npr--2020-10-14--Facebook And Twitter Limit Sharing New York Post Story About Joe Biden

Facebook And Twitter Limit Sharing New York Post Story About Joe Biden Facebook and Twitter took action on Wednesday to limit the distribution of New York Post reporting with unconfirmed claims about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , leading President Trump 's campaign and allies to charge the companies with censorship .
Both social media companies said the moves were aimed at slowing the spread of potentially false information .
But they gave few details about how they reached their decisions , sparking criticism about the lack of clarity and consistency with which they apply their rules .
The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday citing emails , purportedly sent by Biden 's son Hunter , that the news outlet says it got from Trump 's private lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon .
Facebook was limiting distribution of the Post 's main story while its outside fact-checkers reviewed the claims , spokesman Andy Stone said .
That means the platform 's algorithms wo n't place posts linking to the story as highly in people 's news feeds , reducing the number of users who see it .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or commented on almost 600,000 times on Facebook , according data from CrowdTangle , a research tool owned by the social network .
Stone said Facebook sometimes takes this step if it sees `` signals '' that something gaining traction is false , to give fact-checkers time to evaluate the story before it spreads widely .
He did not give more detail on what signals Facebook uses or how often it takes this approach .
Twitter went further .
It is blocking users from posting pictures of the emails or links to two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referring to them , spokesman Trenton Kennedy said , citing its rules against sharing `` content obtained through hacking that contains private information . ''
Users who try to share the links on Twitter are shown a notice saying , `` We ca n't complete this request because this link has been identified by Twitter or our partners as being potentially harmful . ''
If a user clicks on links already posted on Twitter , the user is taken to a warning screen saying , `` this link may be unsafe , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read the story .
Twitter also required the New York Post to delete its tweet about the story .
Twitter said it decided to block the links because it could n't be sure about the origins of the emails .
It said its policy `` prohibits the use of our service to distribute content obtained without authorization '' and that it does n't want to encourage hacking by allowing people to share `` possibly illegally obtained materials . ''
But the company declined to comment on how it had reached that decision or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails in the Post 's stories .
The company later gave an additional explanation for why it was blocking the stories .
Its safety team said in a tweet that the images of emails in the articles `` include personal and private information — like email addresses and phone numbers — which violate our rules '' against unauthorized sharing of such details .
CEO Jack Dorsey acknowledged that the company 's communication about why it was blocking the articles `` was not great . ''
He tweeted that it was `` unacceptable '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero context as to why we 're blocking . ''
Asked for comment about the social networks ' actions , New York Post spokeswoman Iva Benson referred NPR to an article by the paper 's editorial board .
`` Our story explains where the info came from , and a Senate committee now confirms it also received the files from the same source , '' the editorial said .
`` Yet Facebook and Twitter are deliberately trying to keep its users from reading and deciding for themselves what it means . ''
Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent weeks to curb the spread of false claims and manipulation related to the election , as part of efforts to avoid a repeat of 2016 , when Russian-linked actors used social media to target American voters .
Facebook has been warning about the possibility of `` hack and leak '' operations , where stolen documents or other sensitive materials are strategically leaked — as happened in 2016 with hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton 's campaign .
But the companies ' moves on Wednesday drew criticism from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter needed to more clearly explain their policies and how often they apply them .
`` This story is a microcosm of something that I think we can expect to happen a lot over the next few weeks and , I think , demonstrates why platforms having clear policies that they are prepared to stick to is really important , '' said Evelyn Douek , a Harvard Law School lecturer who studies the regulation of online speech .
`` It 's really unclear if they have stepped in exceptionally in this case and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've done so , '' she said .
`` That inevitably leads to exactly the kind of outcry that we 've seen , which is that they 're doing it for political reasons and because they 're biased . ''
Republicans seized on the episode as proof of their long-running claims that the social networks censor conservative voices .
There is no statistical evidence to support those claims .
Trump tweeted that it was `` So terrible that Facebook and Twitter took down the story , '' although Facebook did not remove it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 230 !
!
! ''
he wrote , referring to a long-standing legal shield that protects online platforms from being sued over what people post on them and says they ca n't be punished for reasonable moderation of those posts .
Trump has repeatedly called for Section 230 to be revoked .
Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri sent letters to the CEOs of both Facebook and Twitter on Wednesday pressing them on the decisions to reduce distribution and block the story .
Hawley also sent a letter to the Federal Election Commission saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ egregious campaign-finance violations benefitting the Biden campaign . ''
The Senate Republican Conference , which is led by Sen. John Barrasso , R-Wyo.
, tweeted , `` see you soon , @ jack , '' with an image of the Post 's story .
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is scheduled to testify , along with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai , before the Senate Commerce Committee on Oct. 28 — just six days before the election .
The topic : Section 230 .
Editor 's note : Facebook is @ @ @ @ @ @

Facebook And Twitter Limit Sharing 'New York Post' Story About Joe Biden
Enlarge this image toggle caption Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 9:14 p.m. ET
Facebook and Twitter took action on Wednesday to limit the distribution of New York Post reporting with unconfirmed claims about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, leading President Trump's campaign and allies to charge the companies with censorship.
Both social media companies said the moves were aimed at slowing the spread of potentially false information. But they gave few details about how they reached their decisions, sparking criticism about the lack of clarity and consistency with which they apply their rules.
The New York Post published a series of stories on Wednesday citing emails, purportedly sent by Biden's son Hunter, that the news outlet says it got from Trump's private attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
Facebook was limiting distribution of the Post's main story while its outside fact-checkers reviewed the claims, spokesman Andy Stone said. That means the platform's algorithms won't place posts linking to the story as highly in people's news feeds, reducing the number of users who see it. However, the story has still been liked, shared or commented on almost 600,000 times on Facebook, according to data from CrowdTangle, a research tool owned by the social network.
Stone said Facebook sometimes takes this step if it sees "signals" that something gaining traction is false, to give fact-checkers time to evaluate the story before it spreads widely. He did not give more detail on what signals Facebook uses or how often it takes this approach.
Twitter went further. It is blocking users from posting pictures of the emails or links to two of the New York Post's stories referring to them, spokesman Trenton Kennedy said, citing its rules against sharing "content obtained through hacking that contains private information."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Screenshot by NPR Screenshot by NPR
Users who try to share the links on Twitter are shown a notice saying, "We can't complete this request because this link has been identified by Twitter or our partners as being potentially harmful."
If a user clicks on links already posted on Twitter, the user is taken to a warning screen saying, "this link may be unsafe," which they have to click past to read the story. Twitter also required the New York Post to delete its tweet about the story.
Twitter said it decided to block the links because it couldn't be sure about the origins of the emails. It said its policy "prohibits the use of our service to distribute content obtained without authorization" and that it doesn't want to encourage hacking by allowing people to share "possibly illegally obtained materials."
But the company declined to comment on how it had reached that decision or what evidence it had weighed about the emails in the Post's stories.
The company later gave an additional explanation for why it was blocking the stories.
Its safety team said in a tweet that the images of emails in the articles "include personal and private information — like email addresses and phone numbers — which violate our rules" against unauthorized sharing of such details.
CEO Jack Dorsey acknowledged that the company's communication about why it was blocking the articles "was not great." He tweeted that it was "unacceptable" to prevent people from sharing "with zero context as to why we're blocking."
Asked for comment about the social networks' actions, New York Post spokeswoman Iva Benson referred NPR to an article by the paper's editorial board.
"Our story explains where the info came from, and a Senate committee now confirms it also received the files from the same source," the editorial said. "Yet Facebook and Twitter are deliberately trying to keep its users from reading and deciding for themselves what it means."
Twitter and Facebook have been acting more aggressively in recent weeks to curb the spread of false claims and manipulation related to the election as part of efforts to avoid a repeat of 2016 when Russian-linked actors used social media to target American voters.
Facebook has been warning about the possibility of "hack and leak" operations, where stolen documents or other sensitive materials are strategically leaked — as happened in 2016 with hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign.
But the companies' moves on Wednesday drew criticism from some experts, who said Facebook and Twitter needed to explain more clearly their policies and how often they apply them.
"This story is a microcosm of something that I think we can expect to happen a lot over the next few weeks and, I think, demonstrates why platforms having clear policies that they are prepared to stick to is really important," said Evelyn Douek, a Harvard Law School lecturer who studies the regulation of online speech.
"It's really unclear if they have stepped in exceptionally in this case and, if they have, why they've done so," she said. "That inevitably leads to exactly the kind of outcry that we've seen, which is that they're doing it for political reasons and because they're biased."
Republicans seized on the episode as proof of their long-running assertions that the social networks censor conservative voices. There is no statistical evidence to support those claims.
Trump tweeted that it was "[s]o terrible that Facebook and Twitter took down the story," although Facebook did not remove it from its platform. "REPEAL SECTION 230!!!" he wrote, referring to a long-standing legal shield that protects online platforms from being sued over what people post on them and says they can't be punished for reasonable moderation of those posts. Trump has repeatedly called for Section 230 to be revoked.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., sent letters to the CEOs of both Facebook and Twitter on Wednesday pressing them on the decisions to reduce distribution and block the story.
Hawley also sent a letter to the Federal Election Commission saying the companies' actions possibly constituted "egregious campaign-finance violations benefitting the Biden campaign."
The Senate Republican Conference, which is led by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., tweeted, "see you soon, @jack," with an image of the Post's story. Dorsey, the Twitter CEO, is scheduled to testify, along with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, before the Senate Commerce Committee on Oct. 28 — six days before the election. The topic: Section 230.
Editor's note: Facebook is among NPR's financial supporters.
NPR's David Folkenflik contributed to this report.


npr--2020-10-14--Azerbaijan, Armenia Trade Accusations Of Breaking Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh

Russia on Wednesday proposed sending military observers to monitor a shaky cease-fire in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh , amid mutual recriminations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over alleged truce violations .
In the Azerbaijani capital of Baku , officials accused Armenia of trying to attack Azerbaijan 's petroleum pipelines .
In turn , Armenian officials said Azerbaijan was trying to seize Nagorno-Karabakh despite the cease-fire .
The tiny oil-rich region in the South Caucuses , which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan , has been governed as a de facto independent state controlled by ethnic Armenians , known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke away in 1991 .
The simmering conflict between the former Soviet republics over Nagorno-Karabakh erupted again into a hot war in recent weeks , with more than 500 killed since Sept. 27 .
It has quickly drawn in regional powers Turkey and Russia .
Ankara has close ties with Azerbaijan , whose people are mainly ethnic Turkic .
Russia is seen as an ally of Armenia , but also has a good relationship with Azerbaijan .
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said he 's confident of regaining the disputed region by force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledging his nation 's support and urging other countries to stand with Baku to `` battle against invasion and cruelty . ''
Aliyev on Wednesday warned Armenia against any attempt to seize its oil and gas pipelines , two of which pass close to the disputed region .
`` Armenia is trying to attack and take control of our pipelines , '' he said in an interview .
`` If Armenia tries to take control of the pipelines there , I can say that the outcome will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Artsakh Defense Army accused Azerbaijan of `` targeting peaceful settlements , '' shelling the city of Martakert and conducting airstrikes in the region .
The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia reached a deal for a humanitarian cease-fire starting Saturday and an exchange of prisoners , but the truce began to fall apart almost immediately .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday said he believed that Moscow ought to dispatch its own observers to monitor compliance with the cease-fire deal .
He said the decision was up to Azerbaijan and Armenia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be absolutely correct if they were our [ Russian ] military observers , '' Lavrov told Russian radio stations in an interview , according to the TASS news agency .
Meanwhile , Turkey has reportedly recruited Syrian mercenaries to join the battle on the Azerbaijani side , which Turkey denies , sparking concerns of a possible proxy war in the region .
Militarily , Azerbaijan is seen as having the upper hand and Baku has reportedly gone on a weapons buying spree , purchasing tens of millions of dollars worth of arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reuters reports , citing Turkish export data .
`` It is not too late to resolve the conflict peacefully , through negotiations , '' Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunyan said , Reuters reports .
`` But if the enemy does n't want to , we are ready to fight to the end . ''
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Azerbaijan and Turkey were pushing the conflict and appeared to have no intention to honor the cease-fire .
In his interview with Russian radio , Lavrov said Moscow did not agree with Turkey that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a position he said that was shared by Azerbaijan 's leader .
`` It is not a secret that we can not agree with a statement that a military solution to the conflict is permissible , '' the Russian foreign minister said .
Since 1992 , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 's ( OSCE ) Minsk Group , co-chaired by Russia , the United States and France , have been working toward resolving the long-simmering conflict in the South Caucuses .
Late last month , French President Emmanuel Macron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conflict , claiming that it was Azerbaijan that started the conflict and saying he had discussed the situation with Aliyev and Pashinyan .
`` I wanted these attacks to end .
I explicitly condemned these disproportionate attacks , '' he said in a news conference during a visit to Latvia .
Macron said it had been determined that the attacks `` came from Azerbaijan , '' adding that : `` Both sides must comply with the cease-fire . ''
However , on Tuesday , French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We would be doing a disservice to the quality of our bilateral relationship with Armenia if we took an unbalanced posture that would call into question the role we play in the framework of the Minsk Group and the influence we have , '' Le Drian told the French newspaper Le Figaro .
Earlier this month , the U.S. signed on to a joint statement with Russia and France condemning both sides for `` the unprecedented and dangerous escalation of violence in and outside of the Nagorno-Karabakh zone . ''

Azerbaijan, Armenia Trade Accusations Of Breaking Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images
Russia on Wednesday proposed sending military observers to monitor a shaky cease-fire in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, amid mutual recriminations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over alleged truce violations.
In the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, officials accused Armenia of trying to attack oil-rich Azerbaijan's petroleum pipelines. In turn, Armenian officials said Azerbaijan was trying to seize Nagorno-Karabakh despite the cease-fire.
The tiny region in the South Caucuses, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, has been governed as a de facto independent state controlled by ethnic Armenians, known as the Republic of Artsakh, since it broke away in 1991.
The simmering conflict between the former Soviet republics over Nagorno-Karabakh erupted again into a hot war in recent weeks, with more than 500 killed since Sept. 27. It has quickly drawn in regional powers Turkey and Russia. Ankara has close ties with Azerbaijan, whose people are mainly ethnic Turkic. Russia is seen as an ally of Armenia, but also has a good relationship with Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said he's confident of regaining the disputed region by force, a position that Turkey has backed, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledging his nation's support and urging other countries to stand with Baku to "battle against invasion and cruelty."
Aliyev on Wednesday warned Armenia against any attempt to seize its oil and gas pipelines, two of which pass close to the disputed region.
"Armenia is trying to attack and take control of our pipelines," he said in an interview. "If Armenia tries to take control of the pipelines there, I can say that the outcome will be severe for them."
Armenia has denied the claim.
Nagorno-Karabakh's Artsakh Defense Army accused Azerbaijan of "targeting peaceful settlements," shelling the city of Martakert and conducting airstrikes in the region.
#Azerbaijan continues to violate the humanitarian truce, targeting peaceful settlements.
✈ In addition to shelling the city of #Martakert, the enemy also employed air force in the northeastern direction. #Artsakh Defense Army units take relevant actions to suppress Az. fire. — Artsakh Defense Army (@Karabakh_MoD) October 14, 2020
The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia reached a deal for a humanitarian cease-fire starting Saturday and an exchange of prisoners, but the truce began to fall apart almost immediately.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday said he believed that Moscow ought to dispatch its own observers to monitor compliance with the cease-fire deal.
He said the decision was up to Azerbaijan and Armenia, but: "We believe it would be absolutely correct if they were our [Russian] military observers," Lavrov told Russian radio stations in an interview, according to the TASS news agency.
Meanwhile, Turkey has reportedly recruited Syrian mercenaries to join the battle on the Azerbaijani side, which Turkey denies, sparking concerns of a possible proxy war in the region. Militarily, Azerbaijan is seen as having the upper hand and Baku has reportedly gone on a weapons buying spree, purchasing tens of millions of dollars worth of arms in the lead-up to the fighting, Reuters reports, citing Turkish export data.
"It is not too late to resolve the conflict peacefully, through negotiations," Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunyan said, Reuters reports. "But if the enemy doesn't want to, we are ready to fight to the end."
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Azerbaijan and Turkey were pushing the conflict and appeared to have no intention to honor the cease-fire.
In his interview with Russian radio, Lavrov said Moscow did not agree with Turkey that a military solution is a viable option, a position he said that was shared by Azerbaijan's leader.
"It is not a secret that we cannot agree with a statement that a military solution to the conflict is permissible," the Russian foreign minister said.
Since 1992, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group, co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France, have been working toward resolving the long-simmering conflict in the South Caucuses.
Late last month, French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to side with Armenia in the conflict, claiming that it was Azerbaijan that started the conflict and saying he had discussed the situation with Aliyev and Pashinyan.
"I wanted these attacks to end. I explicitly condemned these disproportionate attacks," he said in a news conference during a visit to Latvia.
Macron said it had been determined that the attacks "came from Azerbaijan," adding that: "Both sides must comply with the cease-fire."
However, on Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France should remain neutral in the dispute.
"We would be doing a disservice to the quality of our bilateral relationship with Armenia if we took an unbalanced posture that would call into question the role we play in the framework of the Minsk Group and the influence we have," Le Drian told the French newspaper Le Figaro.
Earlier this month, the U.S. signed on to a joint statement with Russia and France condemning both sides for "the unprecedented and dangerous escalation of violence in and outside of the Nagorno-Karabakh zone."


npr--2020-10-14--Water Or A Sports Drink? These Brain Cells May Decide Which One We Crave

Water Or A Sports Drink ?
These Brain Cells May Decide Which One We Crave Researchers appear to have shown how the brain creates two different kinds of thirst .
The process involves two types of brain cells , one that responds to a decline in fluid in our bodies , while the other monitors levels of salt and other minerals , a team reports in the journal Nature .
Together , these specialized thirst cells seem to determine whether animals and people crave pure water or something like a sports drink , which contains salt and other minerals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ distinct stimuli with different cell types , '' says Yuki Oka , a professor of biology at Caltech and the study 's lead author .
The finding appears to help answer `` this question that we 've been trying to ask for decades and decades and decades , '' says Sean Stocker , a professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies water and salt balance in the body .
Stocker was not involved in the study .
Oka 's research is part of an effort to understand the brain biology underlying behavior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals .
For example , people who 've just finished a long , sweaty workout often experience a special kind of thirst .
`` Pure water does n't do it , right ?
It 's not enough , '' Oka says .
`` You need water and salt to recover .
And we can easily imagine that under such condition , we crave [ a ] sport drink . ''
Sports drinks like Gatorade generally include a mix of salt and sugar , as well as water .
To understand what triggers this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied cells in two regions of mouse brains .
Both regions are known to contain neurons involved in the sensation of thirst .
The team induced two kinds of thirst in the mice .
One was caused by a simple lack of fluid in the body .
The other simulated the loss of fluid and minerals that occurs during a sweaty workout .
And each type of thirst appeared to produce a response from a different type of cell .
To confirm that these cells are truly linked to drinking behavior , Oka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mice access to two bottles .
One contained pure water and the other a mixture of water and minerals , including salt .
Then the team used a technique called optogenetics to stimulate each type of thirst cell in the mice .
When they stimulated the water-only thirst cells , the mice immediately went to the bottle of pure water and began `` drinking vigorously , '' Oka says .
But when the team stimulated the cells that responded to salt levels , the mice began drinking a combination of pure water and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached for the mouse version of a sports drink .
The team focused on how cells in the two brain regions affect thirst .
But scientists say these and other cell types are probably involved in regulating a wide range of bodily functions and behaviors .
`` Is it only thirst related , or does it also affect heart rate or blood pressure or temperature regulation ? ''
says Claire Gizowski , a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California , San Francisco .
`` These are all interconnected , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highly likely , Stocker says .
Decades of research have shown how levels of salt and fluid in the body can change a person 's blood pressure .
Stocker 's own research has found links between brain cells involved in thirst and those involved in blood pressure .
And he says it 's likely that many blood pressure drugs act on the same brain areas that regulate fluid and salt intake .
Understanding how thirst cells work in the brain could also help certain sick people and athletes .
`` Fluid balance is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes you to be admitted into a hospital when you show up to the ER , '' Gizowski says .
Some of those trips might be avoided if scientists could develop a sensor that worked the same way the brain does to monitor fluid and salt levels .
Also , Gizowski says : `` This would be super-helpful for athletes to know how much Gatorade they 're supposed to drink to have optimal performance . ''
Gizowski thinks the next frontier in thirst science is figuring out how the brain anticipates the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you drink and you do n't even realize that you 're drinking or that you 're even thirsty because your body is just doing these things without you knowing , '' she says .
That 's probably to protect you from `` the consequences of not drinking water and not being hydrated properly '' later on .

Water Or A Sports Drink? These Brain Cells May Decide Which One We Crave
Enlarge this image toggle caption Krisanapong Detraphiphat/Getty Images Krisanapong Detraphiphat/Getty Images
Researchers appear to have shown how the brain creates two different kinds of thirst.
The process involves two types of brain cells, one that responds to a decline in fluid in our bodies, while the other monitors levels of salt and other minerals, a team reports in the journal Nature.
Together, these specialized thirst cells seem to determine whether animals and people crave pure water or something like a sports drink, which contains salt and other minerals.
"Our brain can detect these two distinct stimuli with different cell types," says Yuki Oka, a professor of biology at Caltech and the study's lead author.
The finding appears to help answer "this question that we've been trying to ask for decades and decades and decades," says Sean Stocker, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies water and salt balance in the body. Stocker was not involved in the study.
Oka's research is part of an effort to understand the brain biology underlying behavior that's seen in people and many animals.
For example, people who've just finished a long, sweaty workout often experience a special kind of thirst.
"Pure water doesn't do it, right? It's not enough," Oka says. "You need water and salt to recover. And we can easily imagine that under such condition, we crave [a] sport drink."
Sports drinks like Gatorade generally include a mix of salt and sugar, as well as water.
To understand what triggers this type of thirst, Oka's team studied cells in two regions of mouse brains. Both regions are known to contain neurons involved in the sensation of thirst.
The team induced two kinds of thirst in the mice. One was caused by a simple lack of fluid in the body. The other simulated the loss of fluid and minerals that occurs during a sweaty workout.
And each type of thirst appeared to produce a response from a different type of cell.
To confirm that these cells are truly linked to drinking behavior, Oka's team did an experiment that gave mice access to two bottles. One contained pure water and the other a mixture of water and minerals, including salt.
Then the team used a technique called optogenetics to stimulate each type of thirst cell in the mice.
When they stimulated the water-only thirst cells, the mice immediately went to the bottle of pure water and began "drinking vigorously," Oka says.
But when the team stimulated the cells that responded to salt levels, the mice began drinking a combination of pure water and salty water. In essence, they reached for the mouse version of a sports drink.
The team focused on how cells in the two brain regions affect thirst. But scientists say these and other cell types are probably involved in regulating a wide range of bodily functions and behaviors.
"Is it only thirst related, or does it also affect heart rate or blood pressure or temperature regulation?" says Claire Gizowski, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Francisco. "These are all interconnected," she says.
The link to blood pressure is highly likely, Stocker says. Decades of research have shown how levels of salt and fluid in the body can change a person's blood pressure.
Stocker's own research has found links between brain cells involved in thirst and those involved in blood pressure. And he says it's likely that many blood pressure drugs act on the same brain areas that regulate fluid and salt intake.
Understanding how thirst cells work in the brain could also help certain sick people and athletes.
"Fluid balance is one of the top 10 factors that causes you to be admitted into a hospital when you show up to the ER," Gizowski says. Some of those trips might be avoided if scientists could develop a sensor that worked the same way the brain does to monitor fluid and salt levels.
Also, Gizowski says: "This would be super-helpful for athletes to know how much Gatorade they're supposed to drink to have optimal performance."
Gizowski thinks the next frontier in thirst science is figuring out how the brain anticipates the need for fluid or salt.
"Sometimes you drink and you don't even realize that you're drinking or that you're even thirsty because your body is just doing these things without you knowing," she says. That's probably to protect you from "the consequences of not drinking water and not being hydrated properly" later on.


npr--2020-10-14--Paris Under Curfew: Europe Reacts As Countries See Highest-Ever Coronavirus Numbers

Paris Under Curfew : Europe Reacts As Countries See Highest-Ever Coronavirus Numbers Coronavirus restrictions are taking effect in the Netherlands , the U.K. , the Czech Republic and other parts of Europe on Wednesday as nations try to reverse an alarming wave in new cases .
The continent is now seeing more new coronavirus cases – an average of 100,000 daily — than at any other time during the pandemic .
Bars , restaurants and schools are being shut down or sharply limited , and officials are working to bolster hospital capacity , to accommodate an expected influx of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of taking off in late August and September are now skyrocketing .
Europe reported more than 700,000 new coronavirus cases last week – a surge representing a 36 % weekly increase , as NPR 's Reese Oxner recently reported .
Europe 's infection rate `` has been increasing for 77 days , '' the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in its most recent weekly report for the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom .
Here , a sampling of the situation in Europe : In France , President Emmanuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night to announce the start of nightly curfews in Paris and eight other densely populated areas in an effort to control the coronavirus in what are deemed `` health emergency zones . ''
The curfews will run from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the next four weeks , starting on Saturday .
Anyone who violates the curfew would face a fine of 135 euros ( nearly $ 160 ) for the first offense .
A second offense would bring a far steeper fine of 1,500 euros — around $ 1,760 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Macron said , according to France24 , `` we 're taking measures that are proportionate . ''
Italy reported its largest one-day total of new cases Wednesday , with more than 7,300 – easily surpassing the terrible heights the country reached in March .
The rise comes one day after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree putting new limits on gatherings , sports and school activities .
Bars and restaurants are still allowed to operate until midnight , but only if they offer table service .
In Spain , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars and restaurants to close their on-premises operations , saying they can only sell to-go items for the next 15 days .
Shopping areas , theaters and gyms will have to operate at reduced capacity .
It 's the only way to avert an even deeper shutdown , officials say .
`` We are facing difficult times ; we must act today to avoid a lockdown in the coming weeks , '' Catalan Vice President Pere Aragonès said , adding that the region 's health statistics `` are very worrying . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain 's autonomous regions has taken such drastic measures to combat the pandemic since the state of emergency ended mid-June and control of the health care system went back to the regional governments , '' Lucia Benavides reported for NPR from Barcelona .
`` Under Spain 's new health ministry rules , all municipalities with more than 100,000 residents that meet certain criteria must be confined .
None of Catalonia 's cities fall under that category – but they 're not far off , and Catalan leaders say they want to prevent another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard hit by the new coronavirus wave , has closed schools as of Wednesday .
Restaurants and bars are closed for everything except takeout orders – and they can only operate until 8 p.m. , according to Radio Prague International .
`` With Europe 's highest number of infections per capita , the Czech Republic is also canceling nonessential medical procedures to maximize hospital capacity , '' Esme Nicholson reported for NPR from Berlin .
`` The Czech Republic was quick to impose its first lockdown in March and was an early adopter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously helped to flatten the curve . ''
Making matters worse , the coronavirus has infected nearly 5,000 health care workers – and in that vital sector , the number of ill staff is doubling every 10 days , Radio Prague International says .
The Netherlands is enacting a partial lockdown because of a rise in new cases .
The government declared on Tuesday , `` The coronavirus has been given too much room to spread again . ''
The restrictions close all food and drink establishments , except for carryout orders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ households can gather , indoors or outside .
Schools and public transportation will continue to operate , but everyone over 13 must wear a face mask in indoor areas and on public transport .
The U.K. instituted a three-tier alert system on Wednesday that will group different regions of England under restrictions in an effort to avoid repeating a national lockdown .
So far , the only region under a `` very high '' alert is Liverpool – where people took advantage of the last few hours before the restrictions to party in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our City , '' Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said via Twitter , responding to photos of the large number of people gathering in the interim between the 10 p.m. closure of pubs and the midnight onset of the new restrictions .
Noting that some people in the crowd had attacked a police car , Anderson called the violence `` unacceptable . ''
`` There is a reason our city is in Tier 3 for # Covid19 , '' Anderson said later Wednesday .
`` The level of infection is at very high levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — both for the virus and other illnesses like Cancer . ''

Paris Under Curfew: Europe Reacts As Countries See Highest-Ever Coronavirus Numbers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chesnot/Getty Images Chesnot/Getty Images
Coronavirus restrictions are taking effect in the Netherlands, the U.K., the Czech Republic and other parts of Europe on Wednesday as nations try to reverse an alarming wave in new cases. The continent is now seeing more new coronavirus cases – an average of 100,000 daily — than at any other time during the pandemic.
Bars, restaurants and schools are being shut down or sharply limited, and officials are working to bolster hospital capacity, to accommodate an expected influx of new COVID-19 patients.
Numbers that showed signs of taking off in late August and September are now skyrocketing. Europe reported more than 700,000 new coronavirus cases last week – a surge representing a 36% weekly increase, as NPR's Reese Oxner recently reported.
Europe's infection rate "has been increasing for 77 days," the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in its most recent weekly report for the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom.
Here, a sampling of the situation in Europe:
In France, President Emmanuel Macron used a nationally televised interview Wednesday night to announce the start of nightly curfews in Paris and eight other densely populated areas in an effort to control the coronavirus in what are deemed "health emergency zones."
The curfews will run from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the next four weeks, starting on Saturday. Anyone who violates the curfew would face a fine of 135 euros (nearly $160) for the first offense. A second offense would bring a far steeper fine of 1,500 euros — around $1,760.
"I'm not talking about infantilizing people," Macron said, according to France24, "we're taking measures that are proportionate."
Italy reported its largest one-day total of new cases Wednesday, with more than 7,300 – easily surpassing the terrible heights the country reached in March. The rise comes one day after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree putting new limits on gatherings, sports and school activities. Bars and restaurants are still allowed to operate until midnight, but only if they offer table service.
In Spain, the regional government of Catalonia is ordering all bars and restaurants to close their on-premises operations, saying they can only sell to-go items for the next 15 days. Shopping areas, theaters and gyms will have to operate at reduced capacity. It's the only way to avert an even deeper shutdown, officials say.
"We are facing difficult times; we must act today to avoid a lockdown in the coming weeks," Catalan Vice President Pere Aragonès said, adding that the region's health statistics "are very worrying."
"It's the first time one of Spain's autonomous regions has taken such drastic measures to combat the pandemic since the state of emergency ended mid-June and control of the health care system went back to the regional governments," Lucia Benavides reported for NPR from Barcelona. "Under Spain's new health ministry rules, all municipalities with more than 100,000 residents that meet certain criteria must be confined. None of Catalonia's cities fall under that category – but they're not far off, and Catalan leaders say they want to prevent another lockdown."
Enlarge this image toggle caption European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
The Czech Republic, hard hit by the new coronavirus wave, has closed schools as of Wednesday. Restaurants and bars are closed for everything except takeout orders – and they can only operate until 8 p.m., according to Radio Prague International.
"With Europe's highest number of infections per capita, the Czech Republic is also canceling nonessential medical procedures to maximize hospital capacity," Esme Nicholson reported for NPR from Berlin. "The Czech Republic was quick to impose its first lockdown in March and was an early adopter of the face mask, measures which previously helped to flatten the curve."
Making matters worse, the coronavirus has infected nearly 5,000 health care workers – and in that vital sector, the number of ill staff is doubling every 10 days, Radio Prague International says.
The Netherlands is enacting a partial lockdown because of a rise in new cases. The government declared on Tuesday, "The coronavirus has been given too much room to spread again."
The restrictions close all food and drink establishments, except for carryout orders. No more than four people from different households can gather, indoors or outside.
Schools and public transportation will continue to operate, but everyone over 13 must wear a face mask in indoor areas and on public transport.
The U.K. instituted a three-tier alert system on Wednesday that will group different regions of England under restrictions in an effort to avoid repeating a national lockdown. So far, the only region under a "very high" alert is Liverpool – where people took advantage of the last few hours before the restrictions to party in the streets.
"These pictures Shame our City," Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said via Twitter, responding to photos of the large number of people gathering in the interim between the 10 p.m. closure of pubs and the midnight onset of the new restrictions.
Noting that some people in the crowd had attacked a police car, Anderson called the violence "unacceptable."
"There is a reason our city is in Tier 3 for #Covid19," Anderson said later Wednesday. "The level of infection is at very high levels and beginning to impact on our hospitals — both for the virus and other illnesses like Cancer."


npr--2020-10-14--Pressed On Landmark Contraception Case, Barrett Again Declines To Answer

Pressed On Landmark Contraception Case , Barrett Again Declines To Answer Judge Amy Coney Barrett declined to answer a question Wednesday from Sen. Chris Coons , D-Del.
, about whether the Supreme Court ruling that protects the right to buy and use contraception was correctly decided .
The 7-2 decision in Griswold v. Connecticut is viewed as the basis for Roe v. Wade , the 1973 ruling that legalized a woman 's right to abortion nationwide .
Instead of directly answering Coons ' question about whether the Supreme Court made the appropriate ruling in Griswold , Barrett said she found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overturned .
`` It seems unthinkable that any legislature would pass such a law '' taking away the right to buy or use contraception , she said .
`` I think the only reason that it 's even worth asking that question is to lay a predicate for whether Roe was rightly decided . ''
`` I think that Griswold is very , very , very , very , very , very unlikely to go anywhere , '' she added .
Coons responded by pointing out that during their confirmation hearings , current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan all spoke about Griswold .
`` Your predecessors talked about Griswold in detail , '' Coons said .
`` In fact Justice Kagan , who you 've been citing on the 'no grading , ' said ' I do ' that she 's willing to speak to it and 'as every nominee has , I do support the result in Griswold , ' `` he added .
Again , Barrett responded by saying it was highly unlikely Griswold would ever go away .
But in Little Sisters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court ruled the Trump administration had the right to allow employers to deny contraceptive coverage on the basis of religion .
Throughout the hearings this week , Democrats have centered on the issue of precedent and have asked Barrett , with little success , about her views on landmark cases in an attempt to gauge her commitment to it .
Barrett has repeatedly cited early Supreme Court nominees , including Kagan and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , in her avoidance of giving specific viewpoints .
Many Democrats fear Barrett would move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precedents , particularly Roe , based on her writings .
Coons pointed to a 2013 Texas Law Review article in which Barrett argued that a Supreme Court justice should disregard precedent if she believes an earlier ruling was incorrectly founded .
When asked about Roe on Tuesday , Barrett told Sen. Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn. , that she did not consider the case to be a super-precedent .
Barrett described super-precedents as cases that are so widely agreed upon that no one would ever push for them to be overruled , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roe is not a super-precedent because calls for its overruling have never ceased , but that does n't mean that Roe should be overruled , '' Barrett said .

Pressed On Landmark Contraception Case, Barrett Again Declines To Answer
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stefani Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images Stefani Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images
Judge Amy Coney Barrett declined to answer a question Wednesday from Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., about whether the Supreme Court ruling that protects the right to buy and use contraception was correctly decided.
The 7-2 decision in Griswold v. Connecticut is viewed as the basis for Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized a woman's right to abortion nationwide.
Instead of directly answering Coons' question about whether the Supreme Court made the appropriate ruling in Griswold, Barrett said she found it unlikely that decision would ever be overturned.
"It seems unthinkable that any legislature would pass such a law" taking away the right to buy or use contraception, she said. "I think the only reason that it's even worth asking that question is to lay a predicate for whether Roe was rightly decided."
"I think that Griswold is very, very, very, very, very, very unlikely to go anywhere," she added.
Coons responded by pointing out that during their confirmation hearings, current Justices John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan all spoke about Griswold.
"Your predecessors talked about Griswold in detail," Coons said. "In fact Justice Kagan, who you've been citing on the 'no grading,' said 'I do' that she's willing to speak to it and 'as every nominee has, I do support the result in Griswold,' " he added.
Again, Barrett responded by saying it was highly unlikely Griswold would ever go away.
But in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania, the high court ruled the Trump administration had the right to allow employers to deny contraceptive coverage on the basis of religion.
Throughout the hearings this week, Democrats have centered on the issue of precedent and have asked Barrett, with little success, about her views on landmark cases in an attempt to gauge her commitment to it.
Barrett has repeatedly cited early Supreme Court nominees, including Kagan and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in her avoidance of giving specific viewpoints.
Many Democrats fear Barrett would move to overrule some of the court's precedents, particularly Roe, based on her writings. Coons pointed to a 2013 Texas Law Review article in which Barrett argued that a Supreme Court justice should disregard precedent if she believes an earlier ruling was incorrectly founded.
When asked about Roe on Tuesday, Barrett told Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., that she did not consider the case to be a super-precedent. Barrett described super-precedents as cases that are so widely agreed upon that no one would ever push for them to be overruled, such as Brown v. Board of Education.
"Roe is not a super-precedent because calls for its overruling have never ceased, but that doesn't mean that Roe should be overruled," Barrett said.


npr--2020-10-14--White Woman Who Called Police On Black Bird-Watcher Allegedly Made A Second 911 Call

White Woman Who Called Police On Black Bird-Watcher Allegedly Made A Second 911 Call Amy Cooper , the white woman who was captured on cellphone video calling the police on a Black bird-watcher in Central Park this summer , also allegedly made a second 911 call .
New York prosecutors say she falsely claimed the man `` tried to assault her . ''
The second , previously unreported call was disclosed Wednesday , the same day she appeared at a hearing via video link to face a misdemeanor charge of falsely reporting an incident in the third degree .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice , and anti-racism , and we will hold people who make false and racist 911 calls accountable , '' Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. said in a statement .
`` As alleged in the complaint , Amy Cooper engaged in racist criminal conduct when she falsely accused a Black man of trying to assault her in a previously unreported second call with a 911 dispatcher , '' Vance said .
`` Fortunately , no one was injured or killed in the police response to Ms. Cooper 's hoax . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Cooper over the incident .
If convicted , she could face up to one year in jail , a fine or both .
The incident took place on Memorial Day , the same day that George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police .
Her behavior as she called law enforcement for help has been widely criticized as racist and an example of a white person calling the police to report Black people for doing mundane activities .
Christian Cooper , who is Black and is not related to the woman , got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wooded area of Central Park called the Ramble , which requires that dogs be leashed at all times .
Christian Cooper repeatedly asked the woman to leash her dog , which she initially refused to do , based on the video he shot .
At one point , Christian Cooper says to her , `` Please do n't come close to me . ''
Amy Cooper asks him to stop recording .
When he refuses to do so , she tells him that she 'll call the police on him .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooper says to her .
She obliges .
Amy Cooper says : `` I 'm going to tell them there 's an African American man threatening my life . ''
And she repeatedly tells the dispatcher to send help .
After the incident became national news , she told CNN in a statement , `` I 'm not a racist .
I did not mean to harm that man in any way . ''
She also said she did n't intend to hurt the African American community .
She was swiftly fired from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton , '' the company said in a tweet .
Christian Cooper told NPR in May that her actions were `` pretty crappy without a doubt , '' but he said he was n't sure the response to her actions was proportionate .

White Woman Who Called Police On Black Bird-Watcher Allegedly Made A Second 911 Call
Enlarge this image toggle caption Christian Cooper via Facebook/Screenshot by NPR Christian Cooper via Facebook/Screenshot by NPR
Amy Cooper, the white woman who was captured on cellphone video calling the police on a Black bird-watcher in Central Park this summer, also allegedly made a second 911 call. New York prosecutors say she falsely claimed the man "tried to assault her."
The second, previously unreported call was disclosed Wednesday, the same day she appeared at a hearing via video link to face a misdemeanor charge of falsely reporting an incident in the third degree.
"Our Office is committed to safety, justice, and anti-racism, and we will hold people who make false and racist 911 calls accountable," Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. said in a statement.
"As alleged in the complaint, Amy Cooper engaged in racist criminal conduct when she falsely accused a Black man of trying to assault her in a previously unreported second call with a 911 dispatcher," Vance said. "Fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the police response to Ms. Cooper's hoax."
In July, Vance said he initiated prosecution against Cooper over the incident. If convicted, she could face up to one year in jail, a fine or both.
The incident took place on Memorial Day, the same day that George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police.
Her behavior as she called law enforcement for help has been widely criticized as racist and an example of a white person calling the police to report Black people for doing mundane activities.
Christian Cooper, who is Black and is not related to the woman, got into a verbal altercation with her in a wooded area of Central Park called the Ramble, which requires that dogs be leashed at all times.
Christian Cooper repeatedly asked the woman to leash her dog, which she initially refused to do, based on the video he shot.
At one point, Christian Cooper says to her, "Please don't come close to me."
Amy Cooper asks him to stop recording. When he refuses to do so, she tells him that she'll call the police on him.
"Please call the cops," Christian Cooper says to her.
She obliges. Amy Cooper says: "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life."
And she repeatedly tells the dispatcher to send help.
After the incident became national news, she told CNN in a statement, "I'm not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way." She also said she didn't intend to hurt the African American community.
She was swiftly fired from her job at an investment management firm. "We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton," the company said in a tweet.
Christian Cooper told NPR in May that her actions were "pretty crappy without a doubt," but he said he wasn't sure the response to her actions was proportionate.


npr--2020-10-14--Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State — And The Deadlines You Need

Map : Mail-In Voting Rules By State — And The Deadlines You Need Editor 's Note : Virginia extended its voter registration deadline until 11:59 p.m .
ET on Thursday , Oct. 15 , after a website outage .
In response to the coronavirus pandemic , dozens of states have modified their rules for mail-in voting in November 's elections .
Some of those changes are more substantial than others .
California , Nevada , New Jersey and Vermont , along with Washington , D.C. , are sending mail-in ballots to all voters , joining the handful of states that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual counties are now authorized to send voters ballots .
And many more states are mailing voters absentee ballot applications .
There 's also been a big expansion in who can vote absentee .
Many states , including New Hampshire and New York , have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot , or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse .
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for submitting an absentee ballot .
Some states — often as the result of litigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be postmarked by Election Day , rather than received by then .
And in Virginia , for instance , an absentee ballot wo n't need a witness signature .
The graphic above gives a broad overview of mail-in voting procedures for each state and some basic deadlines voters should know .
Here are a few caveats as you look up your state 's information : • Many states have options for voter registration , perhaps at specific locations , even after the statewide deadline .
• In states that have early voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or can be on weekdays and not weekends .
• If your state has no true early voting period , you can likely still drop-off an absentee ballot early .
In short , the voting rules and procedures vary widely , so be sure to check with your state for the most detailed and up-to-date information .
With ( lots of ) research help by Washington Desk editorial assistant Elena Moore .
This map was originally published on Sept. 14 .

Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State — And The Deadlines You Need
Loading...
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, dozens of states have modified their rules for mail-in voting in November's elections.
Some of those changes are more substantial than others.
California, Nevada, New Jersey and Vermont, along with Washington, D.C., are sending mail-in ballots to all voters, joining the handful of states that conduct all-mail elections. In Montana, individual counties are now authorized to send voters ballots. And many more states are mailing voters absentee ballot applications.
There's also been a big expansion in who can vote absentee. Many states, including New Hampshire and New York, have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot, or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse.
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for submitting an absentee ballot. Some states — often as the result of litigation — have said mail-in ballots only need to be postmarked by Election Day, rather than received by then. And in Virginia, for instance, an absentee ballot won't need a witness signature.
The graphic above gives a broad overview of mail-in voting procedures for each state and some basic deadlines voters should know.
Here are a few caveats as you look up your state's information:
Many states have options for voter registration, perhaps at specific locations, even after the statewide deadline.
In states that have early voting, the dates often vary by county, or can be on weekdays and not weekends.
If your state has no true early voting period, you can likely still drop-off an absentee ballot early.
In short, the voting rules and procedures vary widely, so be sure to check with your state for the most detailed and up-to-date information.
With (lots of) research help by Washington Desk editorial assistant Elena Moore. This map was originally published on Sept. 14.


npr--2020-10-14--Normally Invisible, National Security Figures Assume Prominent Election Role

National security leaders normally lay low to the point of invisibility during presidential election campaigns .
Not this year .
Current officials , like FBI Director Christopher Wray , have stepped up to reassure voters , saying they can vote with confidence and expect accurate , timely results .
This is in sharp contrast to President Trump , who keeps questioning the integrity of the balloting .
In addition , many former national security officials are publicly taking sides for the first time in a presidential election by criticizing Trump and endorsing Democratic candidate Joe Biden .
Wray and three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released nine-minute video .
`` We 're not going to tolerate foreign interference in our elections , or criminal activity that threatens the sanctity of your vote , or undermines public confidence in the outcome of the election , '' said Wray .
Shortly after the video was released , Trump attacked Wray .
`` He 's been disappointing , '' Trump said in an interview with Fox Business last week .
`` He does n't see the voting ballots as a problem . ''
The president went on to say that Wray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud , though there 's no evidence of a widespread problem .
Trump has repeatedly questioned mail-in balloting , predicting this will be `` the most corrupt election in the history of our country '' and has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses .
Another official who appears in the video with Wray is Bill Evanina , head of the National Counterintelligence and Security Agency .
Speaking on behalf of the intelligence community , Evanina issued a statement in August saying that `` we assess that Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primarily denigrate former Vice President Biden . ''
Trump and his team have ignored or downplayed this assessment , and have continued to cast doubt on the intelligence community conclusion about Russia 's interference in the 2016 campaign .
Meanwhile , former national security officials are signing letters , making videos and taking to social media to back a candidate , in most cases choosing Biden .
This has raised concerns that the national security community will undermine the nonpartisan reputation it considers critically important .
John Sipher , who retired from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against a sitting president goes against the ethos of the intelligence community , where he worked for 28 years .
But he says Trump has politicized national security in ways he could not ignore .
`` President Trump has created something that we have n't seen before , '' Sipher said .
`` I think there 's quite a few people , myself included , who by no means would be as partisan or political as we are now .
I think this has to do with mostly with President Trump 's sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sipher even appears in a campaign ad for Virginia Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger , who used to work at the CIA .
Sipher agreed to do so because he says she 's being unfairly attacked by her Republican rival .
Sipher believes he and his former colleagues will be less vocal if a future president handles national security in a more traditional manner .
However , others think the discreet neutrality of the past is unlikely to return .
Some former officials are backing Trump , who likes to cite a letter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admirals .
But many more have spoken up in favor of Biden , who received the backing of nearly 500 former officials in a recent letter .
In addition , several former national security officials who were handpicked by Trump for top positions have harshly criticized him and questioned his fitness to serve as commander-in-chief .
They include former national security adviser John Bolton , former defense secretary Jim Mattis and the former head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency , Robert Cardillo .
Recently , retired Army Gen. Stanley McCrystal endorsed Biden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan .
But he was fired when he was quoted as insulting then Vice President Biden in Rolling Stone magazine .
Now he says , `` You have to believe your commander-in-chief is someone you can trust .
And I can trust Joe Biden . ''
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent .
Follow him @ gregmyre1 .

Normally Invisible, National Security Figures Assume Prominent Election Role
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tom Williams/AP Tom Williams/AP
National security leaders normally lay low to the point of invisibility during presidential election campaigns. Not this year.
Current officials, like FBI Director Christopher Wray, have stepped up to reassure voters, saying they can vote with confidence and expect accurate, timely results. This is in sharp contrast to President Trump, who keeps questioning the integrity of the balloting.
In addition, many former national security officials are publicly taking sides for the first time in a presidential election by criticizing Trump and endorsing Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
Wray and three colleagues outlined election security in a recently released nine-minute video.
"We're not going to tolerate foreign interference in our elections, or criminal activity that threatens the sanctity of your vote, or undermines public confidence in the outcome of the election," said Wray.
Four current national security officials, including Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command, appear in this nine-minute video that seeks to reassure voters that this year's election is well protected from foreign interference and fraud. YouTube
Shortly after the video was released, Trump attacked Wray.
"He's been disappointing," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business last week. "He doesn't see the voting ballots as a problem." The president went on to say that Wray should be doing more to investigate voter fraud, though there's no evidence of a widespread problem.
Trump has repeatedly questioned mail-in balloting, predicting this will be "the most corrupt election in the history of our country" and has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses.
Another official who appears in the video with Wray is Bill Evanina, head of the National Counterintelligence and Security Agency. Speaking on behalf of the intelligence community, Evanina issued a statement in August saying that "we assess that Russia is using a range of measures to primarily denigrate former Vice President Biden."
Trump and his team have ignored or downplayed this assessment, and have continued to cast doubt on the intelligence community conclusion about Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign.
Meanwhile, former national security officials are signing letters, making videos and taking to social media to back a candidate, in most cases choosing Biden.
This has raised concerns that the national security community will undermine the nonpartisan reputation it considers critically important.
John Sipher, who retired from the CIA in 2014, said speaking out against a sitting president goes against the ethos of the intelligence community, where he worked for 28 years. But he says Trump has politicized national security in ways he could not ignore.
"President Trump has created something that we haven't seen before," Sipher said. "I think there's quite a few people, myself included, who by no means would be as partisan or political as we are now. I think this has to do with mostly with President Trump's sort of shredding of the institutions."
Sipher even appears in a campaign ad for Virginia Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who used to work at the CIA. Sipher agreed to do so because he says she's being unfairly attacked by her Republican rival.
Sipher believes he and his former colleagues will be less vocal if a future president handles national security in a more traditional manner. However, others think the discreet neutrality of the past is unlikely to return.
Some former officials are backing Trump, who likes to cite a letter of support signed by 235 retired generals and admirals.
But many more have spoken up in favor of Biden, who received the backing of nearly 500 former officials in a recent letter.
In addition, several former national security officials who were handpicked by Trump for top positions have harshly criticized him and questioned his fitness to serve as commander-in-chief.
They include former national security adviser John Bolton, former defense secretary Jim Mattis and the former head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Robert Cardillo.
Recently, retired Army Gen. Stanley McCrystal endorsed Biden. Back in 2010, McCrystal was the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. But he was fired when he was quoted as insulting then Vice President Biden in Rolling Stone magazine. Now he says, "You have to believe your commander-in-chief is someone you can trust. And I can trust Joe Biden."
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent. Follow him @gregmyre1.


npr--2020-10-14--His Private Border Wall Enraged Neighbors. Then He Landed $2B To Build Walls For Trump

His Private Border Wall Enraged Neighbors .
Then He Landed $ 2B To Build Walls For Trump When Tommy Fisher decided he wanted to build his own private border wall in Texas , he said he wanted to keep out trouble from Mexico .
Now that wall has created its own set of troubles on the U.S. side of the border : Engineers warn the structure will wash away in a flood ; neighbors want it dismantled , and Fisher is embroiled in lawsuits .
Nonetheless , Fisher and his North Dakota construction company have landed more than $ 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's official wall .
Fisher , who supports Trump and regularly promoted himself on Fox News , erected the iron barrier 18-feet-high and three miles long along the highly regulated Rio Grande as his personalproject .
Opponents say it has since fallen into disrepair and could exacerbate flooding because it 's too close to the international river .
Locals are dumbfounded by the project .
`` I did n't know you could disrespect the river bank like that , '' says Father Roy Snipes , an Oblate priest who celebrates Mass at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private wall .
`` I thought if you tried to do something like that , the Texas Rangers or Texas Parks & Wildlife would come in and say , 'Hell , you ca n't do that .
You do n't own the river . '
But evidently ... you can do whatever the hell you damn well please . ''
Fisher has said all along that he built the wall to show the government he could do it faster , cheaper and better .
He did not respond to an interview request from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 're built structurally strong so that we can handle pretty much whatever God throws at us . ''
Despite lawsuits filed by the International Boundary and Water Commission and an enraged neighbor , a federal judge allowed Fisher to finish his border wall last March .
It sits like a white elephant on the sandy banks of the river , baking in the Rio Grande Valley sun .
For critics , the greatest puzzlement about the private wall is its pointlessness .
Trump 's massive and expensive border barrier that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north negates the need for Fisher 's wall .
Moreover , Fisher 's wall sits right next to the winding river , not on top of the levee that is outsideofthefloodplain , where the Trump administration is building its own controversial barrier .
`` This thing that the Fisher group did , it 's way too close to the water .
And it 's in an area where we would never be allowed to build at the federal government level , '' says Ron Vitiello , retired chief of the Border Patrol who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And now , there 's the whiff of scandal .
In August , federal prosecutors charged former Trump advisor Steve Bannon and three others with defrauding donors out of millions of dollars .
The indictment alleges that a group calling itself We Build The Wall `` defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors '' in a crowdfunding campaign that was supposed to go toward border walls like Fisher 's .
Instead , according to the indictment , the money went to fund lavish lifestyles .
The defendants say they 're innocent of wrongdoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fisher is not charged .
We Build The Wall only contributed $ 1.5 million to Fisher 's border wall in the Rio Grande Valley ; Fisher paid for most of the $ 40 million cost himself .
Yet , We Build The Wall continues to take credit for Fisher 's two border projects on its website .
In addition to the Rio Grande Valley project , Fisher has built a shorter section of wall on the land border between Mexico and Sunland Park , N.M. , just west of El Paso , Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens the next time the Rio Grande has a big flood , which happens periodically with Gulf hurricanes .
Marianna Treviño Wright , executive director of the National Butterfly Center , is the neighbor suing Fisher .
`` The experts and the scientists ... attest to the fact that in a flood event , that fence will block and clog .
It will cause a redirection of water flow and ultimately result in damage to property adjacent and upstream , '' says Wright .
She is also suing for defamation We Build The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a U.S. Air Force veteran who became a triple amputee from injuries sustained while serving in Iraq .
When Wright and Father Roy publicly opposed construction of the private wall , Kolfage tweeted they were both `` promoting trafficking of children . ''
`` They were outright lies ! ''
Wright says .
`` We are not a cartel front . ''
Wright , the International Boundary and Water Commission , and its Mexican counterpart , which goes by the initials CILA , are alarmed that the bollard wall is a potential obstruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get pushed over by the force of the water .
Over the summer , heavy rains revealed just how precarious the wall is .
Water erosion scoured deep trenches under the foundation .
The U.S. attorney representing the IBWC described it as `` severe . ''
Wright 's lawyer , Javier Peña , went along with an inspection team after the rains passed .
`` People can actually fit and just crawl under the foundation of the wall , and it 's months old , '' Peña said incredulously .
`` This thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ca n't even last a year . ''
Meanwhile , Fisher has received four border wall construction contracts from the Homeland Security Department valued at $ 2.25 billion — more than any other federal contractor .
Democrats in Congress suspect favoritism , and now the Pentagon 's inspector general is auditing a $ 400 million contract to his company , Fisher Sand & Gravel .
These days , Fisher is busy in Arizona with his mega-contracts building the official border wall — to the government 's specifications , not his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early August to answer complaints of erosion under his prototype wall .
`` No matter what we do , if there 's a huge storm , there 's erosion , '' Fisher told reporters .
`` And we have the ability to fix that here , and then we have the ability to make it stronger . ''
He says the fixes are simple : Fill in the eroded gullies with more dirt , pile gravel on , and seed the area with grass .
That , he claims , will stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report prepared by engineers hired by the Butterfly Center warns the private wall is in danger of toppling over due to a poor foundation and continuing erosion .
Jude Benavides , a professor of hydrology and environmental science at the University of Texas in the Rio Grande Valley , has studied flooding on the international river .
He says while it appears placid to outsiders , it can become fierce , as in , el Rio Bravo — Mexico 's name for the river .
`` And so to build , not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the floodway , it 's going to have repercussions when [ the river ] decides to wake up and rage again , '' Benavides said .

His Private Border Wall Enraged Neighbors. Then He Got $2B To Build Walls For Trump
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jordyn Rozensky and Justin Hamel for The Washington Post via Getty Images Jordyn Rozensky and Justin Hamel for The Washington Post via Getty Images
When Tommy Fisher decided he wanted to build his own private border wall in Texas, he said he wanted to keep out trouble from Mexico.
Now that wall has created its own set of troubles on the U.S. side of the border: Engineers warn the structure will wash away in a flood, neighbors want it dismantled, and Fisher is embroiled in lawsuits.
Nonetheless, Fisher and his North Dakota construction company have landed more than $2 billion in contracts to build President Trump's official wall.
Fisher, who supports Trump and regularly promoted himself on Fox News, erected the iron barrier 18 feet high and 3 miles long along the highly regulated Rio Grande as his personal project.
Opponents say it has since fallen into disrepair and could exacerbate flooding because it's too close to the international river. Locals are dumbfounded by the project.
"I didn't know you could disrespect the river bank like that," says the Rev. Roy Snipes, an Oblate priest who celebrates Mass at an historic mission church not far from the private wall.
"I thought if you tried to do something like that, the Texas Rangers or Texas Parks & Wildlife would come in and say, 'Hell, you can't do that. You don't own the river.' But evidently ... you can do whatever the hell you damn well please."
Fisher has said all along that he built the wall to show the government he could do it faster, cheaper and better. He did not respond to an interview request from NPR but told reporters in August: "We're built structurally strong so that we can handle pretty much whatever God throws at us."
Despite lawsuits filed by the International Boundary and Water Commission and an enraged neighbor, a federal judge allowed Fisher to finish his border wall last March. It sits like a white elephant on the sandy banks of the river, baking in the Rio Grande Valley sun.
For critics, the greatest puzzlement about the private wall is its pointlessness. Trump's massive and expensive border barrier that's under construction just a mile to the north negates the need for Fisher's wall.
Moreover, Fisher's wall sits right next to the winding river, not on top of the levee that is outside of the flood plain, where the Trump administration is building its own controversial barrier.
"This thing that the Fisher group did, it's way too close to the water. And it's in an area where we would never be allowed to build at the federal government level," says Ron Vitiello, retired chief of the Border Patrol who oversaw some of the federal wall construction.
And now, there's the whiff of scandal. In August, federal prosecutors charged former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and three others with defrauding donors out of millions of dollars.
The indictment alleges that a group calling itself We Build The Wall "defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors" in a crowdfunding campaign that was supposed to go toward border walls like Fisher's. Instead, according to the indictment, the money went to fund lavish lifestyles.
The defendants say that they're innocent of wrongdoing and that the charges are politically motivated. Fisher is not charged.
We Build The Wall only contributed $1.5 million to Fisher's border wall in the Rio Grande Valley; Fisher paid most of the $40 million cost himself.
Yet, We Build The Wall continues to take credit for Fisher's two border projects on its website. In addition to the Rio Grande Valley project, Fisher has built a shorter section of wall on the land border between Mexico and Sunland Park, N.M., just west of El Paso, Texas.
The big question now is what happens the next time the Rio Grande has a big flood, which happens periodically with Gulf hurricanes. Marianna Treviño Wright, executive director of the National Butterfly Center, is the neighbor suing Fisher.
"The experts and the scientists ... attest to the fact that in a flood event, that fence will block and clog. It will cause a redirection of water flow and ultimately result in damage to property adjacent and upstream," says Wright.
She has also filed a defamation suit against We Build The Wall's founder, Brian Kolfage, a U.S. Air Force veteran who became a triple amputee from injuries sustained while serving in Iraq. When Wright and Roy publicly opposed construction of the private wall, Kolfage tweeted they were both "promoting trafficking of children."
"They were outright lies," Wright says. "We are not a cartel front."
Wright, the International Boundary and Water Commission, and its Mexican counterpart, which goes by the initials CILA, are alarmed that the bollard wall is a potential obstruction that could deflect floodwaters, or even get pushed over by the force of the water.
Over the summer, heavy rains revealed just how precarious the wall is. Water erosion scoured deep trenches under the foundation. The U.S. attorney representing the IBWC described it as "severe."
Wright's lawyer, Javier Peña, went along with an inspection team after the rains passed.
"People can actually fit and just crawl under the foundation of the wall, and it's months old," Peña said incredulously. "This thing was supposed to last a hundred years, and it can't even last a year."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Fisher has received four border wall construction contracts from the Homeland Security Department valued at $2.25 billion — more than any other federal contractor.
Democrats in Congress suspect favoritism, and now the Pentagon's inspector general is auditing a $400 million contract to his company, Fisher Sand & Gravel.
These days, Fisher is busy in Arizona with his mega-contracts building the official border wall — to the government's specifications, not his own. But he did return to Texas in early August to answer complaints of erosion under his prototype wall.
"No matter what we do, if there's a huge storm, there's erosion," Fisher told reporters. "And we have the ability to fix that here, and then we have the ability to make it stronger."
He says the fixes are simple: Fill in the eroded gullies with more dirt, pile gravel on and seed the area with grass. That, he claims, will stand up to Mother Nature.
But experts remain deeply dubious.
A forensic report prepared by engineers hired by the Butterfly Center warns the private wall is in danger of toppling over because of a poor foundation and continuing erosion.
Jude Benavides, an associate professor of hydrology and environmental science at the University of Texas in the Rio Grande Valley, has studied flooding on the international river. He says while it appears placid to outsiders, it can become fierce, as in, el Rio Bravo — Mexico's name for the river.
"And so to build, not only in the flood plain, but essentially in the floodway, it's going to have repercussions when [the river] decides to wake up and rage again," Benavides said.


npr--2020-10-14--Gun-Waving St. Louis Couple Plead Not Guilty To 2 Felony Charges

Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St. Louis couple who waved guns at Black Lives Matter protesters on their private street in June , pleaded not guilty to two felony charges on Wednesday .
A grand jury indicted the couple last week on charges of unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence .
They had been charged in July with the weapon violation ; the grand jury added the evidence charge .
The indictment states that the pistol held by Patricia McCloskey was altered before it was handed over to investigators .
The charges are the result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on June 28 .
Protesters were marching down the private street en route to the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson .
The McCloskeys were seen on video outside of their mansion brandishing firearms .
Mark McCloskey carried an AR-15 rifle , while Patricia had her finger on the trigger of a semi-automatic handgun .
St. Louis police issued trespassing summonses to nine protesters for entering private property , but the City Counselor 's Office opted not to pursue charges against them .
The McCloskeys , personal injury lawyers in their 60s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have blamed `` leftist '' Democrats in St. Louis government for the charges against them .
Their attorney , Joel Schwartz , says President Trump has taken an interest in the McCloskeys ' case .
`` They have spoken with the president , '' Schwartz said after Wednesday 's hearing , The Associated Press reports .
`` The president contacts them semi-frequently . ''

Gun-Waving St. Louis Couple Plead Not Guilty To 2 Felony Charges
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Roberson/AP Jeff Roberson/AP
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who waved guns at Black Lives Matter protesters on their private street in June, pleaded not guilty to two felony charges on Wednesday.
A grand jury indicted the couple last week on charges of unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence. They had been charged in July with the weapon violation; the grand jury added the evidence charge. The indictment states that the pistol held by Patricia McCloskey was altered before it was handed over to investigators.
The charges are the result of a confrontation between protesters and the McCloskeys on June 28.
Protesters were marching down the private street en route to the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. The McCloskeys were seen on video outside of their mansion brandishing firearms. Mark McCloskey carried an AR-15 rifle, while Patricia had her finger on the trigger of a semi-automatic handgun.
St. Louis police issued trespassing summonses to nine protesters for entering private property, but the City Counselor's Office opted not to pursue charges against them.
The McCloskeys, personal injury lawyers in their 60s with a history of suing their neighbors, have blamed "leftist" Democrats in St. Louis government for the charges against them. Their attorney, Joel Schwartz, says President Trump has taken an interest in the McCloskeys' case.
"They have spoken with the president," Schwartz said after Wednesday's hearing, The Associated Press reports. "The president contacts them semi-frequently."


npr--2020-10-14--How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress

How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress Updated on October 14 at 1:45 p.m .
ET The coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the daily work of Congress , which has seen a series of outbreaks .
Most recently , President Trump , First Lady Melania Trump and several others tested positive following a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce his nominee , Judge Amy Coney Barrett , as Supreme Court justice .
At least nine Republican members of Congress attended , and several individuals tested positive for the coronavirus infection or were sidelined in quarantines in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sens .
Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina , who had attended Senate business the week after the ceremony , then tested positive .
Soon after , Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson , who was n't at the Rose Garden event , also tested positive .
Several more members tested negative , but entered quarantines after exposure at the event , including Sens .
Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Ted Cruz of Texas and Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson .
The new outbreak forced the Senate to recess for two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full chamber vote to allow Republicans to confirm Barrett .
The House was already slated to be away .
This is n't the first spread of the illness for Capitol Hill .
The pandemic sidelined Congress since its March beginnings , as House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members for several weeks in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing .
The Senate returned in May , but the much larger House still stayed mostly away as a result of advice from the attending physician to Congress .
That same month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing remote voting and hearings .
So far , the virus has infected about 20 lawmakers and forced dozens more to self-quarantine .
More than 100 members of their staffs and Capitol Hill workers have tested positive .
The initial rash of cases began March 8 , when two Republican lawmakers , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona , were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines .
Both had attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Md.
, where an attendee at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus .
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 vote on a coronavirus relief package .
By October , more than 120 Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so , including more than 40 members of the U.S. Capitol Police .
Earlier this summer , Gary Tibbetts , a longtime staffer for Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida , died from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers have taken antibody tests to see if they were previously ill .
Among them , Democratic Sens .
Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring .
To stem the flow of new cases , both chambers issued new social distancing guidance .
Also , the U.S. Capitol remains closed to public tours and open only to members , staff , press and official business visitors .
In late July , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Texas , who has often rejected mask protocols , tested positive for the coronavirus .
Gohmert had attended several hearings a day before testing and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection .
Gohmert 's case triggered quarantines for five House members , including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva .
Days later , Grijalva tested positive , but fully recovered symptom free .
Now , members can be forcibly removed by Capitol Police from House hearings and the floor if they are not wearing masks .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .

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