npr--2020-01-15--Virginia Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment, Decades After The Deadline

Virginia Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment , Decades After The Deadline Virginia became the pivotal 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment after its Senate and House of Delegates voted Wednesday to approve the change to the U.S. Constitution .
The ERA 's provisions include a guarantee that `` equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex . ''
`` The Virginia Senate voted 28-12 and the House of Delegates 59-41 to approve the ERA , '' NPR 's Sarah McCammon reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ law when they 're ratified by at least three-fourths of U.S. state legislatures — or 38 out of 50 .
However , the ERA 's original deadline for ratification expired in the 1980s , putting its future on uncertain legal ground .
That did n't stop backers in Virginia from welcoming a long-awaited day .
`` Supporters pour out of the House gallery to celebrate with Delegates Ayala and Carroll Foy , '' reporter Mallory Noe-Payne said via Twitter , posting images of women hugging at the Virginia State Capitol .
The ratification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session , after voters put a record number of women in office in November .
The state House now has the first female speaker in its history ; women also serve as president pro tempore of the Senate and in other high-profile posts .
`` The people of Virginia spoke last November , voting a record number of women into the House of Delegates and asking us to ratify the ERA , '' said House Majority Leader Charniele Herring .
`` It is inspiring to see the amendment finally be considered , voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women deserve . ''
`` Today is an absolutely historic day for our commonwealth and a major milestone in the fight for equality in this nation , '' Attorney General Mark R. Herring said after Wednesday 's vote .
`` Women in America deserve to have equality guaranteed in the Constitution , and Virginians should be proud that we will be the state that makes it happen . ''
Congress approved the ERA in 1972 and set a ratification deadline of 1979 , which was later extended to 1982 .
Indiana became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1977 — leaving it three states shy of the threshold .
And there things stalled .
That changed in recent years , as advocates mounted a new push .
Nevada ratified the ERA in 2017 , and Illinois followed suit a year later .
There are differing legal opinions about whether the ERA has missed its chance to become the law of the land or whether Virginia 's long-anticipated action is the final piece falling into place for the constitutional change .
`` Some supporters argue that because the deadline is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the text of the amendment itself — the deadline does n't have to be observed , '' NPR 's Danielle Kurtzleben recently reported .
Advocates also say Congress could simply set a new deadline and refresh the expired time frame .
But the Justice Department has disagreed with those views .
Its Office of Legal Counsel posted an opinion this month stating , `` the ERA Resolution has expired and is no longer pending before the States . ''
The matter will likely be settled in court , particularly after three states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — filed a lawsuit last month seeking to block the archivist of the United States from adding the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution .

Virginia Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment, Decades After The Deadline
Enlarge this image toggle caption Steve Helber/AP Steve Helber/AP
Virginia became the pivotal 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment after its Senate and House of Delegates voted Wednesday to approve the change to the U.S. Constitution.
The ERA's provisions include a guarantee that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."
"The Virginia Senate voted 28-12 and the House of Delegates 59-41 to approve the ERA," NPR's Sarah McCammon reports.
Under the U.S. Constitution, amendments become law when they're ratified by at least three-fourths of U.S. state legislatures — or 38 out of 50. However, the ERA's original deadline for ratification expired in the 1980s, putting its future on uncertain legal ground. That didn't stop backers in Virginia from welcoming a long-awaited day.
"Supporters pour out of the House gallery to celebrate with Delegates Ayala and Carroll Foy," reporter Mallory Noe-Payne said via Twitter, posting images of women hugging at the Virginia State Capitol.
The ratification vote came early in Virginia's legislative session, after voters put a record number of women in office in November. The state House now has the first female speaker in its history; women also serve as president pro tempore of the Senate and in other high-profile posts.
"The people of Virginia spoke last November, voting a record number of women into the House of Delegates and asking us to ratify the ERA," said House Majority Leader Charniele Herring. "It is inspiring to see the amendment finally be considered, voted on and passed — long-awaited recognition that women deserve."
"Today is an absolutely historic day for our commonwealth and a major milestone in the fight for equality in this nation," Attorney General Mark R. Herring said after Wednesday's vote. "Women in America deserve to have equality guaranteed in the Constitution, and Virginians should be proud that we will be the state that makes it happen."
Congress approved the ERA in 1972 and set a ratification deadline of 1979, which was later extended to 1982. Indiana became the 35th state to ratify the amendment, in 1977 — leaving it three states shy of the threshold. And there things stalled.
That changed in recent years, as advocates mounted a new push. Nevada ratified the ERA in 2017, and Illinois followed suit a year later.
There are differing legal opinions about whether the ERA has missed its chance to become the law of the land or whether Virginia's long-anticipated action is the final piece falling into place for the constitutional change.
"Some supporters argue that because the deadline is in the preamble that proposes the ERA — not the text of the amendment itself — the deadline doesn't have to be observed," NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben recently reported.
Advocates also say Congress could simply set a new deadline and refresh the expired time frame.
But the Justice Department has disagreed with those views. Its Office of Legal Counsel posted an opinion this month stating, "the ERA Resolution has expired and is no longer pending before the States."
The matter will likely be settled in court, particularly after three states — Alabama, Louisiana and South Dakota — filed a lawsuit last month seeking to block the archivist of the United States from adding the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution.
NPR's Sarah McCammon contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-15--Latest Retelling Of Trump's Term Smacks Of A Prosecutor's Courtroom Summation

Book-length critiques of the presidency of Donald Trump keep piling up on American reading tables , so it seems time for a one-volume wrap on what we have learned so far .
Imagine , for a moment , a high-octane courtroom prosecutor summing up for the jury a case built on the vivid testimony of multiple eye-witnesses .
More than a dozen previous books by close observers and insider-survivors of the Trump administration have provided that testimony .
Now come Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig of The Washington Post to make the closing argument with plenty of reporting of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more capable advocates .
Leonnig won a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on the U.S. Secret Service in 2015 , then joined Rucker and others on a team awarded the Pulitzer for stories on Russian interference in the 2016 election .
Their new , collaborative account — titled A Very Stable Genius : Donald J. Trump 's Testing of America — walks readers step by step through the first 30 months or so of a presidency like no other .
They leave little doubt that they and many of their sources regard that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a threat to American government as we have known it .
`` Two kinds of people went to work for the administration , '' we are told on the prologue 's third page .
`` Those who thought Trump was saving the world and those who thought the world needed to be saved from Trump . ''
Rucker and Leonnig 's mission is manifest in their title , a sarcastic jab at one of Trump 's more memorable moments of self-congratulation .
Accused of being either unthinking or unstable , Trump at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , he said , `` a very stable genius . ''
Whether the president meant that with a touch of self-deprecating humor or not , it functions here as the epitome of self-delusion .
Trump stands accused in these pages of gross incompetence , rampant racism , pathological narcissism , indifference to facts and ethics and a penchant for chaos .
There can be no doubt the prosecutors are asking the jury — and the judgment of history — for a verdict of guilty .
Can a president really be this far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of official Washington takes for granted ?
Yes , say Rucker and Leonnig — and what is more , his free-form defiance of norms and restraints is the essence of Trump 's governance — and of his enduring appeal to his adherents .
Older readers may recoil from much of this assessment — not only because the behavior described is repellent , but because its depiction in such relentlessly damning detail is disturbing .
People naturally ask : How much of this can be true ?
One example sure to be much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 trip to Asia , which involved a stopover in Hawaii and a tour of Pearl Harbor .
The authors relate how , while en route to the memorial for U.S. service members killed in the Dec. 7 , 1941 attack that brought the U.S. into World War II , Trump `` pulled [ Chief of Staff John ] Kelly aside for a quick consult . ''
The authors then have Trump saying : `` Hey John , what 's this all about ?
What 's this a tour of ? ''
Next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ momentarily stunned .
Trump had heard the phrase 'Pearl Harbor ' and appeared to understand that he was visiting the scene of a historic battle , but he did not seem to know much else . ''
Later on the same page we have `` one senior former adviser '' adding that Trump `` was at times dangerously uninformed . ''
Kelly left the White House at the end of 2018 , so is he the `` senior former adviser '' being quoted here ?
Or was the adviser someone who had heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Or did the Pearl Harbor story come from someone else entirely ?
Kelly would seem to be the only person who would have first-hand knowledge of the president 's question and of Kelly 's own reaction .
This is only one of several points in the book where the former Marine Corps general seems the likeliest source on one incident or another .
So if he was the source , why not say so ?
Perhaps because Kelly spoke to the authors `` on background '' or for some other level of attribution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompted debates about sourcing and attribution .
Like Michael Wolff 's two efforts at expose and Bob Woodward 's Fear , this account relies on a mélange of on-the-record and off-the-record insiders with varying degrees of proximity to the president .
At times , this mixed methodology presents real problems .
We are told many things that `` some critics '' or `` some in the White House '' or `` former officials '' have told the authors .
Without questioning the legitimacy of these quotations , can we rely upon them the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
To the authors ' credit , the on-the-record elements are compelling on their own .
These include attributed material from former strategist Steve Bannon , former transition chief ( and former New Jersey governor ) Chris Christie and some of Trump 's Manhattan peers Tom Barrack Jr. and Chris Ruddy .
Somewhat more speculative are the thoughts indirectly attributed to former White House personnel such as Kelly , including Rex Tillerson ( his first secretary of state ) , Jim Mattis ( his first secretary of defense ) and Don McGahn ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All the above come off as valiant public servants who strove to be guardrails — to keep the president 's rogue instincts in check – until they were fired or resigned .
We often hear that a particular White House official was `` surprised , '' or that they felt one way or another .
Without a direct quotation , this is either a species of omniscient narrator or an example of reporters protecting their sources .
In this work , as in much contemporary reporting , reporters offer a real-time , first-hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personally .
We are being given the eyewitness accounts second hand .
One such anecdote tells of Trump meeting for the first time with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India .
Trump is quoted saying to Modi at one point : `` It 's not as though you have China right on your border ... '' We are told this prompted Tillerson to cover part of his face with one hand so as to signal something to Modi without Trump seeing it .
( For the record , India 's 2,500-mi .
border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
longer than the U.S. border with Mexico . )
On another occasion , we are told , Trump summoned various officials to discuss the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act , which bars U.S. companies from paying bribes to foreign governments to secure business contracts .
Trump said he wanted that law erased .
Told he could not do undo legislation by fiat , Trump reportedly turned to ultra-loyal aide Stephen Miller and said : `` Steve , draft an executive order to repeal that law . ''
Those who followed these events in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dragged back through nightmares they would rather forget .
At the same time , for those who have not been as focused on the daily and weekly ups and downs , this catalogue may come with the force of revelation .
For that reason alone , it is highly valuable .
Still , you do n't have to be a Trump loyalist to feel the authors have chosen only the incidents and eruptions that cast Trump in the most unfavorable light , a style reminiscent of the muckraking journalists of a century ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's offenses balanced against his tax-and-regulation cuts or hear encomiums to his transformation of the federal judiciary will need to look elsewhere .
As excerpts of the book appear in the Post , we can expect a blizzard of blowback from Trump .
In fact , even before publication , he had begun tweeting insults to inoculate his followers against any infection from Rucker and Leonnig 's labors — calling Rucker `` Mr. Off-the-Record '' and suggesting that the Post 's `` nasty '' White House Bureau Chief should not be allowed back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those tweets , the Post immediately rejected criticism .
It stood behind its reporters just as it did in the Watergate era , when the team of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein sparked the larger , official investigations that would drive President Richard Nixon from office .
Their work relied substantially on unnamed sources , including one in particular ( `` Deep Throat '' ) who turned out to be the deputy director of the FBI .
We have long relied on frontline reporters from the most prominent news organizations to write books @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Such books have always trafficked in insider knowledge and insights gleaned from hours spent close to the flame of political power .
Yet there is something unsettling about the evolution of this genre .
Is it purely a matter of Trump 's excesses or has he occasioned a sea change in journalism as well ?
Is it all about Trump , or are we also witnessing a new set of standards for the presentation of a presidency — or of politics in general ?
In terms of the Trump timeline , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mueller report itself is being debated .
Although Mueller concludes the Russians did interfere in 2016 in hopes of helping Trump , his report does not find a criminal conspiracy involving the Trump campaign itself .
But Mueller also provided a list of occasions when Trump 's actions could be seen as interfering with the investigation , adding that he could neither indict a sitting president nor say these actions were not indictable .
Nonetheless , with Atty .
Gen. William Barr and Republicans in general treating the report as an exoneration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As one former official of his administration tells them : `` There 's a new ethos : This is a presidency of one .
It 's Trump unleashed , unchanged , unhinged . ''
In their final pages , the authors draw a clear line from that moment to the one where Trump makes the moves regarding aid to Ukraine and his desired investigation of prospective rival Joe Biden — the line that led on to Trump 's impeachment .
Whatever may happen to that impeachment effort in the weeks and months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intermission in the Trump saga and a chance to consider how the landscape has already been altered by this president .
A Very Stable Genius offers a harrowing companion narrative to be read during intermission .

Latest Trump Book, Once Again, Makes The Case That He's Incompetent, Narcissistic
A Very Stable Genius Donald J. Trump's Testing of America by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker Hardcover, 304 pages | purchase close overlay Buy Featured Book Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?
Book-length critiques of the presidency of Donald Trump keep piling up on American reading tables, so it seems time for a one-volume wrapup on what we have learned so far.
Imagine, for a moment, a high-octane courtroom prosecutor summing up for the jury a case built on the vivid testimony of multiple eyewitnesses.
More than a dozen previous books by close observers and insider-survivors of the Trump administration have provided that testimony. Now come Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig of The Washington Post to make the closing argument with plenty of reporting of their own.
You could scarcely ask for more capable advocates. Leonnig won a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on the U.S. Secret Service in 2015, then joined Rucker and others on a team awarded the Pulitzer for stories on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Their new, collaborative account — titled A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America — walks readers step by step through the first 30 months or so of a presidency like no other. They leave little doubt that they and many of their sources regard that presidency as an unmitigated and deepening disaster — a threat to American government as we have known it.
"Two kinds of people went to work for the administration," we are told on the prologue's third page, "those who thought Trump was saving the world and those who thought the world needed to be saved from Trump."
Rucker and Leonnig's mission is manifest in their title, a sarcastic jab at one of Trump's more memorable moments of self-congratulation. Accused of being either unthinking or unstable, Trump at the time denied being either. He was, he said, "a very stable genius." Whether the president meant that with a touch of self-deprecating humor or not, it functions here as the epitome of self-delusion.
Trump stands accused in these pages of gross incompetence, rampant racism, pathological narcissism, indifference to facts and ethics, and a penchant for chaos. There can be no doubt the prosecutors are asking the jury — and the judgment of history — for a verdict of guilty.
Can a president really be this far removed from the reality base that the rest of official Washington takes for granted? Yes, say Rucker and Leonnig — and what is more, his free-form defiance of norms and restraints is the essence of Trump's governance — and of his enduring appeal to his adherents.
Older readers may recoil from much of this assessment — not only because the behavior described is repellent, but also because its depiction in such relentlessly damning detail is disturbing. People naturally ask: How much of this can be true?
One example sure to be much discussed is an anecdote from Trump's 2017 trip to Asia, which involved a stopover in Hawaii and a tour of Pearl Harbor. The authors relate how, while en route to the memorial for U.S. service members killed in the Dec. 7, 1941, attack that brought the U.S. into World War II, Trump "pulled [Chief of Staff John] Kelly aside for a quick consult."
The authors then have Trump saying: "Hey John, what's this all about? What's this a tour of?"
Next we are told: "Kelly was momentarily stunned. Trump had heard the phrase 'Pearl Harbor' and appeared to understand that he was visiting the scene of a historic battle, but he did not seem to know much else."
Later on the same page, we have "one senior former adviser" adding that Trump "was at times dangerously uninformed."
Kelly formally left the White House at the start of 2019, so is he the "senior former adviser" being quoted here? Or was the adviser someone who had heard the Pearl Harbor story from Kelly? Or did the Pearl Harbor story come from someone else entirely?
Kelly would seem to be the only person who would have firsthand knowledge of the president's question and of Kelly's own reaction. This is only one of several points in the book where the former Marine Corps general seems the likeliest source on one incident or another.
So if he was the source, why not say so? Perhaps because Kelly spoke to the authors "on background" or for some other level of attribution.
Previous books about Trump have also prompted debates about sourcing and attribution. Like Michael Wolff's two efforts at exposés and Bob Woodward's Fear, this account relies on a mélange of on-the-record and off-the-record insiders with varying degrees of proximity to the president.
At times, this mixed methodology presents real problems. We are told many things that "some critics" or "some in the White House" or "former officials" have told the authors. Without questioning the legitimacy of these quotations, can we rely upon them the same way we would trust direct attributions?
To the authors' credit, the on-the-record elements are compelling on their own. These include attributed material from former strategist Steve Bannon, former transition chief (and former New Jersey governor) Chris Christie and some of Trump's Manhattan peers, Tom Barrack Jr. and Chris Ruddy.
Somewhat more speculative are the thoughts indirectly attributed to former White House personnel such as Kelly, including Rex Tillerson (his first secretary of state), Jim Mattis (his first secretary of defense) and Don McGahn (his first White House counsel). All the above come off as valiant public servants who strove to be guardrails — to keep the president's rogue instincts in check – until they were fired or resigned.
We often hear that a particular White House official was "surprised" or that they felt one way or another. Without a direct quotation, this is either a species of omniscient narrator or an example of reporters protecting their sources. In this work, as in much contemporary reporting, reporters offer a real-time, firsthand narration of events they did not witness personally. We are being given the eyewitness accounts secondhand.
One such anecdote tells of Trump meeting for the first time with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India.
Trump is quoted saying to Modi at one point: "It's not as though you have China right on your border..." We are told this prompted Tillerson to cover part of his face with one hand so as to signal something to Modi without Trump seeing it. (For the record, India's 2,500-mile border with China is more than 500 miles longer than the U.S. border with Mexico.)
On another occasion, we are told, Trump summoned various officials to discuss the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars U.S. companies from paying bribes to foreign governments to secure business contracts. Trump said he wanted that law erased. Told he could not do undo legislation by fiat, Trump reportedly turned to ultra-loyal aide Stephen Miller and said: "Steve, draft an executive order to repeal that law."
Those who followed these events in real time may feel as if they are being dragged back through nightmares they would rather forget. At the same time, for those who have not been as focused on the daily and weekly ups and downs, this catalog may come with the force of revelation. For that reason alone, it is highly valuable.
Still, you don't have to be a Trump loyalist to feel the authors have chosen only the incidents and eruptions that cast Trump in the most unfavorable light, a style reminiscent of the muckraking journalists of a century ago. Those who wish to see Trump's offenses balanced against his tax-and-regulation cuts or hear encomiums to his transformation of the federal judiciary will need to look elsewhere.
As excerpts of the book appear in the Post, we can expect a blizzard of blowback from Trump. In fact, even before publication, he had begun tweeting insults to inoculate his followers against any infection from Rucker and Leonnig's labors — calling Rucker "Mr. Off-the-Record" and suggesting that the Post's "nasty" White House bureau chief should not be allowed back on the grounds.
When Trump sent those tweets, the Post immediately rejected criticism. It stood behind its reporters just as it did in the Watergate era, when the team of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein sparked the larger, official investigations that would drive President Richard Nixon from office. Their work relied substantially on unnamed sources, including one in particular ("Deep Throat") who turned out to be the deputy director of the FBI.
We have long relied on front-line reporters from the most prominent news organizations to write books about the powerful figures they once covered. Such books have always trafficked in insider knowledge and insights gleaned from hours spent close to the flame of political power.
Yet there is something unsettling about the evolution of this genre. Is it purely a matter of Trump's excesses or has he occasioned a sea change in journalism as well? Is it all about Trump, or are we also witnessing a new set of standards for the presentation of a presidency — or of politics in general?
In terms of the Trump timeline, this book wraps up around the time the Mueller report on Russian interference in the 2016 election is being debated. Although special counsel Robert Mueller concludes the Russians did interfere in 2016 in hopes of helping Trump, his report does not find a criminal conspiracy involving the Trump campaign itself. But Mueller also provided a list of occasions when Trump's actions could be seen as interfering with the investigation, adding that he could neither indict a sitting president nor say these actions were not indictable.
Nonetheless, with Attorney General William Barr and Republicans in general treating the report as an exoneration, the authors tell us, Trump felt liberated. As one former official of his administration tells them: "There's a new ethos: This is a presidency of one. It's Trump unleashed, unchanged, unhinged."
In their final pages, the authors draw a clear line from that moment to the one when Trump makes the moves regarding aid to Ukraine and his desired investigation of prospective rival Joe Biden — the line that led on to Trump's impeachment.
Whatever may happen to that impeachment effort in the weeks and months ahead, it creates a moment of intermission in the Trump saga and a chance to consider how the landscape has already been altered by this president. A Very Stable Genius offers a harrowing companion narrative to be read during intermission.


npr--2020-01-15--2019 Was The 2nd-Hottest Year On Record, According To NASA And NOAA

2019 Was The 2nd-Hottest Year On Record , According To NASA And NOAA Last year was the second hottest on record globally , according to the latest climate data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA .
It 's the latest confirmation that the Earth is steadily getting hotter — the planet has already warmed about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit ( or almost 1 degree Celsius ) compared with in the mid-20th century — and that robust greenhouse gas emissions are causing global warming to continue unabated .
`` The fact is that the planet is warming , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra data point to this graph , '' says Gavin Schmidt , the director of NASA 's Goddard Institute for Space Studies .
Ranking years based on their average temperature might grab headlines , he notes , but `` the main thing here is not really the ranking , but is the consistency of the long-term trends that we 're seeing . ''
That trend goes back decades , with each decade warmer than the one before it .
And that will likely continue in the 2020s .
`` I would say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ geophysical event , it would be almost certain that the [ coming ] decade will be warmer than the previous , '' says Deke Arndt , the chief of climate monitoring for NOAA 's National Centers for Environmental Information .
That means the planet is on track to blow past the temperature targets set by the Paris Agreement , which is meant to help countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change .
The 2015 agreement set a target of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preindustrial levels .
A later report by the United Nations ' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius ( 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) would be catastrophic for millions of people .
Schmidt of NASA says data about the past can help humans understand the path that societies are currently on .
`` The warming up until now since the 1970s has been quite close to linear , '' he explains , so `` you 'd imagine we 'd cross 1.5 [ degrees Celsius ] in around 2035 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do with emissions , and we 're not able to tell you looking at the past how society will react . ''
The 2019 data also confirm that different regions of Earth are being affected by global climate change in different ways .
The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet , and shrinking sea ice is contributing to a vicious cycle : As the ice retreats , the newly exposed water helps make the region warmer , and as the region gets warmer , the sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , warmer average temperatures have been affecting weather patterns .
Overnight temperatures are rising more rapidly than daytime temperatures , which can reduce yields for farmers and be dangerous for public health because it exacerbates existing illnesses and does n't give bodies a chance to cool down .
Rain patterns have also changed in much of the country .
`` We are definitely seeing trends in the kind of the instances of big rain , '' Arndt says .
`` We 're seeing the largest events getting larger , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a larger percentage of the annual rainfall is coming down in a smaller number of storms .
That means more flood risk in many parts of the United States .
Last year , for example , big rainfall events drove record-breaking floods along the Mississippi River and its tributaries .
`` That has consequences for how we manage water , '' Arndt says .
Stormwater systems are being tested by large amounts of water all at once , as are reservoirs .
`` When you get more of your rain in fewer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things differently , '' he says , because it 's more difficult to keep a consistent supply of water .
Meanwhile , the Pacific Northwest has been dealing with marine heat waves that are affecting fisheries and the crab industry .
A hotter ocean surface can also help drive more dangerous hurricanes in other parts of the world .
In 2019 , portions of the western Indian and Pacific oceans were the hottest ever recorded , helping to spawn powerful cyclones .

2019 Was The 2nd-Hottest Year On Record, According To NASA And NOAA
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Goldman/AP David Goldman/AP
Last year was the second hottest on record globally, according to the latest climate data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA.
It's the latest confirmation that the Earth is steadily getting hotter — the planet has already warmed about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (or almost 1 degree Celsius) compared with in the mid-20th century — and that robust greenhouse gas emissions are causing global warming to continue unabated.
"The fact is that the planet is warming, and every year, we add one extra data point to this graph," says Gavin Schmidt, the director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Ranking years based on their average temperature might grab headlines, he notes, but "the main thing here is not really the ranking, but is the consistency of the long-term trends that we're seeing."
That trend goes back decades, with each decade warmer than the one before it. And that will likely continue in the 2020s.
"I would say, notwithstanding some sort of major, major geophysical event, it would be almost certain that the [coming] decade will be warmer than the previous," says Deke Arndt, the chief of climate monitoring for NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
That means the planet is on track to blow past the temperature targets set by the Paris Agreement, which is meant to help countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change.
The 2015 agreement set a target of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with preindustrial levels. A later report by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) would be catastrophic for millions of people.
Schmidt of NASA says data about the past can help humans understand the path that societies are currently on.
"The warming up until now since the 1970s has been quite close to linear," he explains, so "you'd imagine we'd cross 1.5 [degrees Celsius] in around 2035. But of course that depends on what we do with emissions, and we're not able to tell you looking at the past how society will react."
The 2019 data also confirm that different regions of Earth are being affected by global climate change in different ways.
Loading...
The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, and shrinking sea ice is contributing to a vicious cycle: As the ice retreats, the newly exposed water helps make the region warmer, and as the region gets warmer, the sea ice retreats more.
In the continental United States, warmer average temperatures have been affecting weather patterns. Overnight temperatures are rising more rapidly than daytime temperatures, which can reduce yields for farmers and be dangerous for public health because it exacerbates existing illnesses and doesn't give bodies a chance to cool down.
Rain patterns have also changed in much of the country.
"We are definitely seeing trends in the kind of the instances of big rain," Arndt says. "We're seeing the largest events getting larger," he explains, adding that in many places, a larger percentage of the annual rainfall is coming down in a smaller number of storms.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Holbrook Mohr/AP Holbrook Mohr/AP
That means more flood risk in many parts of the United States. Last year, for example, big rainfall events drove record-breaking floods along the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
"That has consequences for how we manage water," Arndt says. Stormwater systems are being tested by large amounts of water all at once, as are reservoirs. "When you get more of your rain in fewer larger doses, you have to manage things differently," he says, because it's more difficult to keep a consistent supply of water.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest has been dealing with marine heat waves that are affecting fisheries and the crab industry. A hotter ocean surface can also help drive more dangerous hurricanes in other parts of the world. In 2019, portions of the western Indian and Pacific oceans were the hottest ever recorded, helping to spawn powerful cyclones.


npr--2020-01-15--In Rare Move, Pope Francis Appoints A Woman To A Senior Vatican Position

Pope Francis has announced that he is appointing a woman for the first time to a managerial role in the Secretariat of State , one of the most important departments in the Vatican .
Francesca Di Giovanni , who has worked at the Secretariat for 27 years , will be elevated to the position of undersecretary for the section for relations with states .
She 'll manage the Vatican 's relationships with multilateral organizations such as the United Nations .
The Roman Catholic Church 's leadership is almost completely male-dominated , and women are not allowed to be ordained as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Francis has expressed a desire to include more women in decision-making roles .
Di Giovanni , who specializes in migrants and refugees and international law , says she was surprised to be appointed as undersecretary .
`` I sincerely never would have thought the Holy Father would have entrusted this role to me , '' she said in an interview with Vatican News .
The Secretariat of State deals with the city-state 's operations and diplomatic affairs .
Di Giovanni will be the first person to hold this particular position .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision , certainly , which , beyond myself personally , represents an indication of an attention toward women , '' Di Giovanni said .
`` But the responsibility is connected to the job , rather than to the fact of being a woman , '' she added .
Besides Di Giovanni , the most prominent women in Vatican leadership positions are Barbara Jatta , who was appointed as director of Vatican Museums , and Cristiane Murray , who is the deputy head of the Vatican 's press office .
Di Giovanni noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day , Francis spoke about the value of women 's voices .
`` Women are givers and mediators of peace and should be fully included in decision-making processes , '' Francis said .
`` Because when women can share their gifts , the world finds itself more united , more peaceful .
Hence , every step forward for women is a step forward for humanity as a whole . ''
Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Mary Ann Hinsdale , a professor of theology at Boston College , cheered the appointment of Di Giovanni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action might signal future appointments of talented , capable women to other Vatican dicasteries and departments , '' Hinsdale told the National Catholic Reporter .
`` It 's about time ! ''
Also this week , Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI appeared to reverse a pledge he made to remain silent when he stepped down in 2013 .
In an unpublished book , he and a co-author defended the `` necessity '' that priests should remain celibate after Francis signaled that he might loosen such restrictions in areas of the Amazon , where priests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it appears that Benedict is putting some distance between himself and the book .
His co-author , Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea , said in a tweet on Tuesday that future publications of the book would list Sarah as the sole author , with contributions from Benedict .
The actual text , he said , will remain unchanged .

In Rare Move, Pope Francis Appoints A Woman To A Senior Vatican Position
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Medichini/AP Andrew Medichini/AP
Pope Francis has announced that he is appointing a woman for the first time to a managerial role in the Secretariat of State, one of the most important departments in the Vatican.
Francesca Di Giovanni, who has worked at the Secretariat for 27 years, will be elevated to the position of undersecretary for the section for relations with states. She'll manage the Vatican's relationships with multilateral organizations such as the United Nations.
The Roman Catholic Church's leadership is almost completely male-dominated, and women are not allowed to be ordained as priests. In recent months, however, Francis has expressed a desire to include more women in decision-making roles.
Di Giovanni, who specializes in migrants and refugees and international law, says she was surprised to be appointed as undersecretary. "I sincerely never would have thought the Holy Father would have entrusted this role to me," she said in an interview with Vatican News.
The Secretariat of State deals with the city-state's operations and diplomatic affairs. Di Giovanni will be the first person to hold this particular position.
"The Holy Father has made an unprecedented decision, certainly, which, beyond myself personally, represents an indication of an attention toward women," Di Giovanni said.
"But the responsibility is connected to the job, rather than to the fact of being a woman," she added.
Besides Di Giovanni, the most prominent women in Vatican leadership positions are Barbara Jatta, who was appointed as director of Vatican Museums, and Cristiane Murray, who is the deputy head of the Vatican's press office.
Di Giovanni noted that in his homily on New Year's Day, Francis spoke about the value of women's voices.
"Women are givers and mediators of peace and should be fully included in decision-making processes," Francis said. "Because when women can share their gifts, the world finds itself more united, more peaceful. Hence, every step forward for women is a step forward for humanity as a whole."
Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Mary Ann Hinsdale, a professor of theology at Boston College, cheered the appointment of Di Giovanni.
"My hope is that his action might signal future appointments of talented, capable women to other Vatican dicasteries and departments," Hinsdale told the National Catholic Reporter. "It's about time!"
Also this week, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI appeared to reverse a pledge he made to remain silent when he stepped down in 2013. In an unpublished book, he and a co-author defended the "necessity" that priests should remain celibate after Francis signaled that he might loosen such restrictions in areas of the Amazon, where priests are in short supply.
Now, it appears that Benedict is putting some distance between himself and the book. His co-author, Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, said in a tweet on Tuesday that future publications of the book would list Sarah as the sole author, with contributions from Benedict. The actual text, he said, will remain unchanged.


npr--2020-01-15--For These Women, The Equal Rights Amendment Has Been A Decades-Long Battle

For These Women , The Equal Rights Amendment Has Been A Decades-Long Battle Andrea Miller first heard about the Equal Rights Amendment from her mother .
`` It basically went , ' I 'm very interested in the Equal Rights Amendment ; I disagree with it a little — I think women are superior to men — but we 'll settle for being equal , ' `` Miller said with a laugh .
`` That was basically what my mother told me . ''
Miller , now 66 and living in Virginia , is excited to see her state poised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total needed — to ratify the ERA .
It follows a decades-long fight over the proposed constitutional amendment banning sex discrimination .
As an eighth-grader in the Chicago suburbs in the late 1960s , Miller recalls helping her mother with a family business delivering mail door to door — they used it to drum up support for the ERA .
`` We took our little ERA flyers and stuck them in the bag of junk mail , '' Miller said .
A few years later , Anne Schlafly Cori also was learning about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now-deceased Phyllis Schlafly , the ERA 's most prominent opponent .
`` The telephone rang , day and evening , with calls and questions from supporters , and from reporters , on ERA .
It was a constant in my childhood , '' she recalled .
Now 55 and living in St. Louis , Schlafly Cori has continued her mother 's work promoting conservative causes .
She fears the ERA would make it harder to restrict abortion — even if the Supreme Court eventually overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of concerns about ERA have not changed from the 1970s to today , because the end result of ERA is to make men and women interchangeable in every situation , '' Schlafly Cori said .
Schlafly Cori said she believes there are biological differences between men and women that sometimes require differences in the law .
Elise Bouc of Stop ERA Illinois warns of an end to separate prison facilities for female inmates or that women could be forced into a military draft .
Bouc has opposed the Equal Rights Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970s .
She believes many women who support it do n't understand it .
`` It 's very emotional for them ; they 're very attached to it from the '70s ; they believe it 's going to be the cure-all for all their problems , '' Bouc said .
`` And what they do n't understand is it 's really not going to add any benefit to them ; it 's only going to add harm . ''
Donna Granski , 73 , an activist and retired teacher from Midlothian , Va. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Richmond in the 1970s , lining a walkway holding candles to show support for the ERA .
She said this is , indeed , an emotional moment .
`` It means that my country looks at females the same way it looks at males , '' Granski said .
`` It means that my granddaughters can pick up a copy of the United States Constitution and see that they are enshrined in it . ''
Even after Virginia ratified the Equal Rights Amendment , it would face an uncertain future .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that the deadline for the ERA to be added to the Constitution has expired .
If that stands , it could mean another round of debates over the amendment in statehouses nationwide .

For These Women, The Equal Rights Amendment Has Been A Decades-Long Battle
Enlarge this image toggle caption Steve Helber/AP Steve Helber/AP
Updated at 7:59 p.m. ET
Andrea Miller first heard about the Equal Rights Amendment from her mother.
"It basically went, 'I'm very interested in the Equal Rights Amendment; I disagree with it a little — I think women are superior to men — but we'll settle for being equal,' " Miller said with a laugh. "That was basically what my mother told me."
Miller is now 66 and living in Virginia, which became the 38th state — the total needed — to ratify the ERA. It follows a decades-long fight over the proposed constitutional amendment banning sex discrimination.
As an eighth-grader in the Chicago suburbs in the late 1960s, Miller recalls helping her mother with a family business delivering mail door to door — they used it to drum up support for the ERA.
"We took our little ERA flyers and stuck them in the bag of junk mail," Miller said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Andrea Miller Courtesy of Andrea Miller
A few years later, Anne Schlafly Cori also was learning about the issue from her mom — the now-deceased Phyllis Schlafly, the ERA's most prominent opponent.
"The telephone rang, day and evening, with calls and questions from supporters, and from reporters, on ERA. It was a constant in my childhood," she recalled.
Now 55 and living in St. Louis, Schlafly Cori has continued her mother's work promoting conservative causes. She fears the ERA would make it harder to restrict abortion — even if the Supreme Court eventually overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
"I think that a lot of concerns about ERA have not changed from the 1970s to today, because the end result of ERA is to make men and women interchangeable in every situation," Schlafly Cori said.
Schlafly Cori said she believes there are biological differences between men and women that sometimes require differences in the law.
Elise Bouc of Stop ERA Illinois warns of an end to separate prison facilities for female inmates or that women could be forced into a military draft.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of the Eagle Forum Courtesy of the Eagle Forum
Bouc has opposed the Equal Rights Amendment since she was a teenager in the 1970s. She believes many women who support it don't understand it.
"It's very emotional for them; they're very attached to it from the '70s; they believe it's going to be the cure-all for all their problems," Bouc said. "And what they don't understand is it's really not going to add any benefit to them; it's only going to add harm."
Donna Granski, 73, an activist and retired teacher from Midlothian, Va., remembers coming to the state Capitol in Richmond in the 1970s, lining a walkway holding candles to show support for the ERA.
She said this is, indeed, an emotional moment.
National Alabama, Louisiana And South Dakota Sue To Block Equal Rights Amendment Alabama, Louisiana And South Dakota Sue To Block Equal Rights Amendment Listen · 2:52 2:52
"It means that my country looks at females the same way it looks at males," Granski said. "It means that my granddaughters can pick up a copy of the United States Constitution and see that they are enshrined in it."
Despite Virginia ratifying the amendment, it would face an uncertain future. The U.S. Justice Department has issued an opinion saying that the deadline for the ERA to be added to the Constitution has expired.
If that stands, it could mean another round of debates over the amendment in statehouses nationwide.


npr--2020-01-15--Judge Blocks Trump's Executive Order Allowing Local Officials To Reject Refugees

A federal judge in Maryland has blocked the Trump administration 's executive order allowing state and local governments to turn away refugees from resettling in their communities .
In September , President Trump announced that groups that help refugees find places to live must first get written consent from local and state jurisdictions before resettling them .
Immigration advocates challenged the executive order in federal court , calling it cruel and shortsighted .
U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte said the executive order `` does not appear to serve the overall public interest . ''
In his 31-page opinion issued Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states and local governments `` the power to veto where refugees may be resettled — in the face of clear statutory text and structure , purpose Congressional intent , executive practice , judicial holdings and Congressional doctrine to the contrary . ''
Messitte 's ruling is a preliminary injunction , putting on hold enforcement of Trump 's refugee resettlement order .
The White House press office released a statement that said , `` This is a preposterous ruling , one more example of nationwide district court injunctions run amok , and we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities and preserve the integrity of the refugee resettlement process . ''
Lawyers for three advocacy groups that went to court over the issue — Church World Service , Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service , and HIAS — said in the lawsuit that Trump 's move violated the Refugee Act of 1980 , which declares that it is a policy of the U.S. to encourage refugees fleeing persecution to be resettled in America .
`` The objectives of this Act are to provide a permanent and systematic procedure for the admission to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the United States , and to provide comprehensive and uniform provisions for the effective resettlement and absorption of those refugees who are admitted , '' Messitte wrote .
Trump 's executive order , the judge wrote , appears to run counter to the Refugee Act .
`` This ruling shows the country how this administration was wrong to attempt a state-by-state refugee ban , '' said Mark Hetfield , president and CEO of HIAS .
`` An overwhelming majority of governors and municipalities have already expressed their desire to continue welcoming refugees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we say not only is it unkind and un-American to ban refugees from your states and towns , but it is unlawful . ''
Texas recently announced it would become the first state to reject refugees since Trump issued the executive order .
`` Texas has been left by Congress to deal with disproportionate migration issues resulting from a broken federal immigration system , '' Gov .
Greg Abbott said in a letter released last week .
The Trump administration has limited the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the administration 's previous ceiling of 30,000 .
The latest cap marks the lowest number of refugees seeking protection from violence or political persecution that will be allowed into the country since the modern refugee program was established in 1980 .

Judge Blocks Trump's Executive Order Allowing Local Officials To Reject Refugees
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
Updated at 6:15 p.m. ET
A federal judge in Maryland has blocked the Trump administration's executive order allowing state and local governments to turn away refugees from resettling in their communities.
In September, President Trump announced that groups that help refugees find places to live must first get written consent from local and state jurisdictions before resettling them.
Immigration advocates challenged the executive order in federal court, calling it cruel and shortsighted.
U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte said the executive order "does not appear to serve the overall public interest."
In his 31-page opinion issued Wednesday, he wrote that the order gives states and local governments "the power to veto where refugees may be resettled — in the face of clear statutory text and structure, purpose Congressional intent, executive practice, judicial holdings and Congressional doctrine to the contrary."
Messitte's ruling is a preliminary injunction, putting on hold enforcement of Trump's refugee resettlement order.
The White House press office released a statement that said, "This is a preposterous ruling, one more example of nationwide district court injunctions run amok, and we are expeditiously reviewing all options to protect our communities and preserve the integrity of the refugee resettlement process."
Lawyers for three advocacy groups that went to court over the issue — Church World Service, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and HIAS — said in the lawsuit that Trump's move violated the Refugee Act of 1980, which declares that it is a policy of the U.S. to encourage refugees fleeing persecution to be resettled in America.
"The objectives of this Act are to provide a permanent and systematic procedure for the admission to this country of refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States, and to provide comprehensive and uniform provisions for the effective resettlement and absorption of those refugees who are admitted," Messitte wrote.
Trump's executive order, the judge wrote, appears to run counter to the Refugee Act.
"This ruling shows the country how this administration was wrong to attempt a state-by-state refugee ban," said Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of HIAS. "An overwhelming majority of governors and municipalities have already expressed their desire to continue welcoming refugees. To those few who have not, we say not only is it unkind and un-American to ban refugees from your states and towns, but it is unlawful."
Texas recently announced it would become the first state to reject refugees since Trump issued the executive order.
"Texas has been left by Congress to deal with disproportionate migration issues resulting from a broken federal immigration system," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a letter released last week.
The Trump administration has limited the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the U.S. this fiscal year to 18,000, down from the administration's previous ceiling of 30,000.
The latest cap marks the lowest number of refugees seeking protection from violence or political persecution that will be allowed into the country since the modern refugee program was established in 1980.


npr--2020-01-15--Russia's Government Resigns As Putin Moves To Change The Constitution

Russia 's Government Resigns As Putin Moves To Change The Constitution In one dramatic stroke , the Russian Cabinet has been emptied .
The principal ministers of the Russian government , from Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on down , resigned Wednesday in a move designed to ease a constitutional overhaul recently proposed by President Vladimir Putin .
The president accepted Medvedev 's resignation and said he would appoint his longtime loyalist to the Russian Security Council .
Putin also nominated Mikhail Mishustin , head of the Federal Tax Service , to replace Medvedev as prime minister , according to Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the ministerial Cabinet is expected to remain until their replacements are determined .
The surprising mass resignation , which Medvedev announced during a meeting of the ministers in Moscow , came not long after Putin put forward a package of proposed constitutional amendments in his annual state of the nation address .
`` After those amendments are adopted — and it was said that this is likely to be done following discussion — there will be significant changes not only to a variety of constitution articles , but to the balance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , legislative and judicial branches of power , '' Medvedev explained in the meeting , Tass reports .
The package includes proposals to strengthen the country 's State Council and boost lawmakers ' power over nominations for prime minister and other major government positions .
In his address , Putin said the moves are meant to buttress Russia 's democratic processes — though many observers find it more likely that they have to do with Putin 's as-yet-unclear plans to maintain influence after leaving the presidency .
The longtime Russian leader is currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not allow a president to serve more than two terms in a row .
Previously , Putin sidestepped those term limits by sliding into the role of prime minister from 2008 to 2012 , handpicking Medvedev to succeed him in office while still retaining much of his power behind the scenes .
Putin returned to the presidency in 2012 and easily won another six-year term in 2018 .
Just a year or two later , the topic of term limits has once more begun to permeate conversations in Russia .
Last month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Moscow , the president took a question about the constitutional term limit and noted — in a nod to supporters who would like to see him remain in office past 2024 — that it `` troubles some of our political analysts and public figures . ''
`` Well , '' he added at the time , `` maybe it could be removed . ''
The removal of the presidential term limit was not part of his package of proposed constitutional amendments ; instead , the changes featured in the package would actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sidestep the limits as Putin did .
The overhaul would also give more control over ministerial nominations to the State Duma , the lower chamber of Russia 's lawmaking body , the Federal Assembly .
At the same time , the plan to empower the State Council , a presidential advisory body , suggests a potential landing place for Putin after his term ends .
It also remains unclear just what this move means for Medvedev , a longtime Putin loyalist who played a key role in the president 's last grapple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tass , Putin announced plans to appoint Medvedev to the newly created office of deputy head of the Russian Security Council .
`` Dmitry has always been dealing with these issues , '' Putin explained .
`` From the standpoint of enhancing our defense capability and security , I believe that it is possible and asked him to handle issues of this kind in the future . ''

Russia's Government Resigns As Putin Moves To Change The Constitution
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dmitry Astakhov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images Dmitry Astakhov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 3:35 a.m. ET on Thursday
In one dramatic stroke, the Russian Cabinet has been emptied.
The principal ministers of the Russian government, from Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on down, resigned Wednesday in a move designed to ease a constitutional overhaul recently proposed by President Vladimir Putin. The president accepted Medvedev's resignation and said he would appoint his longtime loyalist to the Russian Security Council.
Putin also nominated Mikhail Mishustin, head of the Federal Tax Service, to replace Medvedev as prime minister, according to Russia's state-run Tass news agency. The rest of the ministerial Cabinet is expected to remain until their replacements are determined.
On Thursday, the ruling United Russia party unanimously approved Mishustin's candidacy. Russia's parliament, the Duma, where the party has a majority, was expected to follow suit later in the day.
Wednesday's surprising mass resignation, which Medvedev announced during a meeting of the ministers in Moscow, came not long after Putin put forward a package of proposed constitutional amendments in his annual state of the nation address.
"After those amendments are adopted — and it was said that this is likely to be done following discussion — there will be significant changes not only to a variety of constitution articles, but to the balance of power, namely to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of power," Medvedev explained in the meeting, Tass reports.
The package includes proposals to strengthen the country's State Council and boost lawmakers' power over nominations for prime minister and other major government positions. In his address, Putin said the moves are meant to buttress Russia's democratic processes — though many observers find it more likely that they have to do with Putin's as-yet-unclear plans to maintain influence after leaving the presidency.
The longtime Russian leader is currently limited by a Russian constitution that does not allow a president to serve more than two terms in a row. Previously, Putin sidestepped those term limits by sliding into the role of prime minister from 2008 to 2012, handpicking Medvedev to succeed him in office while still retaining much of his power behind the scenes.
Putin returned to the presidency in 2012 and easily won another six-year term in 2018.
Just a year or two later, the topic of term limits has once more begun to permeate conversations in Russia. Last month, during Putin's annual marathon news conference in Moscow, the president took a question about the constitutional term limit and noted — in a nod to supporters who would like to see him remain in office past 2024 — that it "troubles some of our political analysts and public figures."
"Well," he added at the time, "maybe it could be removed."
The removal of the presidential term limit was not part of his package of proposed constitutional amendments; instead, the changes featured in the package would actually diminish the president's power and ability to sidestep the limits as Putin did. The overhaul would also give more control over ministerial nominations to the State Duma, the lower chamber of Russia's lawmaking body, the Federal Assembly.
At the same time, the plan to empower the State Council, a presidential advisory body, suggests a potential landing place for Putin after his term ends.
It also remains unclear just what this move means for Medvedev, a longtime Putin loyalist who played a key role in the president's last grapple with constitutional term limits. According to Tass, Putin announced plans to appoint Medvedev to the newly created office of deputy head of the Russian Security Council.
"Dmitry has always been dealing with these issues," Putin explained. "From the standpoint of enhancing our defense capability and security, I believe that it is possible and asked him to handle issues of this kind in the future."


npr--2020-01-15--Who Are The Impeachment Managers? Diverse Team To Take Lead At Trump Trial

Who Are The Impeachment Managers ?
Diverse Team To Take Lead At Trump Trial The seven legislators who will act as the prosecution team presenting the House Democrats ' case in the Senate trial make up a diverse group with a common link : strong legal backgrounds .
`` The emphasis is on litigators .
The emphasis is on comfort level in the courtroom , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of the team that is a mix of some familiar faces from the House inquiry and some lesser-known members .
The group is expected to present the articles to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reading the text of the two articles the House approved in December on the Senate floor .
The Senate is expected to approve an organizing resolution on Tuesday that specifies how many hours the managers will have to present their case as well as how much time the president 's defense team will have to make its arguments .
Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , is the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee .
He was tapped by Pelosi to be the point person on the impeachment inquiry in September immediately after she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the probe .
Schiff conducted both closed-door depositions with administration witnesses and open hearings and is a close ally of the speaker 's .
He crafted the report on his panel 's investigation that followed a whistleblower 's complaint that the president conditioned military aid to Ukraine on a public commitment from the government that it would probe former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter .
Rep. Jerry Nadler , D-N.Y. , is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee .
Nadler 's panel crafted the two articles of impeachment against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its investigation .
Nadler oversaw the panel 's hearing on those articles and was a member of the Judiciary Committee during President Bill Clinton 's impeachment in 1998 .
Rep. Zoe Lofgren , D-Calif. , is senior member of the House Judiciary Committee .
She served as a committee aide during House 's impeachment proceedings for President Richard Nixon and also was a member of the panel during the Clinton impeachment .
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries , D-N.Y. , is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the fifth-ranking House Democratic leader as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Before he ran for office , Jeffries was a litigator in private practice in New York .
He 's viewed as a rising star in Democratic leadership .
Rep. Val Demings , D-Fla. , is member of both the Judiciary and Intelligence committees .
She served as Orlando 's chief of police after a long career in the department — becoming the first woman to hold that post before she ran for Congress .
Rep. Jason Crow , D-Colo. , is a freshman who served as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not serve on any of the panels that conducted the impeachment inquiry .
But Crow was one of seven freshmen with national security backgrounds who co-wrote a column in The Washington Post in September arguing that it was time to move forward with impeachment .
Like Jeffries , he worked as a attorney in private practice before he ran for Congress .
Rep. Sylvia Garcia , D-Texas , is a member of the House Judiciary Committee .
She served as judge in Houston .
Pelosi stressed that Garcia was the first Hispanic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county commissioner 's court .
She was also the first Latina elected to represent her district in Congress .
The impeachment managers are expected to split which of them presents the various arguments of the House 's case in the first part of the Senate trial .
Article 1 of the House resolution alleges the president abused his power because he used his position to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 election in the Ukraine affair .
Article 2 outlines how Democrats believe the president obstructed Congress by blocking administration officials from providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican supporters reject the basis for impeachment .
Not only did Trump ultimately release the funds for Ukraine that had been frozen for a time last year , but also Ukraine 's president did not agree to conduct the investigation that Trump wanted into the Bidens .
Republicans control the majority in the Senate , and they 're expected to vote to acquit Trump on both charges , permitting him to keep his office at the conclusion of the trial .

Who Are The Impeachment Managers? Diverse Team To Take Lead At Trump Trial
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
Updated on Jan. 22 at 1:54 p.m. ET
The seven legislators who will act as the prosecution team presenting the House Democrats' case in the Senate trial make up a diverse group with a common link: strong legal backgrounds.
"The emphasis is on litigators. The emphasis is on comfort level in the courtroom," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of the team that is a mix of some familiar faces from the House inquiry and some lesser-known members.
Read the resolution designating the managers.
The group presented the articles to the Senate on Jan. 16, which included reading the text of the two articles the House approved in December on the Senate floor.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Senate approved an organizing resolution that specified that the managers would have 24 hours over three days to present their case. President Trump's defense team will follow their arguments under the same time frame.
Here's more about the managers:
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He was tapped by Pelosi to be the point person on the impeachment inquiry in September immediately after she announced her decision to move forward with the probe.
Schiff conducted both closed-door depositions with administration witnesses and open hearings and is a close ally of the speaker's. He crafted the report on his panel's investigation that followed a whistleblower's complaint that the president conditioned military aid to Ukraine on a public commitment from the government that it would probe former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Nadler's panel crafted the two articles of impeachment against the president after the intelligence committee completed its investigation.
Nadler oversaw the panel's hearing on those articles and was a member of the Judiciary Committee during President Bill Clinton's impeachment in 1998.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., is senior member of the House Judiciary Committee. She served as an aide for a judiciary panel member during the House's impeachment proceedings for President Richard Nixon and also was a member of the panel during the Clinton impeachment.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the fifth-ranking House Democratic leader as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. Before he ran for office, Jeffries was a litigator in private practice in New York. He's viewed as a rising star in Democratic leadership.
Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., is member of both the Judiciary and Intelligence committees. She served as Orlando's chief of police after a long career in the department — becoming the first woman to hold that post before she ran for Congress.
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., is a freshman who served as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unlike other impeachment managers, Crow does not serve on any of the panels that conducted the impeachment inquiry.
But Crow was one of seven freshmen with national security backgrounds who co-wrote a column in The Washington Post in September arguing that it was time to move forward with impeachment. Like Jeffries, he worked as a attorney in private practice before he ran for Congress.
Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, is a member of the House Judiciary Committee. She served as judge in Houston. Pelosi stressed that Garcia was the first Hispanic person and first women elected to the county commissioner's court. She was also the first Latina elected to represent her district in Congress.
The impeachment managers are expected to split which of them presents the various arguments of the House's case in the first part of the Senate trial.
Articles of impeachment
Article 1 of the House resolution alleges the president abused his power because he used his position to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 election in the Ukraine affair. Article 2 outlines how Democrats believe the president obstructed Congress by blocking administration officials from providing testimony or documents.
Trump and many Republican supporters reject the basis for impeachment. Not only did Trump ultimately release the funds for Ukraine that had been frozen for a time last year, but also Ukraine's president did not agree to conduct the investigation that Trump wanted into the Bidens.
Republicans control the majority in the Senate, and they're expected to vote to acquit Trump on both charges, permitting him to keep his office at the conclusion of the trial.


npr--2020-01-16--Exclusive: Trump To Reinforce Protections For Prayer In Schools

Exclusive : Trump To Reinforce Protections For Prayer In Schools President Trump will use the power of his office to empower students who want to pray in their schools — and remind public schools they risk losing federal funds if they violate their students rights to religious expression .
He will host a group of students from Christian , Jewish and Muslim faiths in the Oval Office to commemorate National Religious Freedom Day on Thursday .
Each of them has suffered discrimination for practicing their religion at school , officials said .
In an exclusive interview with NPR , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council Joe Grogan said existing provisions to protect school prayer established under the No Child Left Behind law have been eroded over time with a hostility to religion and religious institutions .
`` We 're trying across the board to invite religious institutions and people of faith back into the public square and say 'look , your views are just as valid as anybody else 's , ' '' Grogan said .
`` 'And , by the way , they 're protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution . '
`` Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be sending a letter to education secretaries and officials in all 50 states reminding them that students and teachers ca n't be discriminated against for practicing their First Amendment religious rights .
They will also update 2003 guidance regarding prayer in public schools .
The administration also plans to streamline and mandate a federal complaint process that students can use to alert authorities when they 've been discriminated against .
There is no change to existing law or regulations , but the White House says it wants to empower students and teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes as Trump works to shore up his support among evangelical Christians and other religious freedom advocates ahead of the 2020 presidential election .
Last month , evangelical magazine Christianity Today ran an editorial calling Trump `` morally lost , '' and arguing that he should be removed from office .
The U.S. Supreme Court banned school-sponsored prayer in public schools in 1962 decision , saying that it violated the First Amendment .
But students are allowed to meet and pray on school grounds as long as they do it privately and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same .
White House officials say there is still a great deal of misunderstanding about what is allowed and not allowed when it comes to religious expression in public schools .
They cited several recent examples of concern , including a Utah 9-year-old who was forced to remove the cross of ashes from his forehead on Ash Wednesday .
The teacher later apologized , and said she did n't realize it was a religious symbol .
Grogan emphasized that no one should underestimate the power of bringing these students into the Oval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of protecting their religious beliefs .
`` Whenever the president , the United States draws his megaphone upon a subject , people will pay attention , '' Grogan said .
`` It 's important for all Americans , parents , teachers , administrators and citizens to understand that the First Amendment protects religious beliefs and protects people in expressing their spiritual life in the public square . ''

Trump Defends School Prayer. Critics Say He's Got It All Wrong
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 6:30 p.m. ET
President Trump on Thursday defended students who feel they can't pray in their schools — and warned school administrators they risk losing federal funds if they violate their students' rights to religious expression.
Trump held an event in the Oval Office with a group of Christian, Jewish and Muslim students and teachers to commemorate National Religious Freedom Day. The students and teachers said they have been discriminated against for practicing their religion at school.
The U.S. Supreme Court banned school-sponsored prayer in public schools in a 1962 decision, saying that it violated the First Amendment. But students are allowed to meet and pray on school grounds as long as they do so privately and don't try to force others to do the same.
Trump said the government must "never stand between the people and God" and said public schools too often stop students from praying and sharing their faith.
"It is totally unacceptable," Trump said. "You see it on the football field. You see it so many times where they are stopped from praying and we are doing something to stop that."
The group included William McLeod, a 9-year-old Utah boy who was forced to remove the cross of ashes from his forehead on Ash Wednesday. "I just don't want anyone to feel like that," McLeod said.
Malak Hijaz said her school failed to protect her from anti-Muslim bullying. "I would bring the hijab to cover my hair and kids would make fun of me, harass me and attack me," she said. "And I would tell the principal."
'Real problem is just the opposite'
A non-profit group called the Freedom from Religion Foundation said Trump was blurring the separation between church and state with his actions. It said there has been an increasing number of reports of schools promoting prayer in ways that cross the line — such as an Alabama high school where a student football team was baptized at school. The group has sent complaint letters to more than 500 schools during the past three years.
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the foundation, said Trump left the impression that there is "this terrible suppression" of religion expression, but she says the "real problem is just the opposite."
"It's about proselytizing to a captive audience," Gaylor said.
Trump did not propose changes to existing law or regulations, but the White House says it wants to empower students and teachers to exercise their rights.
The Department of Education will send a letter to education secretaries and officials in all 50 states reminding them that students and teachers can't be discriminated against for practicing their First Amendment religious rights.
The administration updated 2003 guidance regarding prayer in public schools. The administration also plans to streamline and mandate a federal complaint process that students can use to alert authorities when they've been discriminated against.
The updated guidance states that "teachers and other public school officials, acting in their official capacities, may not lead their classes in prayer, devotional readings from the Bible, or other religious activities."
But at his event, President Trump also praised and defended Joseph Kennedy, a Washington state high school football coach who lost his job after he refused to stop praying on the field after games.
Evangelical support
The event comes as Trump works to shore up his support among evangelical Christians and other religious freedom advocates ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Last month, evangelical magazine Christianity Today ran an editorial calling Trump "morally lost" and argued that he should be removed from office.
Afterward, the president promised to take "action to safeguard students" during a campaign rally at a Miami evangelical megachurch.
The updated guidance to schools is one of three actions the Trump administration is taking to support the free exercise of religion. In addition, nine federal agencies are releasing proposed rules to ensure religious organizations are not discriminated against by the federal government.
The White House Office of Management and Budget will also direct federal agencies to ensure that states and other recipients of federal grants don't discriminate based on religion.
Joe Grogan, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, said Trump's Oval Office event underscored the importance of religious freedom.
"Whenever the president of the United States draws his megaphone upon a subject, people will pay attention," Grogan said. "It's important for all Americans, parents, teachers, administrators and citizens to understand that the First Amendment protects religious beliefs and protects people in expressing their spiritual life in the public square."
NPR's Tom Gjelten contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-16--For Some Women Nearing Menopause, Depression And Anxiety Can Spike

For Some Women Nearing Menopause , Depression And Anxiety Can Spike Teri Hines was in her mid-40s when she started to notice that her body was changing .
Her period became irregular and more intense .
`` It increased in frequency , it increased in intensity and it increased in duration , '' she says .
She began to have hot flashes , gained weight and her energy levels took a nosedive .
`` I just did not have the energy to do the things I wanted to do , '' she says , like the long morning walks she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or planning solo travel .
At the time , Hines lived alone in Philadelphia where she worked as an assistant principal at a school .
She struggled to get out of bed and go to work , and began to withdraw from friends .
Looking back , she remembers feeling isolated and unmoored .
`` It was such a fog over who I was , what I wanted , where I was going , what I was capable of accomplishing , '' she says .
`` I just could not find my footing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going through perimenopause , that is the years leading up to menopause , when women 's monthly hormonal cycles become erratic as their bodies prepare to stop menstruating .
What she did n't realize — and many women do n't know — is that the hormonal changes of perimenopause can bring with it changes in mood , and for some , a heightened risk of anxiety and depression .
`` Women who have a previous diagnosis of major depression or anxiety disorder are going to be at a greater risk during the perimenopausal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who directs the Women 's Mood Disorders Center at Johns Hopkins University .
And she warns that for these women , it 's something to take seriously .
`` If you 're having serious depression , and your functioning is affected , if you 're having suicidal thoughts , or you feel completely hopeless , that is a major depressive episode that absolutely needs treatment , '' she says .
Perimenopausal mood swings often resemble symptoms of premenstrual syndrome ; women might feel sad , or sluggish , or irritable .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like they have PMS all the time , '' says psychiatrist Hadine Joffe , who leads the Connors Center for Women 's Health and Gender Biology at the Brigham and Women 's Hospital in Boston .
`` They just do n't feel like they 're in control of their mood and they feel edgy . ''
Generally though , these mood swings are manageable , she adds .
`` The good news is that most women will navigate their perimenopause without serious mental health issues . ''
But a significant number of women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early perimenopause and 38 % of those in late perimenopause — experience symptoms of depression .
And symptoms of anxiety appear to be more common during this time leading up to menopause , including panic attacks .
Those most at risk are women with a history of mental illness , as well as women whose moods are particularly sensitive to hormonal fluctuations .
`` Women who had postpartum depression or have always had significant mood changes premenstrually are going to be at risk of having more symptoms , '' says Payne .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxiety or depression have any unusual or abnormal changes in hormones , she says .
Rather , `` it 's likely that their brain is sensitive to normal , natural hormonal fluctuations . ''
`` We know that in psychiatric illness , in general , the environment definitely plays a role , '' Payne adds .
And during this time period , she says , there are often big life changes for women which can exacerbate their risk of having mental health symptoms '' Some women go through divorces , children go off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , parents are getting older and need more caretaking , '' says Payne .
`` There are changes in career , etc . ''
`` There 's there 's a lot of midlife specific stress that happens because of where people are in their life , '' adds Joffe .
Hines was familiar with depression .
She 'd been depressed several times before and she had been proactive about seeking treatment .
`` I had been an advocate for myself on depression and self-care and getting the right help , getting counseling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I needed [ it ] , using medication . ''
And over the years , she had learned to recognize her symptoms and triggers — often big life changes , either professional or personal .
This time though , she says , she was too focused on how her body was changing and missed the symptoms of depression .
`` The physical nature of menopause consumes you and it 's what we 're taught to pay attention to , '' she says .
She did not know that her past history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being depressed during perimenopause .
But she did bring up her physical symptoms and her energy levels to her doctor early on during a regular appointment .
But the conversation was disappointing , she says .
`` I think she might have said 'you 're about the age when you will begin to have these symptoms , you will begin to be perimenopausal , ' `` Hines recalls .
The doctor offered no tips to help with her symptoms or even any information about perimenopause , she says , not even the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about four years , and for some women as long as 10 years .
This is n't uncommon .
More than a 1,000 women wrote to NPR with their own stories about struggles during perimenopause .
And a majority said that they had gotten little information or help from their physicians , especially for mental health symptoms .
`` It 's a very common situation for women , and doctors are not keeping up with that , '' says Payne .
This is partly because most physicians , even OB-GYNs get little education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and many other women who wrote to NPR said they found they had to be in the driving seat when it comes to looking for and finding the right help or treatment .
Women need to be direct with their doctors about their mental health symptoms , says Joffe .
`` Just the same as they would if they had a rash , '' she says .
`` They would make an extra appointment and that 's the first thing they say , I have a rash . ''
Payne agrees .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do is be honest with their doctors about their symptoms and what symptoms they 're having and how severe they are , '' she says .
Hines eventually got her doctor to pay attention and treat her mental health symptoms .
But it took took her several years , before she even realized that she might be depressed .
`` That 's when I made an appointment with my doctor and said , here 's what I 'm thinking , here 's what I 'm feeling , I think I might be depressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prescribed her an antidepressant .
`` The minute I went on it , I felt like I had the energy to tackle those other things that were ongoing , '' says Hines .
`` Antidepressants can help a woman get out of her major depressive episodes , '' says Payne .
`` They can also be helpful for anxiety symptoms . ''
Research also shows that they can ease some of the physical symptoms of perimenopause , such as hot flashes and insomnia .
Hines also benefited from talk therapy , which studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I went on antidepressants and then I started going into counseling , '' she says .
`` Once I had it under control with counseling , then I was able to sort of wean the pharmaceuticals off , so that I could just use the counseling . ''
Joffe suggests women who are at this stage of life take steps to empower themselves .
They should monitor symptoms carefully so they can have an informed discussion with their doctors .
Most of the time women just try to tough it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough .
Women are accustomed to having to cope with physical discomforts and life challenges , '' she says .
`` And I think a lot of midlife women expect that this is a time of distress and discomfort and ill ease and that 's normative . ''
But , she adds , it does n't have to be that way .
She points to resources like the North American Menopause Society 's website , for example , which has helpful information about menopause as well as a tool to help women find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want [ women ] to have permission , '' she says , `` I want [ women ] to feel that they owe it to themselves and the people around them , that they are n't suffering . ''

As Menopause Nears, Be Aware It Can Trigger Depression And Anxiety, Too
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hannah Yoon for NPR Hannah Yoon for NPR
Teri Hines was in her mid-40s when she started to notice that her body was changing.
Her period became irregular and more intense. "It increased in frequency, it increased in intensity and it increased in duration," she says.
She began to have hot flashes, gained weight and her energy levels took a nosedive.
"I just did not have the energy to do the things I wanted to do," she says, like the long morning walks she loved to take with her dogs, or planning solo travel.
At the time, Hines lived alone in Philadelphia where she worked as an assistant principal at a school. She struggled to get out of bed and go to work, and she began to withdraw from friends.
Looking back, she remembers feeling isolated and unmoored. "It was such a fog over who I was, what I wanted, where I was going, what I was capable of accomplishing," she says. "I just could not find my footing."
Hines knew she was likely going through perimenopause, that is the years leading up to menopause, when women's monthly hormonal cycles become erratic as their bodies prepare to stop menstruating.
What she didn't realize — and many women don't know — is that the hormonal changes of perimenopause can bring changes in mood, and for some, a heightened risk of anxiety and depression.
"Women who have a previous diagnosis of major depression or anxiety disorder are going to be at a greater risk during the perimenopausal time," says Jennifer Payne, who directs the Women's Mood Disorders Center at Johns Hopkins University.
And she warns that for these women, it's something to take seriously. "If you're having serious depression, and your functioning is affected, if you're having suicidal thoughts, or you feel completely hopeless, that is a major depressive episode that absolutely needs treatment," she says.
A vulnerable time
Perimenopausal mood swings often resemble symptoms of premenstrual syndrome; women might feel sad, or sluggish, or irritable.
"I've had people say that they feel like they have PMS all the time," says psychiatrist Hadine Joffe, who leads the Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "They just don't feel like they're in control of their mood and they feel edgy."
Generally though, these mood swings are manageable, she adds. "The good news is that most women will navigate their perimenopause without serious mental health issues."
But a significant number of women — about 18% among women in early perimenopause and 38% of those in late perimenopause — experience symptoms of depression. And symptoms of anxiety appear to be more common during this time leading up to menopause, including panic attacks.
Those most at risk are women with a history of mental illness, as well as women whose moods are particularly sensitive to hormonal fluctuations.
"Women who had postpartum depression or have always had significant mood changes premenstrually are going to be at risk of having more symptoms," says Payne.
It's not that women who develop serious anxiety or depression have any unusual or abnormal changes in hormones, she says. Rather, "it's likely that their brain is sensitive to normal, natural hormonal fluctuations."
"We know that in psychiatric illness, in general, the environment definitely plays a role," Payne adds. And during this time period, she says, there are often big life changes for women that can exacerbate their risk of having mental health symptoms
"Some women go through divorces, children go off to school, or leave the house, parents are getting older and need more caretaking," says Payne. "There are changes in career, etc."
"There's there's a lot of midlife specific stress that happens because of where people are in their life," adds Joffe.
When doctors don't pay attention
Hines was familiar with depression. She'd been depressed several times before and she had been proactive about seeking treatment.
"I had been an advocate for myself on depression and self-care and getting the right help, getting counseling," says Hines. "At times when I needed [it], using medication."
And over the years, she had learned to recognize her symptoms and triggers — often big life changes, either professional or personal.
toggle caption Hannah Yoon for NPR
This time though, she says, she was too focused on how her body was changing and missed the symptoms of depression.
"The physical nature of menopause consumes you and it's what we're taught to pay attention to," she says.
She did not know that her past history of depression put her at a higher risk of being depressed during perimenopause. But she did bring up her physical symptoms and her energy levels to her doctor early on during a regular appointment. But the conversation was disappointing, she says.
"I think she might have said 'you're about the age when you will begin to have these symptoms, you will begin to be perimenopausal,' " Hines recalls.
The doctor offered no tips to help with her symptoms or even any information about perimenopause, she says, not even the fact that on average it lasts for about four years, and for some women as long as 10 years.
This isn't uncommon. More than a 1,000 women wrote to NPR with their own stories about struggles during perimenopause. And a majority said that they had gotten little information or help from their physicians, especially for mental health symptoms.
"It's a very common situation for women, and doctors are not keeping up with that," says Payne.
This is partly because most physicians, even OB-GYNs, get little education about perimenopause, says Joffe.
Hines and many other women who wrote to NPR said they found they had to be in the driving seat when it comes to looking for and finding the right help or treatment.
Women need to be direct with their doctors about their mental health symptoms, says Joffe.
"Just the same as they would if they had a rash," she says. "They would make an extra appointment and that's the first thing they say: I have a rash."
Payne agrees. "The No. 1 thing that women can do is be honest with their doctors about their symptoms and what symptoms they're having and how severe they are," she says.
Treatments that work
Hines eventually got her doctor to pay attention and treat her mental health symptoms.
But it took her several years before she even realized that she might be depressed.
"That's when I made an appointment with my doctor and said, here's what I'm thinking, here's what I'm feeling, I think I might be depressed."
This time, her physician prescribed her an antidepressant. "The minute I went on it, I felt like I had the energy to tackle those other things that were ongoing," says Hines.
"Antidepressants can help a woman get out of her major depressive episodes," says Payne. "They can also be helpful for anxiety symptoms."
Research also shows that they can ease some of the physical symptoms of perimenopause, such as hot flashes and insomnia.
Hines also benefited from talk therapy, which studies show is also helpful for treating depression.
"I went on antidepressants and then I started going into counseling," she says. "Once I had it under control with counseling, then I was able to sort of wean the pharmaceuticals off, so that I could just use the counseling."
Joffe suggests women who are at this stage of life take steps to empower themselves. They should monitor symptoms carefully so they can have an informed discussion with their doctors.
Most of the time women just try to tough it out, says Joffe. "Women are tough. Women are accustomed to having to cope with physical discomforts and life challenges," she says. "And I think a lot of midlife women expect that this is a time of distress and discomfort and ill ease and that's normative."
But, she adds, it doesn't have to be that way. She points to resources like the North American Menopause Society's website, for example, which has helpful information about menopause as well as a tool to help women find local providers specializing in perimenopause.
"I want [women] to have permission," she says. "I want [women] to feel that they owe it to themselves and the people around them, that they aren't suffering."