocols , tested positive for the coronavirus .
Gohmert had attended several hearings a day before testing and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection .
Gohmert 's case triggered quarantines for five House members , including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva .
Days later , Grijalva tested positive , but fully recovered symptom free .
This story was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Congress and COVID-19: members' cases and quarantines
Enlarge this image toggle caption Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Editor's note: This page is no longer updating as of Dec. 31, 2021.
A number of congressional lawmakers experienced breakthrough COVID-19 infections as coronavirus cases rose nationwide with the spread of the omicron variant.
Earlier in 2021, Congress went months with no coronavirus cases among its members. That came a halt amid a national surge driven by the delta variant, when Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan of Florida and Clay Higgins of Louisiana reported infections in July. Buchanan says he was fully vaccinated, but that was less clear for Higgins.
At least another dozen members followed throughout the fall with news they had also tested positive for coronavirus; many of those infections involving vaccinated Senate and House members.
Before these latest waves, Congress' nearly six-month case pause came after a majority of more than 500 lawmakers were fully vaccinated by January. The Capitol's attending physician then lifted much of the mask mandates that dominated the past year. However, a minority of House Republican members have refused to seek vaccination.
Lawmakers impact by the coronavirus
This new threat arrives after the coronavirus already exacted a large toll on the Capitol.
Last year, the pandemic upended daily work for months, sickening dozens of members and hundreds of workers. A sitting congressman, a member-elect and an aide died.
By February 2021, more than 60 lawmakers and 360 Capitol Hill workers had tested positive, or were presumed so, for the coronavirus, according to NPR's tracker and congressional aides.
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See a list of all members who tested positive or quarantined.
That same month, Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, became the first sitting member of Congress to die after a more than two-week battle with COVID-19. In December, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana died days before he was due to be sworn in for a seat that was later filled in April by his widow, Rep. Julia Letlow, following a special election.
And last summer, an aide to Buchanan died from COVID-19.
The rash of infections among members continued at a consistent pace since the pandemic began, with the longest stretch without any such cases lasting about three weeks during recess periods away from Washington, D.C.
But this past March, Capitol Hill began its first month-long stretch without any reported cases or quarantines among members. The most recent positive case before July was reported by Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., on Jan. 29, despite his having received his second dose of the vaccine days earlier.
Another member, House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., reported that she quarantined on Feb. 1. It ended Feb. 8 without a report of a positive test.
January 6 insurrection caused spike in cases on Capitol Hill
Up until this summer, the most recent outbreak of cases on Capitol Hill for members was triggered by the Jan. 6 insurrection, which forced members to cluster together in rooms for several hours. Some House Republicans were seen refusing to wear masks during the ordeal.
Later, Monahan told Congress that at least one of these holding rooms for House members included a lawmaker who was already positive.
More than a half-dozen members quarantined as a result, and several tested positive, including Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Brad Schneider of Illinois.
In all, January proved to be one of members' worst month for the coronavirus, with at least 16 lawmakers testing positive. Before the insurrection, the House met to launch a new session before reinstating rules allowing proxy voting.
This, as congressional leaders and lawmakers received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which became available to members in December. The doses were provided to meet long-standing requirements for continuity of government operations, Monahan told members in a Dec. 17 note.
Pandemic impacted congressional operations
Ahead of the vaccinations, both chambers of Congress recessed multiple times last year as the Capitol went largely without a widespread testing program.
The Democratic-controlled House installed emergency proxy voting and remote hearings in May 2020, and Pelosi extended the covered period several times due to the pandemic. It remains in place until at least until mid-August.
In November, Pelosi triggered a broader coronavirus testing program for Congress following new requirement for travelers to the Washington, D.C., area.
Pelosi has previously said with about 75% of House members vaccinated, and several Republicans who refuse to do so, she's unclear when Congress will fully get back to normal.
"One of the most substantial steps that can be taken is that everybody should be vaccinated," Pelosi told reporters in March, later adding, "We need 100% of the members vaccinated, because it just takes one to endanger others."
The pandemic delayed other rituals, such as President Biden's first address before a joint session of Congress, which was held with only 200 socially distanced guests on April 28.
Last year remains a reminder of how quickly outbreaks spiraled out of control among lawmakers.
In December, at least nine House members, including six Republicans, tested positive for the coronavirus. And November proved to be another one of the worst months of the pandemic for Congress, when at least 15 lawmakers said they were infected, including two of the oldest, Republicans Rep. Don Young of Alaska and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
A previous outbreak in September was tied to a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce Amy Coney Barrett as then-President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee. Trump, then-first lady Melania Trump and dozens of others in attendance tested positive, including Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
It was one of several instances forcing leaders to change the congressional schedule.
Starting in the first month of the pandemic, in March 2020, House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing.
The Senate returned in May 2020, but the much larger House remained mostly away under the advice of Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician. That same month, the House approved its historic rule changes to allow remote voting and hearings.
The first spate of cases began March 8, 2020, when two Republican lawmakers, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines. Both attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., where another guest fell ill.
The following week, the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus. Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and then-Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 floor vote on a coronavirus relief package.
By last summer, dozens of Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so, and Gary Tibbetts, a longtime staffer for Buchanan died from COVID-19 on July 24.
Some lawmakers also took antibody tests to see if they were previously infected. They include Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring.
To stem the flow of new cases, both chambers early on issued new social distancing guidance. Also, the U.S. Capitol closed to public tours and remained open only to members, staff, the press and official business visitors, and aside from the Jan. 6 breach by pro-Trump extremists, it has remained so.
In late July 2020, Pelosi also issued a temporary, new mask mandate after Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert, who often rejected such protocols, tested positive. Gohmert had attended several hearings a day earlier and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection.
Gohmert's case triggered quarantines for five House members, including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Days later, Grijalva tested positive but fully recovered symptom free. Until recent changes lifting the mask mandates, members could be fined or be forcibly removed by Capitol Police if they are not wearing masks.


npr--2020-10-02--Trump Receives Experimental Drug For Covid-19. Here's What Doctors Are Watching For

Trump Receives Experimental Drug For Covid-19 .
Here 's What Doctors Are Watching For President Trump will be staying in the presidential suite at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the next few days , according to the White House .
The president 's doctor says he is experiencing `` mild symptoms '' after testing positive for coronavirus .
But the president has already received a single dose of Regeneron 's polyclonal antibody cocktail , an experimental drug that has shown promise in initial trials in improving symptoms and reducing virus levels in the body .
The drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet received FDA approval .
Trump `` completed the infusion without incident , '' White House physician Sean Conley wrote in a memo released Friday , adding , `` As of this afternoon , the President remains fatigued but in good spirits . ''
But , given the president 's age , 74 , and his weight , 244 pounds , doctors say he 's at higher risk of serious illness .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that COVID-19 patients in their early to mid 70s are five times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more likely to die , compared to people in their 20s .
With a BMI of just over 30 , Trump is technically obese .
And though he does not drink alcohol or smoke , he has other possible risk factors .
The president has a history of elevated cholesterol , which he takes a statin medication to control .
In addition , his doctors have previously reported calcium build up in his blood vessels in the mild to moderate range .
COVID-19 is unpredictable , ranging from very mild to severe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear how Trump will fare in the coming days .
Experts we consulted say Trump 's doctors will likely monitor him closely and can consider a range of treatments and therapies , beyond Regeneron 's antibody cocktail , if his condition deteriorates .
Here 's a list of things doctors will be watching for .
What treatments and therapies are Trump 's doctors likely to consider ?
In addition to the antibody cocktail , Trump 's physician says the president has also been taking zinc , which is known to affect the immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For now , the president will likely be getting supportive care , says Dr. Colleen Kraft , an infectious disease physician and associate chief medical officer at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta .
For a fever , he 'd be given fever-reducing medicines , such as Tylenol .
And doctors say it 's important for Trump to get plenty of rest , drink lots of fluids and eat well .
Doctors will likely monitor the president closely and hold off on any of other medicines or therapies unless his condition deteriorates .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need supportive oxygen , that 's when doctors might turn to therapies such as remdesivir , which is delivered intravenously , or the steroid dexamethasone , says Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos , a pulmonary and critical care physician at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine , who has been treating COVID-19 patients .
`` If his X-rays look horrible , like pneumonia has developed , he 's getting antibiotics . ''
Symptoms can change quickly , so how will the president 's doctors monitor any changes ?
President Trump 's medical team will likely monitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure and oxygen saturation .
`` They 'll be paying attention to all of his vital signs , '' says Galiatsatos .
Since some people with COVID-19 have had low oxygen levels before they noticed a shortness of breath , monitoring the blood oxygen with a pulse oximeter can help detect a problem sooner .
Galiatsatos says , `` What we have recognized with COVID-19 is that the majority of patients , when they get sick , [ do n't have an ] all-at-once decline . ''
Symptoms can progress gradually , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will Trump 's doctors consider ?
Trump `` is a high-risk patient , '' says Dr. Faisal Masud , medical director of critical care at Houston Methodist Hospital , so a range of tests would be appropriate .
Masud says if he were on the president 's medical team , he would do a CT scan of the chest to check his lungs and an ultrasound of the heart to help evaluate his heart function .
He 'd also order blood tests to check a number of markers for inflammation , and would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do Trump 's current mild symptoms indicate anything about his prognosis ?
No .
`` Having mild symptoms on day one does not mean you 're going to have mild symptoms for the rest of your course , '' says Galiatsatos .
Of course , it 's possible that Trump may not develop any further symptoms , Galiatsatos adds .
But he says that given Trump 's age , his weight , and his gender ( men tend to do worse with COVID-19 than women ) , the president has `` several strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strikes that raise the probability that his COVID-19 may go from mild to severe , '' Galiatsatos says .
However , even if Trump 's symptoms do get worse , doctors have learned a great deal about treating COVID-19 in the last 10 months , says Kraft .
And as president , she notes , Trump is expected to get the most sophisticated care currently available .
`` I expect that the president , with the attention that he will get , should do well , '' Kraft says .

Trump Receives Experimental Drugs For COVID-19. Here's What Doctors Are Watching For
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump will be staying in the presidential suite at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the next few days, according to the White House.
The president's doctor released a written statement saying Trump is "is doing well," after testing positive for the coronavirus, adding that the president is "not requiring any supplemental oxygen."
But Trump was given Remdesivir, an intravenous antiviral medication which has been shown, by rigorous scientific testing, to be helpful for treating COVID-19. However, the drug's proven benefits are modest: reducing hospital stays from 11 to 15 days.
Before the president left the White House, he received a single dose of Regeneron's polyclonal antibody cocktail, an experimental drug that has shown promise in initial trials in improving symptoms and reducing virus levels in the body. The drug is currently being evaluated but has not received Food and Drug Administration approval.
Trump "completed the infusion without incident," White House physician Sean Conley wrote in a memo released Friday, adding, "As of this afternoon, the President remains fatigued but in good spirits."
But given the president's age, 74, and his weight, 244 pounds, doctors said he's at higher risk of serious illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that patients in their early to mid-70s are five times more likely to be hospitalized, and much more likely to die, compared with people in their 20s.
With a body mass index of just over 30, Trump is technically obese. And though he does not drink alcohol or smoke, he has other possible risk factors. The president has a history of elevated cholesterol, which he takes a statin medication to control. In addition, his doctors have reported calcium buildup in his blood vessels in the mild to moderate range.
COVID-19 is unpredictable, ranging from very mild to severe cases, so it's not yet clear how Trump will fare in the coming days. Experts said Trump's doctors will likely monitor him closely and can consider a range of treatments and therapies, beyond Regeneron's antibody cocktail, if his condition deteriorates.
Here's a list of things doctors will be watching for:
What treatments and therapies are Trump's doctors likely to consider?
In addition to the antibody cocktail, Trump's physician said the president has also been taking zinc, which is known to affect the immune system, and vitamin D supplements.
For now, the president will likely be getting supportive care, said Colleen Kraft, an infectious disease physician and associate chief medical officer at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
For a fever, he'd be given fever-reducing medicines, such as Tylenol. And doctors said it's important for Trump to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and eat well. Doctors will likely monitor the president closely and hold off on any other medicines or therapies unless his condition deteriorates.
Symptoms can change quickly, so how will the president's doctors monitor any changes?
Trump's medical team will likely monitor his temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation.
"They'll be paying attention to all of his vital signs," said Panagis Galiatsatos, a physician and professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Since some people with COVID-19 have had low oxygen levels before they noticed a shortness of breath, monitoring the blood oxygen with a pulse oximeter can help detect a problem sooner. Galiatsatos said, "What we have recognized with COVID-19 is that the majority of patients, when they get sick, [don't have an] all-at-once decline." Symptoms can progress gradually, so constant monitoring is key.
What tests will Trump's doctors consider?
Trump "is a high-risk patient," said Dr. Faisal Masud, medical director of critical care at Houston Methodist Hospital, so a range of tests would be appropriate. Masud said if he were on the president's medical team, he would do a CT scan of the chest to check his lungs and an ultrasound of the heart to help evaluate his heart function. He'd also order blood tests to check a number of markers for inflammation and would check markers for kidney function.
Do Trump's current mild symptoms indicate anything about his prognosis?
No. "Having mild symptoms on Day 1 does not mean you're going to have mild symptoms for the rest of your course," Galiatsatos said.
Of course, it's possible that Trump may not develop any further symptoms, Galiatsatos added. But he said that given Trump's age, his weight and his gender (men tend to do worse than women), the president has "several strikes against him."
"These are strikes that raise the probability that his COVID-19 may go from mild to severe," Galiatsatos said.
However, even if Trump's symptoms do get worse, doctors have learned a great deal about treating COVID-19 in the last 10 months, Emory's Kraft said. And as president, she noted, Trump is expected to get the most sophisticated care currently available. "I expect that the president, with the attention that he will get, should do well," Kraft said.


npr--2020-10-02--Could U.S. Adversaries Exploit America's Moment Of Confusion?

Could U.S. Adversaries Exploit America 's Moment Of Confusion ?
President Trump 's battle with the coronavirus could take him out of action for several weeks , raising concerns that U.S. adversaries such as Iran or China may become emboldened by the perception of an American leadership vacuum .
At virtually any given time there are countries testing U.S. resolve .
In Iraq , convoys carrying U.S. supplies come under almost daily attack by Iranian-backed militias .
For North Korea , saber rattling and missile tests are common .
Meanwhile , China ignores Washington 's demands to cease the mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the northwest of the country .
The fear is that while the administration is preoccupied with the president 's health , a pandemic , a rough-and-tumble presidential campaign and a flattened economy that adversaries may seize the moment to further their own agendas .
`` We should not discount the possibility that China will step up pressure on Taiwan or Russia [ will ] seek to take advantage in Eastern Europe , '' tweeted Nicholas Burns , a former senior State Department official and foreign policy adviser to former Vice President Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's important `` the U.S. signal to both that we are watching and remain fully capable . ''
It 's been a challenging four years for any foreign leader trying to keep up with what could best be described as an erratic U.S. foreign policy .
Trump has often blindsided his aides and advisers , tweeting out new policies seemingly without their foreknowledge .
Phone calls between Trump and other world leaders could swiftly change the calculus of foreign policy .
Jon Alterman , who holds the Zbigniew Brzezinski chair in Global Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies , does n't believe bad actors are going to exploit the situation .
He said that paradoxically , Trump 's illness makes U.S. foreign policy more consistent .
`` The key driver of unpredictability in U.S. foreign policy is the president , '' he said .
`` And when you take the president out of the equation , in many ways it 's more predictable how the U.S. will behave .
It 's easier to anticipate what the red lines are . ''
Alterman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward the end of a presidential term when administration officials know their jobs , their colleagues and the processes .
`` It feels to me like the U.S. government — in many ways , large parts of the U.S. government — would rather be able to do their job without the president 's eruptions on Twitter , '' he said .

Could U.S. Adversaries Exploit America's Moment Of Confusion?
Enlarge this image toggle caption API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
President Trump's battle with the coronavirus could take him out of action for several weeks, raising concerns that U.S. adversaries such as Iran or China may become emboldened by the perception of an American leadership vacuum.
At virtually any given time there are countries testing U.S. resolve. In Iraq, convoys carrying U.S. supplies come under almost daily attack by Iranian-backed militias. For North Korea, saber rattling and missile tests are common. Meanwhile, China ignores Washington's demands to cease the mass detention and torture of minority Uighur Muslims in the northwest of the country.
The fear is that while the administration is preoccupied with the president's health, a pandemic, a rough-and-tumble presidential campaign and a flattened economy that adversaries may seize the moment to further their own agendas.
"We should not discount the possibility that China will step up pressure on Taiwan or Russia [will] seek to take advantage in Eastern Europe," tweeted Nicholas Burns, a former senior State Department official and foreign policy adviser to former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign. Burns said it's important "the U.S. signal to both that we are watching and remain fully capable."
It's been a challenging four years for any foreign leader trying to keep up with what could best be described as an erratic U.S. foreign policy. Trump has often blindsided his aides and advisers, tweeting out new policies seemingly without their foreknowledge. Phone calls between Trump and other world leaders could swiftly change the calculus of foreign policy.
Jon Alterman, who holds the Zbigniew Brzezinski chair in Global Security and Geostrategy and is a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, doesn't believe bad actors are going to exploit the situation. He said that paradoxically, Trump's illness makes U.S. foreign policy more consistent.
"The key driver of unpredictability in U.S. foreign policy is the president," he said. "And when you take the president out of the equation, in many ways it's more predictable how the U.S. will behave. It's easier to anticipate what the red lines are."
Alterman said it matters that this is happening toward the end of a presidential term when administration officials know their jobs, their colleagues and the processes.
"It feels to me like the U.S. government — in many ways, large parts of the U.S. government — would rather be able to do their job without the president's eruptions on Twitter," he said.


npr--2020-10-02--Why A Negative Coronavirus Test Doesn't Necessarily Mean You're In The Clear

Why A Negative Coronavirus Test Does n't Necessarily Mean You 're In The Clear Several members of Congress and cabinet members who 've spent time with President Trump in the last week were tested for coronavirus — and have announced the result was negative .
But that does n't mean they 're in the clear .
These results could be a false negative — which are common in people who 've been infected with the virus during the first few days after exposure .
That 's because people who get infected with the coronavirus do n't test positive immediately .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been exposed for the virus to show up in quantities that can be detected by tests , says Rachel Graham , a virologist who studies coronaviruses at the University of North Carolina .
`` The average incubation period is about five days , '' says Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr , an epidemiologist at Columbia University .
That 's the period of time between exposure to the virus and the development of symptoms .
`` [ Though ] it could be as short as two days .
Or it could be as long as 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a CDC-funded study of publicly reported cases of COVID-19 in January and February .
When someone breathes in droplets or small particles containing the virus , the virus enters the cells lining the nasal cavity and starts to make copies of itself .
The first few days are a `` tricky period , '' Graham says , `` where you may or may not have enough replication in the nose to detect [ the virus ] . ''
After a few days in the nasal cavity , the virus usually travels down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's got a lot of cells to infect and a nice , warm humid environment to replicate in , '' Graham explains .
The host ( in this case , Trump and his spouse ) `` can generate really , really high [ quantities ] of virus , '' which move back up into the throat and nose , and spread back out to the world through sputum , snot and respiratory secretions .
This phase of infection — where there 's a much higher quantity of virus in the nose and throat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to be picked up by a swab and detectable in a test , Graham says , `` So people are far more likely to test positive further past exposure than from a nasal swab a couple of days after exposure . ''
In other words , perhaps five days or more after the date of infection .
The incubation period varies by person and situation .
`` It can depend on the amount of virus they 're exposed to , it can depend on their own health , '' says Graham .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with many people at the White House and on the campaign trail these past days and weeks , including Hope Hicks , a top aide who reportedly felt unwell earlier this week and received a positive coronavirus diagnosis on Thursday .
Among those who 've been tested this week and reported negative results are Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin , Representative Nancy Pelosi ( who was in a meeting with Mnuchin ) and Vice President Mike Pence .
`` As has been routine for months , Vice President Pence is tested for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Pence and the Second Lady tested negative for COVID-19 .
Vice President Pence remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery , '' White House spokesman Devin O'Malley wrote on Twitter .
In an additional message , O'Malley indicated that Pence has not come in close contact with any recently confirmed cases , including the president .

Why A Negative Coronavirus Test Doesn't Necessarily Mean You're In The Clear
Enlarge this image toggle caption Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag
Several members of Congress and cabinet members who've spent time with President Trump in the last week were tested for coronavirus — and have announced the result was negative.
But that doesn't mean they're in the clear.
These results could be a false negative — which are common in people who've been infected with the virus during the first few days after exposure.
That's because people who get infected with the coronavirus don't test positive immediately. It takes several days after they've been exposed for the virus to show up in quantities that can be detected by tests, says Rachel Graham, a virologist who studies coronaviruses at the University of North Carolina.
"The average incubation period is about five days," says Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, an epidemiologist at Columbia University. That's the period of time between exposure to the virus and the development of symptoms. "[Though] it could be as short as two days. Or it could be as long as 14 days."
These estimates are based on a CDC-funded study of publicly reported cases of COVID-19 in January and February.
When someone breathes in droplets or small particles containing the virus, the virus enters the cells lining the nasal cavity and starts to make copies of itself. The first few days are a "tricky period," Graham says, "where you may or may not have enough replication in the nose to detect [the virus]."
After a few days in the nasal cavity, the virus usually travels down into the lungs, where "it's got a lot of cells to infect and a nice, warm humid environment to replicate in," Graham explains. The host (in this case, Trump and his spouse) "can generate really, really high [quantities] of virus," which move back up into the throat and nose, and spread back out to the world through sputum, snot and respiratory secretions.
This phase of infection — where there's a much higher quantity of virus in the nose and throat — is when the coronavirus is most likely to be picked up by a swab and detectable in a test, Graham says, "So people are far more likely to test positive further past exposure than from a nasal swab a couple of days after exposure." In other words, perhaps five days or more after the date of infection.
The incubation period varies by person and situation. "It can depend on the amount of virus they're exposed to, it can depend on their own health," says Graham. The president has shared rooms and planes with many people at the White House and on the campaign trail these past days and weeks, including Hope Hicks, a top aide who reportedly felt unwell earlier this week and received a positive coronavirus diagnosis on Thursday.
Among those who've been tested this week and reported negative results are Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Representative Nancy Pelosi (who was in a meeting with Mnuchin) and Vice President Mike Pence.
"As has been routine for months, Vice President Pence is tested for COVID-19 every day. This morning, Vice President Pence and the Second Lady tested negative for COVID-19. Vice President Pence remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery," White House spokesman Devin O'Malley wrote on Twitter. In an additional message, O'Malley indicated that Pence has not come in close contact with any recently confirmed cases, including the president.


npr--2020-10-02--New 9/11 Judge at Guantánamo Quits After Two Weeks

New 9/11 Judge at Guantánamo Quits After Two Weeks There 's yet more chaos in the long-delayed , problem-plagued 9/11 case in Guantánamo Bay , Cuba : A new U.S. military court judge who took over the case in mid-September has quit after about two weeks on the job .
Col. Stephen F. Keane was assigned to the case on Sept. 17 , and on Oct. 2 he recused himself , citing a series of potential conflicts that could make him appear biased .
His resignation means the 9/11 trial is unlikely to begin before next year 's twentieth anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terror attacks .
Keane was the fourth permanent judge to have overseen the 9/11 case in roughly the past two years .
His predecessor , Air Force Col. W. Shane Cohen , resigned abruptly in March after nine months on the bench , citing family concerns .
Among the potential conflicts cited by Keane : • He was raised in the New York City area and has relatives who were in the city on Sept. 11 , 2001 .
• As a U.S. Marine in 2012-2013 , he did investigative work that involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did counterterrorism work for the U.S. Department of Defense in which he was evaluated by a military court prosecutor .
• Since being assigned to the 9/11 case , `` I have become aware of a significant personal connection to persons who were directly affected by the events of 9/11 . ''
`` The fact that he was there for such a short time is a function of what a complicated mess this case is , '' said attorney James Connell , who represents one of the five 9/11 defendants , Ammar al-Baluchi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9/11 hijackers .
In his two week tenure overseeing the 9/11 case , Keane issued two significant orders : He canceled all hearings in the case until next year , and he delayed the start of the 9/11 trial until at least August 2021 , saying the delay was necessary due to pandemic travel restrictions and his need to familiarize himself with the case .
Legal proceedings at Guantánamo have been at a virtual standstill since February , when the coronavirus began limiting access to the island .
After Cohen resigned and before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chief judge of the military commissions judiciary , Army Col. Douglas K. Watkins , had been overseeing it on a temporary basis .
Watkins is expected to oversee the case temporarily again until a new permanent judge is assigned , according to Connell .
The 9/11 case has been mired in years of `` pre-trial hearings '' as military prosecutors struggle to bring the case to trial .
Setbacks are frequent , including the following problems this year alone : • The former administrative head of the military court , Christian Reismeier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being in his position for less than a year .
• James P. Harrington , the lead attorney for one of the 9/11 defendants , asked to leave the case , citing health issues and `` incompatibility '' with his client .
• David Bruck , the new lead attorney assigned to represent Harrington 's client , said he needs 2 1/2 years to prepare for trial .
Guantánamo 's military court and prison have cost U.S. taxpayers at least six billion dollars since 2002 .

New 9/11 Judge At Guantánamo Quits After 2 Weeks
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan-Pool/Getty Images Mandel Ngan-Pool/Getty Images
There's yet more chaos in the long-delayed, problem-plagued 9/11 case in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba: A new U.S. military court judge who took over the case in mid-September has quit after about two weeks on the job.
Col. Stephen F. Keane was assigned to the case on Sept. 17, and on Oct. 2 he recused himself, citing a series of potential conflicts that could make him appear biased. His resignation means the 9/11 trial is unlikely to begin before next year's twentieth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Keane was the fourth permanent judge to have overseen the 9/11 case in roughly the past two years. His predecessor, Air Force Col. W. Shane Cohen, resigned abruptly in March after nine months on the bench, citing family concerns.
Among the potential conflicts cited by Keane:
He was raised in the New York City area and has relatives who were in the city on Sept. 11, 2001.
As a U.S. Marine in 2012-2013, he did investigative work that involved al-Qaeda.
From 2003-2004, he did counterterrorism work for the U.S. Department of Defense in which he was evaluated by a military court prosecutor.
Since being assigned to the 9/11 case, "I have become aware of a significant personal connection to persons who were directly affected by the events of 9/11."
"The fact that he was there for such a short time is a function of what a complicated mess this case is," said attorney James Connell, who represents one of the five 9/11 defendants, Ammar al-Baluchi, who is accused of funding the 9/11 hijackers.
In his two-week tenure overseeing the 9/11 case, Keane issued two significant orders: He canceled all hearings in the case until next year, and he delayed the start of the 9/11 trial until at least August 2021, saying the delay was necessary due to pandemic travel restrictions and his need to familiarize himself with the case.
Legal proceedings at Guantánamo have been at a virtual standstill since February, when the coronavirus began limiting access to the island.
After Cohen resigned and before Keane took over the 9/11 case, the chief judge of the military commissions judiciary, Army Col. Douglas K. Watkins, had been overseeing it on a temporary basis. Watkins is expected to oversee the case temporarily again until a new permanent judge is assigned, according to Connell. The two other judges who have overseen the 9/11 case are Army Col. James L. Pohl and Marine Col. Keith A. Parrella.
The 9/11 case has been mired in years of "pre-trial hearings" as military prosecutors struggle to bring the case to trial. Setbacks are frequent, including the following problems this year alone:
The former administrative head of the military court, Christian Reismeier, moved to a different role after being in his position for less than a year.
James P. Harrington, the lead attorney for one of the 9/11 defendants, asked to leave the case, citing health issues and "incompatibility" with his client.
David Bruck, the new lead attorney assigned to represent Harrington's client, said he needs 2 1/2 years to prepare for trial.
Guantánamo's military court and prison have cost U.S. taxpayers at least six billion dollars since 2002.


npr--2020-10-02--Nagorno-Karabakh: Turkey's Support For Azerbaijan Challenges Russian Leverage

As world powers call for peace and the warring parties pledge to fulfill `` historic '' missions , ordinary people are suffering the most as fighting flared this week in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on Russia 's southern border .
The territory , located in Azerbaijan , is claimed by both Armenians and Azerbaijanis .
`` As the recent escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict worsens , civilians are bearing the brunt of the surge in violence , '' the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement Friday .
`` Civilian deaths and injuries , including of children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the line of contact , and in Armenia , '' the ICRC said .
It cited reports of hundreds of homes , schools and hospitals destroyed by heavy artillery .
Fighting broke out on Sunday in a conflict that dates back to the dying days of the Soviet Union three decades ago .
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan were Soviet republics , but as the Soviet Union broke apart in the early 1990s , the ethnic Armenian majority of Nagorno-Karabakh demanded unification with Armenia .
After Azerbaijan declared independence from Moscow , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bloody war .
When a shaky cease-fire took hold in 1994 , Armenians were in control of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjoining Azerbaijani territory .
Russia , France and the United States took the lead in trying to broker a lasting peace , to no avail .
Armenia and Azerbaijan blame each other for the renewed violence .
On Thursday , the presidents of Russia , the U.S. and France issued a joint statement condemning the escalation in fighting and calling for an immediate cease-fire and resumption of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said during a visit to wounded service members that calls for dialogue were `` irrelevant '' under the current circumstances and that his country was acting in `` self-defense '' and restoring its territorial integrity .
`` We have one condition : they must leave our lands unconditionally , completely and immediately , '' Aliyev said , referring to what he called Armenia 's `` policy of occupation . ''
`` This condition is still standing , '' he said , `` and if the Armenian government fulfills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloodshed will stop , and there will be peace . ''
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said Friday it `` welcomed '' the condemnation of violence by the presidents of Russia , France and the United States .
The ministry said Armenia is `` committed '' to a peaceful resolution and accused Turkey of direct involvement in the most recent hostilities .
Turkey is not hiding its support for Azerbaijan .
The two countries have close ethnic and linguistic kinship , while Turkey 's relations with Armenia are burdened by the Ottoman Empire 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which most historians and a growing number of countries , including the U.S. , consider genocide .
Turkey rejects the term .
In a speech to the Turkish Parliament Thursday , President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Armenia for the renewed fighting and said , `` Our Azerbaijani brothers are now waiting for the day they will return to their land . ''
Erdogan said the call for peace by France , Russia and the United States was unacceptable because the three countries had `` neglected '' the Nagorno-Karabakh issue for almost 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiative on Nagorno-Karabakh was in fact in 2001 , when the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Key West , Florida , for talks that ended in failure .
`` Given that public expectations in both societies run extremely high , it will be harder for the leaders to stop soon and claim success , '' writes Thomas de Waal , an expert on the Caucasus region with Carnegie Europe .
`` The risk of escalation and of mass destruction is alarmingly high . ''
According to de Waal , two new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than before : Turkey 's open backing for one party and the United States ' `` unusual disengagement . ''
Turkey 's assertive role in the Mediterranean and Middle East has already caused friction not only with its European NATO allies but with Russia as well .
Nagorno-Karabakh is only adding to the irritation .
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he had information Syrian jihadist fighters had transited through Turkey to fight in Nagorno-Karabakh .
Turkey has denied that claim .
Without mentioning Turkey by name , the Kremlin has only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fighters from Syria and Libya — two countries where the Turkish military is active — are being transferred to Nagorno-Karabakh .
In a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan Friday , Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the involvement of `` militants of illegal armed units from the Middle East , '' according to the Kremlin readout .
The Kremlin is at pains not to take sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , since it has close relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan .
Turkey 's involvement further complicates Russia 's position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pipelines and advanced weaponry , despite their serious differences in places like Syria .
`` The Turkish factor in this war is obvious and looks extremely threatening .
I do not envy our leaders in the Kremlin , '' political analyst Arkady Dubnov writes on the Russian news site VTimes .
Dubnov says Russia had plenty of warnings leading up to this week 's eruption of fighting , which he reads as a sign the Kremlin no longer has the leverage in the region to stop it .
Turkey threw down the gauntlet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia failed to take it up .

Nagorno-Karabakh: Turkey's Support For Azerbaijan Challenges Russian Leverage
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aziz Karimov/AP Aziz Karimov/AP
As world powers call for peace and the warring parties pledge to fulfill "historic" missions, ordinary people are suffering the most as fighting flared this week in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on Russia's southern border. The territory, located in Azerbaijan, is claimed by both Armenians and Azerbaijanis.
"As the recent escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict worsens, civilians are bearing the brunt of the surge in violence," the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement Friday. "Civilian deaths and injuries, including of children, have been reported on both sides of the line of contact, and in Armenia," the ICRC said. It cited reports of hundreds of homes, schools and hospitals destroyed by heavy artillery.
Fighting broke out on Sunday in a conflict that dates back to the dying days of the Soviet Union three decades ago. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan were Soviet republics, but as the Soviet Union broke apart in the early 1990s, the ethnic Armenian majority of Nagorno-Karabakh demanded unification with Armenia. After Azerbaijan declared independence from Moscow, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh seceded, setting off a bloody war.
When a shaky cease-fire took hold in 1994, Armenians were in control of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjoining Azerbaijani territory. Russia, France and the United States took the lead in trying to broker a lasting peace, to no avail. Armenia and Azerbaijan blame each other for the renewed violence.
On Thursday, the presidents of Russia, the U.S. and France issued a joint statement condemning the escalation in fighting and calling for an immediate cease-fire and resumption of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan without preconditions.
The appeal came a day after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said during a visit to wounded service members that calls for dialogue were "irrelevant" under the current circumstances and that his country was acting in "self-defense" and restoring its territorial integrity.
"We have one condition: they must leave our lands unconditionally, completely and immediately," Aliyev said, referring to what he called Armenia's "policy of occupation."
"This condition is still standing," he said, "and if the Armenian government fulfills it, the fighting will cease, bloodshed will stop, and there will be peace."
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said Friday it "welcomed" the condemnation of violence by the presidents of Russia, France and the United States. The ministry said Armenia is "committed" to a peaceful resolution and accused Turkey of direct involvement in the most recent hostilities.
Turkey is not hiding its support for Azerbaijan. The two countries have close ethnic and linguistic kinship, while Turkey's relations with Armenia are burdened by the Ottoman Empire's 1915 mass killing of 1.5 million Armenians, which most historians and a growing number of countries, including the U.S., consider genocide. Turkey rejects the term.
In a speech to the Turkish Parliament Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Armenia for the renewed fighting and said, "Our Azerbaijani brothers are now waiting for the day they will return to their land."
Erdogan said the call for peace by France, Russia and the United States was unacceptable because the three countries had "neglected" the Nagorno-Karabakh issue for almost 30 years.
The last significant U.S. peace initiative on Nagorno-Karabakh was in fact in 2001, when the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Key West, Florida, for talks that ended in failure.
"Given that public expectations in both societies run extremely high, it will be harder for the leaders to stop soon and claim success," writes Thomas de Waal, an expert on the Caucasus region with Carnegie Europe. "The risk of escalation and of mass destruction is alarmingly high."
According to de Waal, two new factors make the current situation more dangerous than before: Turkey's open backing for one party and the United States' "unusual disengagement."
Turkey's assertive role in the Mediterranean and Middle East has already caused friction not only with its European NATO allies but with Russia as well. Nagorno-Karabakh is only adding to the irritation.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he had information Syrian jihadist fighters had transited through Turkey to fight in Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey has denied that claim.
Without mentioning Turkey by name, the Kremlin has only said it is "extremely dangerous" that fighters from Syria and Libya — two countries where the Turkish military is active — are being transferred to Nagorno-Karabakh. In a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the involvement of "militants of illegal armed units from the Middle East," according to the Kremlin readout.
The Kremlin is at pains not to take sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, since it has close relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Turkey's involvement further complicates Russia's position, as Putin has wooed Erdogan with pipelines and advanced weaponry, despite their serious differences in places like Syria.
"The Turkish factor in this war is obvious and looks extremely threatening. I do not envy our leaders in the Kremlin," political analyst Arkady Dubnov writes on the Russian news site VTimes.
Dubnov says Russia had plenty of warnings leading up to this week's eruption of fighting, which he reads as a sign the Kremlin no longer has the leverage in the region to stop it.
Turkey threw down the gauntlet in Nagorno-Karabakh, Dubnov says, and Russia failed to take it up.


npr--2020-10-02--Twitter Announces Changes To Image Cropping Amid Bias Concern

Twitter says it is making changes to how preview photos are cropped after users raised concerns that the site 's algorithm was showing preferences for white faces over Black ones .
Twitter says its photo cropping model uses the most salient or engaging part of a photo in creating a preview image .
Last month , however , some users posted images whose previews they say may demonstrate that the platform 's algothrim prefers white faces .
One instance involved the photo of a Zoom call where the site 's algorithm apparently opted for the white user over his Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of both former President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell .
The preview image was of McConnell 's face .
Twitter replied to the latter example saying during testing it did n't `` find evidence of racial or gender bias '' in its model for creating preview images , though the company said it had `` more analysis to do . ''
On Thursday , in a post titled , `` Transparency Around Image Cropping and Changes to Come , '' the company opened up on how it tested for bias @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Twitter said it would institute changes soon , which would include improved preview options and more user control on how photos were cropped .
`` We hope that giving people more choices for image cropping and previewing what they 'll look like in the Tweet composer may help reduce the risk of harm , '' the company said in the post .

Twitter Announces Changes To Image Cropping Amid Bias Concern
Enlarge this image toggle caption Richard Drew/AP Richard Drew/AP
Twitter says it is making changes to how preview photos are cropped after users raised concerns that the site's algorithm was showing preferences for white faces over Black ones.
Twitter says its photo cropping model uses the most salient or engaging part of a photo in creating a preview image. Last month, however, some users posted images whose previews they say may demonstrate that the platform's algothrim prefers white faces.
One instance involved the photo of a Zoom call where the site's algorithm apparently opted for the white user over his Black colleague. Another example included a photo of both former President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The preview image was of McConnell's face.
Twitter replied to the latter example saying during testing it didn't "find evidence of racial or gender bias" in its model for creating preview images, though the company said it had "more analysis to do."
On Thursday, in a post titled, "Transparency Around Image Cropping and Changes to Come," the company opened up on how it tested for bias in its photo cropping model. Moreover, Twitter said it would institute changes soon, which would include improved preview options and more user control on how photos were cropped.
"We hope that giving people more choices for image cropping and previewing what they'll look like in the Tweet composer may help reduce the risk of harm," the company said in the post.